diff --git a/bin/sys b/bin/sys
index 9e8ac7b..de24861 100755
--- a/bin/sys
+++ b/bin/sys
@@ -49,21 +49,24 @@ if [ "${uid}" -ne "0" ]; then
 fi
 
 ### create/find credentials for using with git
-homedir=$(getent passwd ${SUDO_USER} | cut -d\: -f 6)
-git_config_file="${homedir}"/.gitconfig
-hostname=$(hostname -f)
-# check for user credentials!
-if [ -z "$GIT_COMMITTER_NAME" ]; then
-	# if they do not exist, try to read from gitconfig in home dir
-	export GIT_COMMITTER_NAME=$(git config -f $git_config_file user.name)
-	export GIT_AUTHOR_NAME=$(git config -f $git_config_file user.name)
-	export GIT_COMMITTER_EMAIL=$(git config -f $git_config_file user.email)
-	export GIT_AUTHOR_EMAIL=$(git config -f $git_config_file user.email)
-	# if this fails ... generate the credentials
-	: ${GIT_COMMITTER_EMAIL:=${SUDO_USER}@${hostname}}
-	: ${GIT_AUTHOR_EMAIL:=${SUDO_USER}@${hostname}}
-	: ${GIT_COMMITTER_NAME:=${SUDO_USER}}
-	: ${GIT_AUTHOR_NAME:=${SUDO_USER}}
+
+if [ -n "$SUDO_USER" ]; then
+    homedir=$(getent passwd ${SUDO_USER} | cut -d\: -f 6)
+    git_config_file="${homedir}"/.gitconfig
+    hostname=$(hostname -f)
+    # check for user credentials!
+    if [ -z "$GIT_COMMITTER_NAME" ]; then
+            # if they do not exist, try to read from gitconfig in home dir
+            export GIT_COMMITTER_NAME=$(git config -f $git_config_file user.name)
+            export GIT_AUTHOR_NAME=$(git config -f $git_config_file user.name)
+            export GIT_COMMITTER_EMAIL=$(git config -f $git_config_file user.email)
+            export GIT_AUTHOR_EMAIL=$(git config -f $git_config_file user.email)
+            # if this fails ... generate the credentials
+    fi
+    : ${GIT_COMMITTER_EMAIL:=${SUDO_USER}@${hostname}}
+    : ${GIT_AUTHOR_EMAIL:=${SUDO_USER}@${hostname}}
+    : ${GIT_COMMITTER_NAME:=${SUDO_USER}}
+    : ${GIT_AUTHOR_NAME:=${SUDO_USER}}
 fi
 ################################################################################
 export GIT_DIR=$SYSGIT_PATH_OFFSET/var/lib/sysgit