diff --git a/scripts/helma b/scripts/helma
index eb5a9e00..a0d4824c 100755
--- a/scripts/helma
+++ b/scripts/helma
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ if [ ! -d $HELMA_HOME ]; then
 fi
 
 # local settins
-RUN_CMD=$JAVA_BIN
+RUN_CMD="sudo -u $HELMA_USER $JAVA_BIN"
 RUN_ARGS="$JAVA_OPTS -jar $HELMA_HOME/launcher.jar $HELMA_ARGS"
 
 case "$1" in
diff --git a/scripts/helma.conf b/scripts/helma.conf
index 2beb1834..d28b266a 100644
--- a/scripts/helma.conf
+++ b/scripts/helma.conf
@@ -46,6 +46,12 @@ HELMA_INSTALL=/usr/local/helma/helma-1.3.1
 HELMA_HOME=$HELMA_INSTALL
 
 
+##############################################################
+###   The user Helma should be running as
+##############################################################
+HELMA_USER=helma
+
+
 ##############################################################
 ###   File to which standard and error output from Helma 
 ###   is redirected