diff --git a/src/main/resources/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/archetypes/java_server/debian/postinst-template b/src/main/resources/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/archetypes/java_server/debian/postinst-template
index 2413721ec..8b453525b 100644
--- a/src/main/resources/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/archetypes/java_server/debian/postinst-template
+++ b/src/main/resources/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/archetypes/java_server/debian/postinst-template
@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@ ${{header}}
 ${{loader-functions}}
 ${{control-functions}}
 
-addGroup ${{daemon_group}}
-addUser ${{daemon_user}} ${{daemon_group}} "${{app_name}} user-daemon" "${{daemon_shell}}"
+addGroup ${{daemon_group}} "${{daemon_group_gid}}"
+addUser ${{daemon_user}} "${{daemon_user_uid}}" ${{daemon_group}} "${{app_name}} user-daemon" "${{daemon_shell}}"
 
 ${{chown-paths}}
 
diff --git a/src/main/resources/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/archetypes/java_server/rpm/preinst-template b/src/main/resources/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/archetypes/java_server/rpm/preinst-template
index 87d9e99c6..868ba1127 100644
--- a/src/main/resources/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/archetypes/java_server/rpm/preinst-template
+++ b/src/main/resources/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/archetypes/java_server/rpm/preinst-template
@@ -2,5 +2,5 @@ ${{control-functions}}
 
 # Adding system user/group : ${{daemon_user}} and ${{daemon_group}}
 
-addGroup ${{daemon_group}}
-addUser ${{daemon_user}} ${{daemon_group}} "${{app_name}} user-daemon" "${{daemon_shell}}"
\ No newline at end of file
+addGroup ${{daemon_group}} "${{daemon_group_gid}}"
+addUser ${{daemon_user}} "${{daemon_user_uid}}" ${{daemon_group}} "${{app_name}} user-daemon" "${{daemon_shell}}"
diff --git a/src/main/resources/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/debian/postinst-template b/src/main/resources/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/debian/postinst-template
index f5ed87cc5..8c291c004 100644
--- a/src/main/resources/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/debian/postinst-template
+++ b/src/main/resources/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/debian/postinst-template
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 ${{header}}
 ${{control-functions}}
 
-addGroup ${{daemon_group}}
-addUser ${{daemon_user}} ${{daemon_group}} "${{app_name}} daemon-user" ${{daemon_shell}}
+addGroup ${{daemon_group}} "${{daemon_group_gid}}"
+addUser ${{daemon_user}} "${{debian_user_uid}}" ${{daemon_group}} "${{app_name}} daemon-user" ${{daemon_shell}}
 
 ${{chown-paths}}
diff --git a/src/main/resources/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/linux/control-functions b/src/main/resources/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/linux/control-functions
index 58a1a9a30..9b958bd1c 100644
--- a/src/main/resources/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/linux/control-functions
+++ b/src/main/resources/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/linux/control-functions
@@ -4,33 +4,47 @@
 
 # Adding system user
 # $1 = user
-# $2 = group
-# $3 = description
-# $4 = shell (defaults to /bin/false)
+# $2 = uid
+# $3 = group
+# $4 = description
+# $5 = shell (defaults to /bin/false)
 addUser() {
     user="$1"
     if [ -z "$user" ]; then
 	echo "usage: addUser user [group] [description] [shell]"
 	exit 1
     fi
-    group=${2:-$user}
-    descr=${3:-No description}
-    shell=${4:-/bin/false}
+    uid="$2"
+    if [ -z "$uid" ]; then
+	uid_flags=""
+	  else
+  uid_flags="--uid $uid"
+    fi
+    group=${3:-$user}
+    descr=${4:-No description}
+    shell=${5:-/bin/false}
     if ! getent passwd | grep -q "^$user:";
     then
 	echo "Creating system user: $user in $group with $descr and shell $shell"
-	useradd --gid $group --no-create-home --system --shell $shell -c "$descr" $user
+	useradd $uid_flags --gid $group --no-create-home --system --shell $shell -c "$descr" $user
     fi
 }
 
 # Adding system group
 # $1 = group
+# $2 = gid
 addGroup() {
     group="$1"
+    gid="$2"
+    if [ -z "$gid" ]; then
+	  gid_flags=""
+  else
+    gid_flags="--gid $gid"
+  fi
     if ! getent group | grep -q "^$group:" ;
     then
 	echo "Creating system group: $group"
-	groupadd --system $group
+	groupadd $gid_flags --system $group
     fi
 }
 
diff --git a/src/main/scala/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/archetypes/JavaServerApplication.scala b/src/main/scala/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/archetypes/JavaServerApplication.scala
index cb16dfd35..bd8931e43 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/archetypes/JavaServerApplication.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/archetypes/JavaServerApplication.scala
@@ -98,7 +98,9 @@ object JavaServerAppPackaging extends AutoPlugin {
     )) ++ Seq(
       // === Daemon User and Group ===
       daemonUser in Debian <<= daemonUser in Linux,
+      daemonUserUid in Debian <<= daemonUserUid in Linux,
       daemonGroup in Debian <<= daemonGroup in Linux,
+      daemonGroupGid in Debian <<= daemonGroupGid in Linux,
       // === Maintainer scripts ===
       debianMakePreinstScript <<= (target in Universal, serverLoading in Debian, linuxScriptReplacements) map makeMaintainerScript(Preinst),
       debianMakePostinstScript <<= (target in Universal, serverLoading in Debian, linuxScriptReplacements) map makeMaintainerScript(Postinst),
@@ -126,7 +128,9 @@ object JavaServerAppPackaging extends AutoPlugin {
     )) ++ Seq(
       // === Daemon User and Group ===
       daemonUser in Rpm <<= daemonUser in Linux,
+      daemonUserUid in Rpm <<= daemonUserUid in Linux,
       daemonGroup in Rpm <<= daemonGroup in Linux,
+      daemonGroupGid in Rpm <<= daemonGroupGid in Linux,
       // === Startscript creation ===
       linuxStartScriptTemplate := JavaServerLoaderScript(
         script = startScriptName((serverLoading in Rpm).value, Rpm),
diff --git a/src/main/scala/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/linux/Keys.scala b/src/main/scala/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/linux/Keys.scala
index b7150c214..50db2a158 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/linux/Keys.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/linux/Keys.scala
@@ -9,7 +9,9 @@ import com.typesafe.sbt.packager.archetypes.ServerLoader.ServerLoader
 trait LinuxKeys {
   val packageArchitecture = SettingKey[String]("package-architecture", "The architecture used for this linux package.")
   val daemonUser = SettingKey[String]("daemon-user", "User to start application daemon")
+  val daemonUserUid = SettingKey[Option[String]]("daemon-user-uid", "UID of daemonUser")
   val daemonGroup = SettingKey[String]("daemon-group", "Group to start application daemon")
+  val daemonGroupGid = SettingKey[Option[String]]("daemon-group-gid", "GID of daemonGroup")
   val daemonShell = SettingKey[String]("daemon-shell", "Shell provided for the daemon user")
   val serverLoading = SettingKey[ServerLoader]("server-loader", "Loading system to be used for application start script")
   val startRunlevels = SettingKey[Option[String]]("start-runlevels", "Sequence of runlevels on which application will start up")
@@ -37,6 +39,9 @@ trait LinuxKeys {
          |  appClasspath - application classpath
          |  appMainClass - main class to start
          |  daemonUser - daemon user
+         |  daemonUserUid - daemon user uid
+         |  daemonGroup - daemon group
+         |  daemonGroupGid - daemon group gid
       """.stripMargin
   )
 
diff --git a/src/main/scala/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/linux/LinuxPlugin.scala b/src/main/scala/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/linux/LinuxPlugin.scala
index f2541a251..2a29b8b1e 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/linux/LinuxPlugin.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/com/typesafe/sbt/packager/linux/LinuxPlugin.scala
@@ -58,7 +58,9 @@ object LinuxPlugin extends AutoPlugin {
     packageName in Linux <<= packageName,
     executableScriptName in Linux <<= executableScriptName,
     daemonUser in Linux <<= packageName in Linux,
+    daemonUserUid in Linux := None,
     daemonGroup in Linux <<= daemonUser in Linux,
+    daemonGroupGid in Linux := None,
     daemonShell in Linux := "/bin/false",
     defaultLinuxInstallLocation := "/usr/share",
     defaultLinuxLogsLocation := "/var/log",
@@ -79,7 +81,9 @@ object LinuxPlugin extends AutoPlugin {
       appName = (packageName in Linux).value,
       version = sbt.Keys.version.value,
       daemonUser = (daemonUser in Linux).value,
+      daemonUserUid = (daemonUserUid in Linux).value,
       daemonGroup = (daemonGroup in Linux).value,
+      daemonGroupGid = (daemonGroupGid in Linux).value,
       daemonShell = (daemonShell in Linux).value
     ),
     linuxScriptReplacements += controlScriptFunctionsReplacement( /* Add key for control-functions */ )
@@ -150,7 +154,9 @@ object LinuxPlugin extends AutoPlugin {
     appName: String,
     version: String,
     daemonUser: String,
+    daemonUserUid: Option[String],
     daemonGroup: String,
+    daemonGroupGid: Option[String],
     daemonShell: String,
     retries: Int = 0,
     retryTimeout: Int = 60
@@ -165,7 +171,9 @@ object LinuxPlugin extends AutoPlugin {
       "app_name" -> appName,
       "version" -> version,
       "daemon_user" -> daemonUser,
+      "daemon_user_uid" -> daemonUserUid.getOrElse(""),
       "daemon_group" -> daemonGroup,
+      "daemon_group_gid" -> daemonGroupGid.getOrElse(""),
       "daemon_shell" -> daemonShell
     )
 
diff --git a/src/sbt-test/debian/daemon-group-gid-deb/build.sbt b/src/sbt-test/debian/daemon-group-gid-deb/build.sbt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..77c341539
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/sbt-test/debian/daemon-group-gid-deb/build.sbt
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+import com.typesafe.sbt.packager.archetypes.ServerLoader
+
+enablePlugins(JavaServerAppPackaging)
+
+serverLoading in Debian := ServerLoader.Upstart
+
+daemonUser in Linux := "daemonuser"
+
+daemonGroup in Linux := "daemongroup"
+
+daemonGroupGid in Linux := Some("25000")
+
+mainClass in Compile := Some("empty")
+
+name := "debian-test"
+
+version := "0.1.0"
+
+maintainer := "Josh Suereth <joshua.suereth@typesafe.com>"
+
+packageSummary := "Test debian package"
+
+packageDescription := """A fun package description of our software,
+  with multiple lines."""
+
+TaskKey[Unit]("check-control-files") <<= (target, streams) map { (target, out) =>
+  val debian = target / "debian-test-0.1.0" / "DEBIAN"
+  val postinst = IO.read(debian / "postinst")
+  val postrm = IO.read(debian / "postrm")
+  assert(postinst contains """addGroup daemongroup "25000"""", "postinst misses addgroup for daemongroup: " + postinst)
+  assert(postinst contains """addUser daemonuser "" daemongroup "debian-test user-daemon" "/bin/false"""", "postinst misses useradd for daemonuser: " + postinst)
+  assert(postinst contains "chown daemonuser:daemongroup /var/log/debian-test", "postinst misses chown daemonuser /var/log/debian-test: " + postinst)
+  assert(!(postinst contains "addgroup --system daemonuser"), "postinst has addgroup for daemonuser: " + postinst)
+  assert(!(postinst contains "useradd --system --no-create-home --gid daemonuser --shell /bin/false daemonuser"), "postinst has useradd for daemongroup: " + postinst)
+  assert(postrm contains "deleteUser daemonuser", "postrm misses purging daemonuser user: " + postrm)
+  assert(postrm contains "deleteGroup daemongroup", "postrm misses purging daemongroup group: " + postrm)
+  assert(!(postinst contains "chown debian-test:daemongroup"), "postinst contains wrong user: \n" + postinst)
+  assert(!(postinst contains "chown daemonuser:debian-test"), "postinst contains wrong group: \n" + postinst)
+  assert(!(postinst contains "chown debian-test:debian-test"), "postinst contains wrong user and group: \n" + postinst)
+  assert(!(postinst contains "chown daemonuser:daemongroup /usr/share/debian-test"), "postinst contains chown /usr/share/app_name:  \n" + postinst)
+  out.log.success("Successfully tested upstart control files")
+  ()
+}
+
diff --git a/src/sbt-test/debian/daemon-group-gid-deb/project/plugins.sbt b/src/sbt-test/debian/daemon-group-gid-deb/project/plugins.sbt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b53de154c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/sbt-test/debian/daemon-group-gid-deb/project/plugins.sbt
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+addSbtPlugin("com.typesafe.sbt" % "sbt-native-packager" % sys.props("project.version"))
diff --git a/src/sbt-test/debian/daemon-group-gid-deb/test b/src/sbt-test/debian/daemon-group-gid-deb/test
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..967f7a260
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/sbt-test/debian/daemon-group-gid-deb/test
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+# Run the debian packaging.
+> debian:package-bin
+$ exists target/debian-test_0.1.0_all.deb
+
+$ exists target/debian-test-0.1.0/etc
+$ exists target/debian-test-0.1.0/etc/init/debian-test.conf
+# Check defaults
+$ exists target/debian-test-0.1.0/DEBIAN/prerm
+$ exists target/debian-test-0.1.0/DEBIAN/postinst
+
+# Check files for defaults
+> check-control-files
diff --git a/src/sbt-test/debian/daemon-user-deb/build.sbt b/src/sbt-test/debian/daemon-user-deb/build.sbt
index de530724d..52c9beb21 100644
--- a/src/sbt-test/debian/daemon-user-deb/build.sbt
+++ b/src/sbt-test/debian/daemon-user-deb/build.sbt
@@ -25,8 +25,8 @@ TaskKey[Unit]("check-control-files") <<= (target, streams) map { (target, out) =
   val debian = target / "debian-test-0.1.0" / "DEBIAN"
   val postinst = IO.read(debian / "postinst")
   val postrm = IO.read(debian / "postrm")
-  assert(postinst contains "addGroup daemongroup", "postinst misses addgroup for daemongroup: " + postinst)
-  assert(postinst contains """addUser daemonuser daemongroup "debian-test user-daemon" "/bin/false"""", "postinst misses useradd for daemonuser: " + postinst)
+  assert(postinst contains """addGroup daemongroup """"", "postinst misses addgroup for daemongroup: " + postinst)
+  assert(postinst contains """addUser daemonuser "" daemongroup "debian-test user-daemon" "/bin/false"""", "postinst misses useradd for daemonuser: " + postinst)
   assert(postinst contains "chown daemonuser:daemongroup /var/log/debian-test", "postinst misses chown daemonuser /var/log/debian-test: " + postinst)
   assert(!(postinst contains "addgroup --system daemonuser"), "postinst has addgroup for daemonuser: " + postinst)
   assert(!(postinst contains "useradd --system --no-create-home --gid daemonuser --shell /bin/false daemonuser"), "postinst has useradd for daemongroup: " + postinst)
diff --git a/src/sbt-test/debian/daemon-user-shell-deb/build.sbt b/src/sbt-test/debian/daemon-user-shell-deb/build.sbt
index f5157d658..bd21c1d18 100644
--- a/src/sbt-test/debian/daemon-user-shell-deb/build.sbt
+++ b/src/sbt-test/debian/daemon-user-shell-deb/build.sbt
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ TaskKey[Unit]("check-control-files") <<= (target, streams) map { (target, out) =
   val debian = target / "debian-test-0.1.0" / "DEBIAN"
   val postinst = IO.read(debian / "postinst")
   val postrm = IO.read(debian / "postrm")
-  assert(postinst contains """addUser daemonuser daemongroup "debian-test user-daemon" "/bin/bash"""", "postinst misses useradd for daemonuser: " + postinst)
+  assert(postinst contains """addUser daemonuser "" daemongroup "debian-test user-daemon" "/bin/bash"""", "postinst misses useradd for daemonuser: " + postinst)
   ()
 }
 
diff --git a/src/sbt-test/debian/daemon-user-uid-deb/build.sbt b/src/sbt-test/debian/daemon-user-uid-deb/build.sbt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5bd9a138d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/sbt-test/debian/daemon-user-uid-deb/build.sbt
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+import com.typesafe.sbt.packager.archetypes.ServerLoader
+
+enablePlugins(JavaServerAppPackaging)
+
+serverLoading in Debian := ServerLoader.Upstart
+
+daemonUser in Linux := "daemonuser"
+
+daemonUserUid in Linux := Some("20000")
+
+daemonGroup in Linux := "daemongroup"
+
+mainClass in Compile := Some("empty")
+
+name := "debian-test"
+
+version := "0.1.0"
+
+maintainer := "Josh Suereth <joshua.suereth@typesafe.com>"
+
+packageSummary := "Test debian package"
+
+packageDescription := """A fun package description of our software,
+  with multiple lines."""
+
+TaskKey[Unit]("check-control-files") <<= (target, streams) map { (target, out) =>
+  val debian = target / "debian-test-0.1.0" / "DEBIAN"
+  val postinst = IO.read(debian / "postinst")
+  val postrm = IO.read(debian / "postrm")
+  assert(postinst contains """addGroup daemongroup """"", "postinst misses addgroup for daemongroup: " + postinst)
+  assert(postinst contains """addUser daemonuser "20000" daemongroup "debian-test user-daemon" "/bin/false"""", "postinst misses useradd for daemonuser: " + postinst)
+  assert(postinst contains "chown daemonuser:daemongroup /var/log/debian-test", "postinst misses chown daemonuser /var/log/debian-test: " + postinst)
+  assert(!(postinst contains "addgroup --system daemonuser"), "postinst has addgroup for daemonuser: " + postinst)
+  assert(!(postinst contains "useradd --system --no-create-home --gid daemonuser --shell /bin/false daemonuser"), "postinst has useradd for daemongroup: " + postinst)
+  assert(postrm contains "deleteUser daemonuser", "postrm misses purging daemonuser user: " + postrm)
+  assert(postrm contains "deleteGroup daemongroup", "postrm misses purging daemongroup group: " + postrm)
+  assert(!(postinst contains "chown debian-test:daemongroup"), "postinst contains wrong user: \n" + postinst)
+  assert(!(postinst contains "chown daemonuser:debian-test"), "postinst contains wrong group: \n" + postinst)
+  assert(!(postinst contains "chown debian-test:debian-test"), "postinst contains wrong user and group: \n" + postinst)
+  assert(!(postinst contains "chown daemonuser:daemongroup /usr/share/debian-test"), "postinst contains chown /usr/share/app_name:  \n" + postinst)
+  out.log.success("Successfully tested upstart control files")
+  ()
+}
+
diff --git a/src/sbt-test/debian/daemon-user-uid-deb/project/plugins.sbt b/src/sbt-test/debian/daemon-user-uid-deb/project/plugins.sbt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b53de154c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/sbt-test/debian/daemon-user-uid-deb/project/plugins.sbt
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+addSbtPlugin("com.typesafe.sbt" % "sbt-native-packager" % sys.props("project.version"))
diff --git a/src/sbt-test/debian/daemon-user-uid-deb/test b/src/sbt-test/debian/daemon-user-uid-deb/test
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..967f7a260
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/sbt-test/debian/daemon-user-uid-deb/test
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+# Run the debian packaging.
+> debian:package-bin
+$ exists target/debian-test_0.1.0_all.deb
+
+$ exists target/debian-test-0.1.0/etc
+$ exists target/debian-test-0.1.0/etc/init/debian-test.conf
+# Check defaults
+$ exists target/debian-test-0.1.0/DEBIAN/prerm
+$ exists target/debian-test-0.1.0/DEBIAN/postinst
+
+# Check files for defaults
+> check-control-files