diff --git a/applications/gitlab.nix b/applications/gitlab.nix
index a177d9d..8ecda83 100644
--- a/applications/gitlab.nix
+++ b/applications/gitlab.nix
@@ -42,7 +42,8 @@
 
     user = mkOption {
       type = types.str;
-      default = "gitlab";
+      # changes teh ssh user
+      default = "git";
     };
 
     ldap = {