diff --git a/repo2docker/app.py b/repo2docker/app.py
index a47a9120..0476d997 100644
--- a/repo2docker/app.py
+++ b/repo2docker/app.py
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ import escapism
 
 
 from traitlets.config import Application
-from traitlets import Unicode, List, default, Tuple, Dict
+from traitlets import Unicode, List, default, Tuple, Dict, Int
 import docker
 from docker.utils import kwargs_from_env
 
@@ -117,6 +117,29 @@ class Repo2Docker(Application):
         config=True
     )
 
+    user_id = Int(
+        1000,
+        help="""
+        UID of the user to create inside the built image.
+
+        Should be a uid that is not currently used by anything in the image.
+
+        Might not affect Dockerfile builds.
+        """,
+        config=True
+    )
+
+    user_name = Unicode(
+        'jovyan',
+        help="""
+        Username of the user to create inside the built image.
+
+        Should be a uid that is not currently used by anything in the image,
+        and should conform to the restrictions on user names for Linux.
+        """,
+        config=True
+    )
+
     def fetch(self, url, ref, checkout_path):
         try:
             for line in execute_cmd(['git', 'clone', url, checkout_path],
@@ -224,6 +247,19 @@ class Repo2Docker(Application):
             default=[]
         )
 
+        argparser.add_argument(
+            '--user-id',
+            help='User id the primary user in the image',
+            default=1000,
+            type=int
+        )
+
+        argparser.add_argument(
+            '--user-name',
+            help='User name of primary user in the image',
+            default='jovyan'
+        )
+
         return argparser
 
     def json_excepthook(self, etype, evalue, traceback):
@@ -307,6 +343,9 @@ class Repo2Docker(Application):
 
         self.run_cmd = args.cmd
 
+        self.user_id = int(args.user_id)
+        self.user_name = args.user_name
+
         if args.build_memory_limit:
             self.build_memory_limit = args.build_memory_limit
 
@@ -424,9 +463,13 @@ class Repo2Docker(Application):
                            extra=dict(phase='building'))
 
             if self.build:
+                build_args = {
+                    'NB_USER': self.user_name,
+                    'NB_UID': str(self.user_id)
+                }
                 self.log.info('Using %s builder\n', bp.name,
                               extra=dict(phase='building'))
-                for l in picked_buildpack.build(self.output_image_spec, self.build_memory_limit):
+                for l in picked_buildpack.build(self.output_image_spec, self.build_memory_limit, build_args):
                     if 'stream' in l:
                         self.log.info(l['stream'],
                                       extra=dict(phase='building'))
diff --git a/repo2docker/buildpacks/base.py b/repo2docker/buildpacks/base.py
index dd0a53f2..c3a914cd 100644
--- a/repo2docker/buildpacks/base.py
+++ b/repo2docker/buildpacks/base.py
@@ -30,8 +30,8 @@ ENV LANGUAGE en_US.UTF-8
 ENV SHELL /bin/bash
 
 # Set up user
-ENV NB_USER jovyan
-ENV NB_UID 1000
+ARG NB_USER
+ARG NB_UID
 ENV HOME /home/${NB_USER}
 
 RUN adduser --disabled-password \
@@ -360,7 +360,7 @@ class BuildPack(LoggingConfigurable):
             post_build_scripts=self.post_build_scripts,
         )
 
-    def build(self, image_spec, memory_limit):
+    def build(self, image_spec, memory_limit, build_args):
         tarf = io.BytesIO()
         tar = tarfile.open(fileobj=tarf, mode='w')
         dockerfile_tarinfo = tarfile.TarInfo("Dockerfile")
@@ -406,7 +406,7 @@ class BuildPack(LoggingConfigurable):
                 fileobj=tarf,
                 tag=image_spec,
                 custom_context=True,
-                buildargs={},
+                buildargs=build_args,
                 decode=True,
                 forcerm=True,
                 rm=True,
diff --git a/repo2docker/buildpacks/docker.py b/repo2docker/buildpacks/docker.py
index 9c4994e2..c5da9c14 100644
--- a/repo2docker/buildpacks/docker.py
+++ b/repo2docker/buildpacks/docker.py
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ class DockerBuildPack(BuildPack):
         with open(Dockerfile) as f:
             return f.read()
 
-    def build(self, image_spec, memory_limit):
+    def build(self, image_spec, memory_limit, build_args):
         limits = {
             # Always disable memory swap for building, since mostly
             # nothing good can come of that.
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ class DockerBuildPack(BuildPack):
                 path=os.getcwd(),
                 dockerfile=self.binder_path(self.dockerfile),
                 tag=image_spec,
-                buildargs={},
+                buildargs=build_args,
                 decode=True,
                 forcerm=True,
                 rm=True,
diff --git a/tests/volumes.py b/tests/volumes.py
index 2d021a9c..5d283562 100644
--- a/tests/volumes.py
+++ b/tests/volumes.py
@@ -12,9 +12,12 @@ def test_volume_abspath():
     """
     ts = str(time.time())
     with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmpdir:
+        username = os.getlogin()
         subprocess.check_call([
             'repo2docker',
-            '-v', '{}:/home/jovyan'.format(tmpdir),
+            '-v', '{}:/home/{}'.format(tmpdir, username),
+            '--user-id', str(os.geteuid()),
+            '--user-name', username,
             tmpdir,
             '--',
             '/bin/bash',
@@ -37,6 +40,8 @@ def test_volume_relpath():
             subprocess.check_call([
                 'repo2docker',
                 '-v', '.:.',
+                '--user-id', str(os.geteuid()),
+                '--user-name', os.getlogin(),
                 tmpdir,
                 '--',
                 '/bin/bash',