diff --git a/meta-networking/recipes-support/ntp/files/ntpd b/meta-networking/recipes-support/ntp/files/ntpd
index 53fa2d1f2b..f1e78aa6db 100755
--- a/meta-networking/recipes-support/ntp/files/ntpd
+++ b/meta-networking/recipes-support/ntp/files/ntpd
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ startdaemon(){
 	# this.  If ntpd seems to disappear after a while assume TICKADJ
 	# above is set to a totally incorrect value.
 	echo -n "Starting ntpd: "
-	start-stop-daemon --start -x /usr/bin/ntpd -- -p /var/run/ntp.pid "$@"
+	start-stop-daemon --start -x /usr/bin/ntpd -- -u ntp:ntp -p /var/run/ntp.pid "$@"
 	echo "done"
 }
 stopdaemon(){
diff --git a/meta-networking/recipes-support/ntp/ntp.inc b/meta-networking/recipes-support/ntp/ntp.inc
index 8381b9e7cb..7876c0b79d 100644
--- a/meta-networking/recipes-support/ntp/ntp.inc
+++ b/meta-networking/recipes-support/ntp/ntp.inc
@@ -25,13 +25,17 @@ SRC_URI = "http://www.eecis.udel.edu/~ntp/ntp_spool/ntp4/ntp-4.2/ntp-${PV}.tar.g
            file://ntpd.list \
 "
 
-inherit autotools update-rc.d systemd
+inherit autotools update-rc.d useradd systemd
 
 # The ac_cv_header_readline_history is to stop ntpdc depending on either
 # readline or curses
 EXTRA_OECONF += "--with-net-snmp-config=no --without-ntpsnmpd ac_cv_header_readline_history_h=no"
 CFLAGS_append = " -DPTYS_ARE_GETPT -DPTYS_ARE_SEARCHED"
 
+USERADD_PACKAGES = "${PN}"
+USERADD_PARAM_${PN} = "--system --home-dir /var/lib/ntp \
+                       --shell /bin/false --user-group ntp"
+
 PACKAGECONFIG ??= ""
 PACKAGECONFIG[openssl] = "--with-openssl-libdir=${STAGING_LIBDIR} \
                           --with-openssl-incdir=${STAGING_INCDIR} \