diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 76f1c8024..bd554924b 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -34,6 +34,10 @@ else()
   message(ERROR "The compiler ${CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER} has no C++11 or C++17 support. Please use a different C++ compiler.")
 endif()
 
+if(DEBIAN)
+  add_definitions(-DDEBIAN)
+endif()
+
 if(ANDROID)
 set(THREAD_LIB "-pthread")
 # finally removed pthread dependency for MSC++
diff --git a/include/llarp/defaults.h b/include/llarp/defaults.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a34f01896
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/llarp/defaults.h
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+#ifndef LLARP_DEFAULTS_H
+#define LLARP_DEFAULTS_H
+
+#ifndef DEFAULT_RESOLVER_US
+#define DEFAULT_RESOLVER_US "128.52.130.209"
+#endif
+#ifndef DEFAULT_RESOLVER_EU
+#define DEFAULT_RESOLVER_EU "85.208.208.141"
+#endif
+#ifndef DEFAULT_RESOLVER_AU
+#define DEFAULT_RESOLVER_AU "103.236.162.119"
+#endif
+
+#ifdef DEBIAN
+#ifndef DEFAULT_LOKINET_USER
+#define DEFAULT_LOKINET_USER "debian-lokinet"
+#endif
+#ifndef DEFAULT_LOKINET_GROUP
+#define DEFAULT_LOKINET_GROUP "debian-lokinet"
+#endif
+#else
+#ifndef DEFAULT_LOKINET_USER
+#define DEFAULT_LOKINET_USER "lokinet"
+#endif
+#ifndef DEFAULT_LOKINET_GROUP
+#define DEFAULT_LOKINET_GROUP "lokinet"
+#endif
+#endif
+
+#endif
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/llarp/config.cpp b/llarp/config.cpp
index 66de363e0..899f248c0 100644
--- a/llarp/config.cpp
+++ b/llarp/config.cpp
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #include "config.hpp"
 #include <llarp/config.h>
-#include <llarp/dns.h>
+#include <llarp/defaults.h>
 #include <llarp/net.hpp>
 #include "fs.hpp"
 #include "ini.hpp"
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ namespace llarp
       iwp_links = find_section(top, "bind", section_t{});
       services  = find_section(top, "services", section_t{});
       dns       = find_section(top, "dns", section_t{});
+      system    = find_section(top, "system", section_t{});
       return true;
     }
     return false;
@@ -47,7 +48,7 @@ extern "C"
   void
   llarp_new_config(struct llarp_config **conf)
   {
-    llarp_config *c = new llarp_config;
+    llarp_config *c = new llarp_config();
     *conf           = c;
   }
 
@@ -73,9 +74,10 @@ extern "C"
   {
     iter->conf                                                   = conf;
     std::map< std::string, llarp::Config::section_t & > sections = {
-        {"network", conf->impl.network}, {"connect", conf->impl.connect},
-        {"bind", conf->impl.iwp_links},  {"netdb", conf->impl.netdb},
-        {"dns", conf->impl.dns},         {"services", conf->impl.services}};
+        {"network", conf->impl.network},  {"connect", conf->impl.connect},
+        {"system", conf->impl.system},    {"bind", conf->impl.iwp_links},
+        {"netdb", conf->impl.netdb},      {"dns", conf->impl.dns},
+        {"services", conf->impl.services}};
 
     for(const auto item : conf->impl.router)
       iter->visit(iter, "router", item.first.c_str(), item.second.c_str());
@@ -108,6 +110,18 @@ extern "C"
       << std::endl;
     f << "# change these values as desired" << std::endl;
     f << std::endl;
+
+    f << "# system settings for priviledges and such" << std::endl;
+    f << "[system]" << std::endl;
+#ifdef _WIN32
+    f << "# ";
+#endif
+    f << "user=" << DEFAULT_LOKINET_USER << std::endl;
+#ifdef _WIN32
+    f << "# ";
+#endif
+    f << "group=" << DEFAULT_LOKINET_GROUP << std::endl;
+
     f << "# configuration for lokinet network interface" << std::endl;
     f << "[network]" << std::endl;
     f << "# interface name" << std::endl;
diff --git a/llarp/config.hpp b/llarp/config.hpp
index f9ea2c102..a24e5cf97 100644
--- a/llarp/config.hpp
+++ b/llarp/config.hpp
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ namespace llarp
     section_t iwp_links;
     section_t connect;
     section_t services;
+    section_t system;
 
     bool
     Load(const char *fname);