diff --git a/sugar/env.py b/sugar/env.py
index ffea539a..82e47b1d 100644
--- a/sugar/env.py
+++ b/sugar/env.py
@@ -6,7 +6,16 @@ except ImportError:
 	from sugar.__installed__ import *
 
 def get_user_dir():
-	return os.path.expanduser('~/.sugar/')
+	if os.environ.has_key('SUGAR_USER_DIR'):
+		return os.environ['SUGAR_USER_DIR']
+	else:
+		return os.path.expanduser('~/.sugar/')
+
+def get_nick_name():
+	if os.environ.has_key('SUGAR_NICK_NAME'):
+		return os.environ['SUGAR_NICK_NAME']
+	else:
+		return None
 		
 def get_data_file(filename):
 	for data_dir in get_data_dirs():
diff --git a/sugar/p2p/Buddy.py b/sugar/p2p/Buddy.py
index ea08c216..c98ce965 100644
--- a/sugar/p2p/Buddy.py
+++ b/sugar/p2p/Buddy.py
@@ -82,8 +82,10 @@ class Owner(Buddy):
 	"""Class representing the owner of this machine/instance."""
 	def __init__(self, group):
 		self._group = group
-	
-		nick = pwd.getpwuid(os.getuid())[0]
+
+		nick = env.get_nick_name()
+		if not nick:
+			nick = pwd.getpwuid(os.getuid())[0]
 		if not nick or not len(nick):
 			nick = "n00b"