diff --git a/roles/backup/defaults/main.yaml b/roles/backup/defaults/main.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..85242b0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/roles/backup/defaults/main.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+---
+# user_name: # required for snapper templates
diff --git a/roles/backup/templates/snapper-configurations/home.j2 b/roles/backup/templates/snapper-configurations/home.j2
index ef7bcf3..48030d0 100644
--- a/roles/backup/templates/snapper-configurations/home.j2
+++ b/roles/backup/templates/snapper-configurations/home.j2
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ SPACE_LIMIT="0.5"
 FREE_LIMIT="0.2"
 
 # users and groups allowed to work with config
-ALLOW_USERS="{{ user_name }}"
+ALLOW_USERS="{{ user_name | default('root') }}"
 ALLOW_GROUPS=""
 
 # sync users and groups from ALLOW_USERS and ALLOW_GROUPS to .snapshots
diff --git a/roles/backup/templates/snapper-configurations/root.j2 b/roles/backup/templates/snapper-configurations/root.j2
index 6218117..2abfce2 100644
--- a/roles/backup/templates/snapper-configurations/root.j2
+++ b/roles/backup/templates/snapper-configurations/root.j2
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ SPACE_LIMIT="0.5"
 FREE_LIMIT="0.2"
 
 # users and groups allowed to work with config
-ALLOW_USERS="{{ user_name }}"
+ALLOW_USERS="{{ user_name | default('root') }}"
 ALLOW_GROUPS=""
 
 # sync users and groups from ALLOW_USERS and ALLOW_GROUPS to .snapshots