diff --git a/app_containers/.local/bin/run_app_container b/app_containers/.local/bin/run_app_container
index 011a4a8..c59a061 100755
--- a/app_containers/.local/bin/run_app_container
+++ b/app_containers/.local/bin/run_app_container
@@ -51,14 +51,18 @@ fi
 
 # Default user
 run_as=$UID
-# We assume the user named `user` inside the container always has the same UID as
-# the user with uid $run_as on the host; this is currently not yet configurable
-homedir=/home/user
 if [ "$CONTAINER_RUN_AS_ROOT" = true ]; then
   run_as=0
-  homedir=/root
 fi
 
+homedir=/
+for line in $(sudo cat /var/lib/machines/$CONTAINER_NAME/etc/passwd); do
+  if [ "$(echo "$line" | cut -d: -f3)" == "$run_as" ]; then
+    homedir="$(echo "$line" | cut -d: -f6)"
+    break
+  fi
+done
+
 # Userns-related config
 # Default to identity mapping, which does not provide uid isolation but does for capabilities
 private_users=identity