diff --git a/lib/ansible/runner/__init__.py b/lib/ansible/runner/__init__.py
index 1f2b7dcba79..b82a1f605f3 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/runner/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/runner/__init__.py
@@ -381,6 +381,7 @@ class Runner(object):
         inject = utils.combine_vars(inject, host_variables)
         inject = utils.combine_vars(inject, self.module_vars)
         inject = utils.combine_vars(inject, self.setup_cache[host])
+        inject.setdefault('ansible_ssh_user', self.remote_user)
         inject['hostvars'] = HostVars(self.setup_cache, self.inventory)
         inject['group_names'] = host_variables.get('group_names', [])
         inject['groups']      = self.inventory.groups_list()