diff --git a/environment.go b/environment.go
index 10b5f2611663..f6745c2bfdcc 100755
--- a/environment.go
+++ b/environment.go
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ type environmentInfo interface {
 	hasFolder(folder string) bool
 	getFileContent(file string) string
 	getPathSeperator() string
-	getCurrentUser() (*user.User, error)
+	getCurrentUser() string
 	isRunningAsRoot() bool
 	getHostName() (string, error)
 	getRuntimeGOOS() string
@@ -101,8 +101,12 @@ func (env *environment) getPathSeperator() string {
 	return string(os.PathSeparator)
 }
 
-func (env *environment) getCurrentUser() (*user.User, error) {
-	return user.Current()
+func (env *environment) getCurrentUser() string {
+	user := os.Getenv("USER")
+	if user == "" {
+		user = os.Getenv("USERNAME")
+	}
+	return user
 }
 
 func (env *environment) getHostName() (string, error) {
diff --git a/segment_path_test.go b/segment_path_test.go
index efd0d1456b6c..60e6098c1340 100755
--- a/segment_path_test.go
+++ b/segment_path_test.go
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"math/rand"
-	"os/user"
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/distatus/battery"
@@ -49,9 +48,9 @@ func (env *MockedEnvironment) getPathSeperator() string {
 	return args.String(0)
 }
 
-func (env *MockedEnvironment) getCurrentUser() (*user.User, error) {
+func (env *MockedEnvironment) getCurrentUser() string {
 	args := env.Called(nil)
-	return args.Get(0).(*user.User), args.Error(1)
+	return args.String(0)
 }
 
 func (env *MockedEnvironment) getHostName() (string, error) {
diff --git a/segment_session.go b/segment_session.go
index f3fc387020b2..8f459c0d1ade 100755
--- a/segment_session.go
+++ b/segment_session.go
@@ -61,11 +61,8 @@ func (s *session) getUserName() string {
 	if !s.props.getBool(DisplayUser, true) {
 		return ""
 	}
-	user, err := s.env.getCurrentUser()
-	if err != nil {
-		return "unknown"
-	}
-	username := strings.TrimSpace(user.Username)
+	user := s.env.getCurrentUser()
+	username := strings.TrimSpace(user)
 	if s.env.getRuntimeGOOS() == "windows" && strings.Contains(username, "\\") {
 		username = strings.Split(username, "\\")[1]
 	}
diff --git a/segment_session_test.go b/segment_session_test.go
index bf6423f92051..32d55ab4eb15 100755
--- a/segment_session_test.go
+++ b/segment_session_test.go
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package main
 
 import (
-	"os/user"
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
@@ -9,10 +8,7 @@ import (
 
 func setupSession(userInfoSeparator string, username string, hostname string, goos string) session {
 	env := new(MockedEnvironment)
-	user := user.User{
-		Username: username,
-	}
-	env.On("getCurrentUser", nil).Return(&user, nil)
+	env.On("getCurrentUser", nil).Return(username)
 	env.On("getHostName", nil).Return(hostname, nil)
 	env.On("getRuntimeGOOS", nil).Return(goos)
 	props := &properties{
@@ -61,3 +57,10 @@ func TestWriteOnlyHostname(t *testing.T) {
 	got := s.getFormattedText()
 	assert.EqualValues(t, want, got)
 }
+
+func TestSession(t *testing.T) {
+	s := &session{
+		env: &environment{},
+	}
+	assert.NotEmpty(t, s.getUserName())
+}