diff --git a/v2/ansible/constants.py b/v2/ansible/constants.py
index 913df310c15..eaca382a98e 100644
--- a/v2/ansible/constants.py
+++ b/v2/ansible/constants.py
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ BECOME_METHODS            = ['sudo','su','pbrun','pfexec','runas']
 BECOME_ERROR_STRINGS      = {'sudo': 'Sorry, try again.', 'su': 'Authentication failure', 'pbrun': '', 'pfexec': '', 'runas': ''}
 DEFAULT_BECOME            = get_config(p, 'privilege_escalation', 'become', 'ANSIBLE_BECOME',False, boolean=True)
 DEFAULT_BECOME_METHOD     = get_config(p, 'privilege_escalation', 'become_method', 'ANSIBLE_BECOME_METHOD','sudo' if DEFAULT_SUDO else 'su' if DEFAULT_SU else 'sudo' ).lower()
-DEFAULT_BECOME_USER       = get_config(p, 'privilege_escalation', 'become_user', 'ANSIBLE_BECOME_USER', None)
+DEFAULT_BECOME_USER       = get_config(p, 'privilege_escalation', 'become_user', 'ANSIBLE_BECOME_USER', 'root')
 DEFAULT_BECOME_ASK_PASS   = get_config(p, 'privilege_escalation', 'become_ask_pass', 'ANSIBLE_BECOME_ASK_PASS', False, boolean=True)
 # need to rethink impementing these 2
 DEFAULT_BECOME_EXE = None