diff --git a/custom/conf/app.example.ini b/custom/conf/app.example.ini
index bc98f4ca17..8dac6ab3ab 100644
--- a/custom/conf/app.example.ini
+++ b/custom/conf/app.example.ini
@@ -82,12 +82,15 @@ RUN_MODE = ; prod
 ;; Whether to use the builtin SSH server or not.
 ;START_SSH_SERVER = false
 ;;
-;; Username to use for the builtin SSH server. If blank, then it is the value of RUN_USER.
-;BUILTIN_SSH_SERVER_USER =
+;; Username to use for the builtin SSH server.
+;BUILTIN_SSH_SERVER_USER = %(RUN_USER)s
 ;;
 ;; Domain name to be exposed in clone URL
 ;SSH_DOMAIN = %(DOMAIN)s
 ;;
+;; SSH username displayed in clone URLs.
+;SSH_USER = %(BUILTIN_SSH_SERVER_USER)s
+;;
 ;; The network interface the builtin SSH server should listen on
 ;SSH_LISTEN_HOST =
 ;;
diff --git a/docs/content/doc/advanced/config-cheat-sheet.en-us.md b/docs/content/doc/advanced/config-cheat-sheet.en-us.md
index d8a3b897cc..a3999595ab 100644
--- a/docs/content/doc/advanced/config-cheat-sheet.en-us.md
+++ b/docs/content/doc/advanced/config-cheat-sheet.en-us.md
@@ -265,6 +265,7 @@ The following configuration set `Content-Type: application/vnd.android.package-a
 - `DISABLE_SSH`: **false**: Disable SSH feature when it's not available.
 - `START_SSH_SERVER`: **false**: When enabled, use the built-in SSH server.
 - `BUILTIN_SSH_SERVER_USER`: **%(RUN_USER)s**: Username to use for the built-in SSH Server.
+- `SSH_USER`: **%(BUILTIN_SSH_SERVER_USER)**: SSH username displayed in clone URLs. This is only for people who configure the SSH server themselves; in most cases, you want to leave this blank and modify the `BUILTIN_SSH_SERVER_USER`.
 - `SSH_DOMAIN`: **%(DOMAIN)s**: Domain name of this server, used for displayed clone URL.
 - `SSH_PORT`: **22**: SSH port displayed in clone URL.
 - `SSH_LISTEN_HOST`: **0.0.0.0**: Listen address for the built-in SSH server.
diff --git a/integrations/repo_test.go b/integrations/repo_test.go
index 8c4cdf5a96..677ba57f80 100644
--- a/integrations/repo_test.go
+++ b/integrations/repo_test.go
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ func TestViewRepo1CloneLinkAuthorized(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Equal(t, setting.AppURL+"user2/repo1.git", link)
 	link, exists = htmlDoc.doc.Find("#repo-clone-ssh").Attr("data-link")
 	assert.True(t, exists, "The template has changed")
-	sshURL := fmt.Sprintf("ssh://%s@%s:%d/user2/repo1.git", setting.SSH.BuiltinServerUser, setting.SSH.Domain, setting.SSH.Port)
+	sshURL := fmt.Sprintf("ssh://%s@%s:%d/user2/repo1.git", setting.SSH.User, setting.SSH.Domain, setting.SSH.Port)
 	assert.Equal(t, sshURL, link)
 }
 
diff --git a/models/repo/repo.go b/models/repo/repo.go
index 353d707e60..28d976773d 100644
--- a/models/repo/repo.go
+++ b/models/repo/repo.go
@@ -540,10 +540,7 @@ func (repo *Repository) cloneLink(isWiki bool) *CloneLink {
 		repoName += ".wiki"
 	}
 
-	sshUser := setting.RunUser
-	if setting.SSH.StartBuiltinServer {
-		sshUser = setting.SSH.BuiltinServerUser
-	}
+	sshUser := setting.SSH.User
 
 	cl := new(CloneLink)
 
diff --git a/models/repo/wiki_test.go b/models/repo/wiki_test.go
index 72f5280ce5..f5e61e5ae3 100644
--- a/models/repo/wiki_test.go
+++ b/models/repo/wiki_test.go
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ func TestRepository_WikiCloneLink(t *testing.T) {
 
 	repo := unittest.AssertExistsAndLoadBean(t, &Repository{ID: 1}).(*Repository)
 	cloneLink := repo.WikiCloneLink()
-	assert.Equal(t, "ssh://runuser@try.gitea.io:3000/user2/repo1.wiki.git", cloneLink.SSH)
+	assert.Equal(t, "ssh://sshuser@try.gitea.io:3000/user2/repo1.wiki.git", cloneLink.SSH)
 	assert.Equal(t, "https://try.gitea.io/user2/repo1.wiki.git", cloneLink.HTTPS)
 }
 
diff --git a/models/unittest/testdb.go b/models/unittest/testdb.go
index c904646d28..80dcb428df 100644
--- a/models/unittest/testdb.go
+++ b/models/unittest/testdb.go
@@ -64,6 +64,8 @@ func MainTest(m *testing.M, pathToGiteaRoot string, fixtureFiles ...string) {
 
 	setting.AppURL = "https://try.gitea.io/"
 	setting.RunUser = "runuser"
+	setting.SSH.User = "sshuser"
+	setting.SSH.BuiltinServerUser = "builtinuser"
 	setting.SSH.Port = 3000
 	setting.SSH.Domain = "try.gitea.io"
 	setting.Database.UseSQLite3 = true
diff --git a/modules/setting/setting.go b/modules/setting/setting.go
index 5b8683f578..7841fbcdc3 100644
--- a/modules/setting/setting.go
+++ b/modules/setting/setting.go
@@ -131,6 +131,7 @@ var (
 		BuiltinServerUser                     string             `ini:"BUILTIN_SSH_SERVER_USER"`
 		Domain                                string             `ini:"SSH_DOMAIN"`
 		Port                                  int                `ini:"SSH_PORT"`
+		User                                  string             `ini:"SSH_USER"`
 		ListenHost                            string             `ini:"SSH_LISTEN_HOST"`
 		ListenPort                            int                `ini:"SSH_LISTEN_PORT"`
 		RootPath                              string             `ini:"SSH_ROOT_PATH"`
@@ -970,6 +971,7 @@ func loadFromConf(allowEmpty bool, extraConfig string) {
 	}
 
 	SSH.BuiltinServerUser = Cfg.Section("server").Key("BUILTIN_SSH_SERVER_USER").MustString(RunUser)
+	SSH.User = Cfg.Section("server").Key("SSH_USER").MustString(SSH.BuiltinServerUser)
 
 	newRepository()