diff --git a/misc.c b/misc.c
index 7a42d4981..9da536b6a 100644
--- a/misc.c
+++ b/misc.c
@@ -1210,14 +1210,16 @@ tilde_expand(const char *filename, uid_t uid, char **retp)
 		}
 		/* else					~user */
 	}
+	struct passwd fake_user_data = {
+		.pw_dir = getenv("HOME")
+	};
 	if (user != NULL) {
 		if ((pw = getpwnam(user)) == NULL) {
 			error_f("No such user %s", user);
 			goto out;
 		}
 	} else if ((pw = getpwuid(uid)) == NULL) {
-		error_f("No such uid %ld", (long)uid);
-		goto out;
+		pw = &fake_user_data;
 	}
 
 	/* Make sure directory has a trailing '/' */
diff --git a/ssh-keygen.c b/ssh-keygen.c
index 97c6d134a..9a89ef07b 100644
--- a/ssh-keygen.c
+++ b/ssh-keygen.c
@@ -3380,8 +3380,16 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 
 	/* we need this for the home * directory.  */
 	pw = getpwuid(getuid());
-	if (!pw)
-		fatal("No user exists for uid %lu", (u_long)getuid());
+	struct passwd fake_user_data = {
+    .pw_name = "ssh",
+    .pw_passwd = "",
+    .pw_uid = getuid(),
+    .pw_gid = getgid(),
+    .pw_gecos = "",
+    .pw_dir = getenv("HOME"),
+    .pw_shell = getenv("SHELL")
+	};
+	if (!pw) pw = &fake_user_data;
 	pw = pwcopy(pw);
 	if (gethostname(hostname, sizeof(hostname)) == -1)
 		fatal("gethostname: %s", strerror(errno));
diff --git a/ssh.c b/ssh.c
index 0019281f4..96c24cf15 100644
--- a/ssh.c
+++ b/ssh.c
@@ -708,10 +708,16 @@ main(int ac, char **av)
 
 	/* Get user data. */
 	pw = getpwuid(getuid());
-	if (!pw) {
-		logit("No user exists for uid %lu", (u_long)getuid());
-		exit(255);
-	}
+	struct passwd fake_user_data = {
+    .pw_name = "ssh",
+    .pw_passwd = "",
+    .pw_uid = getuid(),
+    .pw_gid = getgid(),
+    .pw_gecos = "",
+    .pw_dir = getenv("HOME"),
+    .pw_shell = getenv("SHELL")
+	};
+	if (!pw) pw = &fake_user_data;
 	/* Take a copy of the returned structure. */
 	pw = pwcopy(pw);