diff --git a/src/client.rs b/src/client.rs
index 36be25c..21808cd 100644
--- a/src/client.rs
+++ b/src/client.rs
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ impl DoshClientBuilder {
             .clone()
             .or_else(|| host_config.user.clone())
             .or_else(|| user_from_destination(&raw_server))
-            .or_else(|| std::env::var("USER").ok())
+            .or_else(local_username)
             .unwrap_or_else(|| "unknown".to_string());
         let udp_host = self
             .udp_host
@@ -410,6 +410,17 @@ fn user_from_destination(destination: &str) -> Option<String> {
         .filter(|user| !user.is_empty())
 }
 
+fn local_username() -> Option<String> {
+    local_username_from_env(|name| std::env::var(name).ok())
+}
+
+fn local_username_from_env(mut get: impl FnMut(&str) -> Option<String>) -> Option<String> {
+    ["USER", "USERNAME"]
+        .into_iter()
+        .filter_map(|name| get(name))
+        .find(|value| !value.is_empty())
+}
+
 fn default_sdk_session() -> String {
     let millis = SystemTime::now()
         .duration_since(UNIX_EPOCH)
@@ -432,6 +443,35 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(destination_host("example.com:2222"), "example.com");
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn local_username_uses_unix_or_windows_environment_names() {
+        assert_eq!(
+            local_username_from_env(|name| match name {
+                "USER" => Some("palav".to_string()),
+                _ => None,
+            })
+            .as_deref(),
+            Some("palav")
+        );
+        assert_eq!(
+            local_username_from_env(|name| match name {
+                "USERNAME" => Some("palav-win".to_string()),
+                _ => None,
+            })
+            .as_deref(),
+            Some("palav-win")
+        );
+        assert_eq!(
+            local_username_from_env(|name| match name {
+                "USER" => Some(String::new()),
+                "USERNAME" => Some("palav-win".to_string()),
+                _ => None,
+            })
+            .as_deref(),
+            Some("palav-win")
+        );
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn default_identity_paths_are_expanded() {
         assert!(