diff --git a/src/freedombone-config b/src/freedombone-config
index daa9c2a2..d02ef3dc 100755
--- a/src/freedombone-config
+++ b/src/freedombone-config
@@ -110,6 +110,7 @@ DH_KEYLENGTH=
 MINIMAL_INSTALL="yes"
 DEFAULT_LANGUAGE='en_GB.UTF-8'
 ONION_ONLY="no"
+SELECTED_USERNAME=
 
 # Mirrors settings
 FRIENDS_MIRRORS_SERVER=
@@ -810,21 +811,21 @@ function interactive_configuration {
             exit 62753
         fi
         # when installing from an image which comes with a known default user account
-        selected_username=
-        while [ ! $selected_username ]
+        SELECTED_USERNAME=
+        while [ ! $SELECTED_USERNAME ]
         do
-            if [ ! $selected_username ]; then
-                selected_username=$(grep 'MY_USERNAME' temp.cfg | awk -F '=' '{print $2}')
+            if [ ! $SELECTED_USERNAME ]; then
+                SELECTED_USERNAME=$(grep 'MY_USERNAME' temp.cfg | awk -F '=' '{print $2}')
             fi
             data=$(tempfile 2>/dev/null)
             trap "rm -f $data" 0 1 2 5 15
             dialog --backtitle $"Freedombone Configuration" \
                    --title $"Username" \
-                   --inputbox $"Set your username for the system\n\nYour username should not contain any spaces" 12 60 "$selected_username" 2> $data
+                   --inputbox $"Set your username for the system\n\nYour username should not contain any spaces" 12 60 "$SELECTED_USERNAME" 2> $data
             sel=$?
             case $sel in
                 0) possible_username=$(cat $data)
-                   selected_username=
+                   SELECTED_USERNAME=
                    if [[ $possible_username != *' '* && $possible_username != *'/'* && $possible_username != *'\'* && $possible_username != *'*'* ]]; then
                        if [ $possible_username ]; then
                            if [ ${#possible_username} -gt 1 ]; then
@@ -861,7 +862,11 @@ function interactive_configuration {
                 MY_USERNAME=$DEFAULT_DOMAIN_NAME
             else
                 select_user
-                MY_USERNAME=$SELECTED_USERNAME
+                if [ ! $SELECTED_USERNAME ]; then
+                    echo $'No username selected'
+                    exit 72589
+                fi
+                MY_USERNAME="$SELECTED_USERNAME"
             fi
         fi
     fi