diff --git a/gitosis/serve.py b/gitosis/serve.py
index e3ac0bc..f1c5997 100644
--- a/gitosis/serve.py
+++ b/gitosis/serve.py
@@ -210,6 +210,7 @@ def handle_args(self, parser, cfg, options, args):
             sys.exit(1)
 
         main_log.debug('Serving %s', newcmd)
+        os.environ["GITOSIS_ORIGINAL_USER"] = user
         os.execvp('git', ['git', 'shell', '-c', newcmd])
         main_log.error('Cannot execute git-shell.')
         sys.exit(1)