diff --git a/TODO.md b/TODO.md
index 77c7988e..db6e1a4b 100644
--- a/TODO.md
+++ b/TODO.md
@@ -431,3 +431,6 @@ mkhomedir_helper or create ssh homes with bash.rc and such
 # Automatically re-run backends until success? only timedout executions?
 # TODO save serialized versions ob backendoperation.instance in order to allow backend reexecution of deleted objects
 
+
+# Rename Backend -> COntroller
+
diff --git a/orchestra/contrib/issues/serializers.py b/orchestra/contrib/issues/serializers.py
index 37d53cce..c8855600 100644
--- a/orchestra/contrib/issues/serializers.py
+++ b/orchestra/contrib/issues/serializers.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ class QueueSerializer(serializers.HyperlinkedModelSerializer):
 class MessageSerializer(serializers.HyperlinkedModelSerializer):
     class Meta:
         model = Message
-        fields = ('url', 'id', 'author', 'author_name', 'content', 'created_on')
+        fields = ('id', 'author', 'author_name', 'content', 'created_on')
         read_only_fields = ('author', 'author_name', 'created_on')
     
     def get_identity(self, data):
diff --git a/orchestra/contrib/orchestration/methods.py b/orchestra/contrib/orchestration/methods.py
index fde43b4b..db665a0d 100644
--- a/orchestra/contrib/orchestration/methods.py
+++ b/orchestra/contrib/orchestration/methods.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import textwrap
 
 from celery.datastructures import ExceptionInfo
 
+from orchestra.settings import ORCHESTRA_SSH_DEFAULT_USER
 from orchestra.utils.sys import sshrun
 from orchestra.utils.python import CaptureStdout, import_class
 
@@ -39,7 +40,7 @@ def Paramiko(backend, log, server, cmds, async=False, paramiko_connections={}):
             ssh.set_missing_host_key_policy(paramiko.AutoAddPolicy())
             key = settings.ORCHESTRATION_SSH_KEY_PATH
             try:
-                ssh.connect(addr, username='root', key_filename=key)
+                ssh.connect(addr, username=ORCHESTRA_SSH_DEFAULT_USER, key_filename=key)
             except socket.error as e:
                 logger.error('%s timed out on %s' % (backend, addr))
                 log.state = log.TIMEOUT
diff --git a/orchestra/settings.py b/orchestra/settings.py
index 9aa2d436..9dd45566 100644
--- a/orchestra/settings.py
+++ b/orchestra/settings.py
@@ -69,6 +69,11 @@ ORCHESTRA_API_ROOT_VIEW = Setting('ORCHESTRA_API_ROOT_VIEW',
 )
 
 
+ORCHESTRA_SSH_DEFAULT_USER = Setting('ORCHESTRA_SSH_DEFAULT_USER',
+    'root'
+)
+
+
 ORCHESTRA_DEFAULT_SUPPORT_FROM_EMAIL = Setting('ORCHESTRA_DEFAULT_SUPPORT_FROM_EMAIL',
     'support@{}'.format(ORCHESTRA_BASE_DOMAIN),
     validators=[validate_email],
diff --git a/orchestra/utils/sys.py b/orchestra/utils/sys.py
index e39bcd91..84ab5b1e 100644
--- a/orchestra/utils/sys.py
+++ b/orchestra/utils/sys.py
@@ -175,8 +175,9 @@ def sshrun(addr, command, *args, executable='bash', persist=False, options=None,
     base_options.update(options or {})
     options = ['%s=%s' % (k, v) for k, v in base_options.items()]
     options = ' -o '.join(options)
-    cmd = 'ssh -o {options} -C root@{addr} {executable}'.format(
-        options=options, addr=addr, executable=executable)
+    user = kwargs.get('user', settings.ORCHESTRA_SSH_DEFAULT_USER)
+    cmd = 'ssh -o {options} -C {user}@{addr} {executable}'.format(
+        options=options, addr=addr, user=user, executable=executable)
     return run(cmd, *args, stdin=command.encode('utf8'), **kwargs)