diff --git a/hix.cabal b/hix.cabal
--- a/hix.cabal
+++ b/hix.cabal
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 -- see: https://github.com/sol/hpack
 
 name:           hix
-version:        0.1.0.0
+version:        0.1.1.0
 synopsis:       Haskell/Nix development build tools
 description:    See https://hackage.haskell.org/package/hix/docs/Hix.html
 category:       Build
diff --git a/lib/Hix/Ghci.hs b/lib/Hix/Ghci.hs
--- a/lib/Hix/Ghci.hs
+++ b/lib/Hix/Ghci.hs
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 module Hix.Ghci where
 
 import Control.Monad.Trans.Class (lift)
-import Control.Monad.Trans.Except (ExceptT)
+import Control.Monad.Trans.Except (ExceptT, catchE)
 import Control.Monad.Trans.Reader (ask)
 import Data.List.Extra (nubOrd)
 import qualified Data.Map.Strict as Map
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@
   ExceptT Error IO (Path Abs Dir)
 hixTempDir = do
   tmp <- tryIO getTempDir
-  user <- note "Couldn't determine user name" . parseRelDir =<< tryIO getLoginName
+  user <- note "Couldn't determine user name" . parseRelDir =<< catchE (tryIO getLoginName) (const (pure "user"))
   let hixTmp = tmp </> [reldir|hix|] </> user
   tryIO (createDirIfMissing True hixTmp)
   pure hixTmp