diff --git a/playbooks/install.yaml b/playbooks/install.yaml
index c0bd45f5f..cfffa2610 100644
--- a/playbooks/install.yaml
+++ b/playbooks/install.yaml
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
     - bifrost-keystone-install
     - bifrost-ironic-install
     - role: bifrost-keystone-client-config
-      user: "{{ ansible_env.SUDO_USER }}"
+      user: "{{ ansible_env.SUDO_USER | default(ansible_user_id) }}"
       clouds:
         bifrost:
           config_username: "{{ ironic.keystone.default_username }}"
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/install-SUDO_USER-fix-2bf577269008587f.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/install-SUDO_USER-fix-2bf577269008587f.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..25c15019c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/install-SUDO_USER-fix-2bf577269008587f.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+---
+fixes:
+  - |
+    Corrects an issue where execution of ``install.yaml`` would return
+    an error indicating ``SUDO_USER`` was not found, by providing a fallback
+    to the ``ansible_user_id`` variable.