diff --git a/files/qemu-hugefsdir b/files/qemu-hugefsdir
index dcac085c..62aad8a2 100755
--- a/files/qemu-hugefsdir
+++ b/files/qemu-hugefsdir
@@ -11,4 +11,10 @@
 ### END INIT INFO
 
 mkdir -p /run/hugepages/kvm/libvirt/qemu || true
-chown libvirt-qemu:libvirtd /run/hugepages/kvm/libvirt/qemu
+
+libvirt_group="libvirtd"
+if getent group libvirt >/dev/null; then
+    libvirt_group="libvirt"
+fi
+
+chown libvirt-qemu:$libvirt_group /run/hugepages/kvm/libvirt/qemu