diff --git a/lib/krb5/get_default_principal.c b/lib/krb5/get_default_principal.c
index 18c687ce4..3db42223c 100644
--- a/lib/krb5/get_default_principal.c
+++ b/lib/krb5/get_default_principal.c
@@ -40,37 +40,51 @@
 
 RCSID("$Id$");
 
+static char *
+get_logname(void)
+{
+    char *p;
+    if((p = getenv("USER")))
+	return p;
+    if((p = getenv("LOGNAME")))
+	return p;
+#if defined(HAVE_GETLOGIN) && !defined(POSIX_GETLOGIN)
+    if((p = getlogin()))
+	return p;
+#endif
+    return NULL;
+}
+
 krb5_error_code
 krb5_get_default_principal (krb5_context context,
 			    krb5_principal *princ)
 {
     krb5_error_code ret;
+    struct passwd *pw;
     char *p;
+    krb5_ccache id;
 
-    p = getenv ("USER");
-    if (p) {
-	ret = krb5_parse_name (context, p, princ);
-	if (ret)
-	    return ret;
-    } else {
-	struct passwd *pw;
-	char *realm;
-
-	pw = getpwuid (getuid ());
-	if (pw == NULL)
-	    return ENOTTY;
-	ret = krb5_get_default_realm (context, &realm);
-	if (ret)
-	    return ret;
-	ret = krb5_build_principal (context,
-				    princ,
-				    strlen(realm),
-				    realm,
-				    pw->pw_name,
-				    NULL);
-	free (realm);
-	if (ret)
-	    return ret;
+    ret = krb5_cc_default(context, &id);
+    if(ret == 0){
+	ret = krb5_cc_get_principal(context, id, princ);
+	krb5_cc_close(context, id);
+	if(ret == 0)
+	    return 0;
     }
-    return 0;
+
+    pw = getpwuid(getuid());
+    if(pw == NULL){
+	p = get_logname();
+	if(p == NULL)
+	    return ENOTTY;
+	ret = krb5_make_principal(context, princ, NULL, p, NULL);
+    }else{
+	if(strcmp(pw->pw_name, "root") == 0){
+	    p = get_logname();
+	    ret = krb5_make_principal(context, princ, NULL, pw->pw_name, 
+				      "root", NULL);
+	}else
+	    ret = krb5_make_principal(context, princ, NULL, pw->pw_name, NULL);
+    }
+    return ret;
 }