diff --git a/client/Makefile b/client/Makefile
index da8cee0b..e8544d03 100644
--- a/client/Makefile
+++ b/client/Makefile
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ installsysv:
 
 adduser:
 	@if ! getent passwd snapclient >/dev/null; then \
-		adduser --quiet --ingroup audio --system --no-create-home --home /var/lib/snapclient snapclient; \
+		useradd --gid audio --system --home-dir /var/lib/snapclient snapclient; \
 	fi; \
 
 ifeq ($(TARGET), MACOS)
@@ -184,5 +184,5 @@ uninstallsystemd:
 	systemctl daemon-reload; \
 
 deluser:
-	@deluser --quiet --system snapclient > /dev/null || true
+	@userdel --force --remove snapclient > /dev/null || true; \
 
diff --git a/client/debian/snapclient.postinst b/client/debian/snapclient.postinst
index 8469acca..6492bd34 100644
--- a/client/debian/snapclient.postinst
+++ b/client/debian/snapclient.postinst
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ VERSION="$2"
 if [ "$ACTION" = "configure" ]; then
 	# add the snapclient user
 	if ! getent passwd snapclient >/dev/null; then
-		adduser --quiet --ingroup audio --system --no-create-home snapclient
+		useradd --gid audio --system --home-dir /var/lib/snapclient snapclient
 	fi
 fi
 
diff --git a/client/debian/snapclient.postrm b/client/debian/snapclient.postrm
index 3764e0b4..d867a349 100644
--- a/client/debian/snapclient.postrm
+++ b/client/debian/snapclient.postrm
@@ -12,6 +12,6 @@ if [ "$1" = "purge" ]; then
 	done
 fi
 
-deluser --quiet --system snapclient > /dev/null || true
+userdel --force --remove snapclient > /dev/null || true
 
 #DEBHELPER#
diff --git a/server/Makefile b/server/Makefile
index 41e51085..6d26ceb4 100644
--- a/server/Makefile
+++ b/server/Makefile
@@ -150,8 +150,7 @@ installbsd:
 
 adduser:
 	@if ! getent passwd snapserver >/dev/null; then \
-		addgroup --quiet --system snapserver; \
-		adduser --quiet --ingroup snapserver --system --no-create-home --home /var/lib/snapserver snapserver; \
+		useradd --user-group --system --home-dir /var/lib/snapserver snapserver; \
 	fi; \
 
 
@@ -209,6 +208,6 @@ uninstallsystemd:
 	systemctl daemon-reload; \
 
 deluser:
-	@deluser --quiet --system snapserver > /dev/null || true; \
-	delgroup --quiet --system snapserver > /dev/null || true
+	@userdel --force --remove snapserver > /dev/null || true; \
+	groupdel snapserver > /dev/null || true; \
 
diff --git a/server/debian/snapserver.postinst b/server/debian/snapserver.postinst
index 9f34003e..5a1a55f2 100644
--- a/server/debian/snapserver.postinst
+++ b/server/debian/snapserver.postinst
@@ -9,8 +9,7 @@ VERSION="$2"
 if [ "$ACTION" = "configure" ]; then
 	# add the snapserver user
 	if ! getent passwd snapserver >/dev/null; then
-		addgroup --quiet --system snapserver
-		adduser --quiet --ingroup snapserver --system --no-create-home snapserver
+		useradd --user-group --system --home-dir /var/lib/snapserver snapserver
 	fi
 fi
 
diff --git a/server/debian/snapserver.postrm b/server/debian/snapserver.postrm
index 1fa1fa18..c7371b3f 100644
--- a/server/debian/snapserver.postrm
+++ b/server/debian/snapserver.postrm
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ if [ "$1" = "purge" ]; then
 	done
 fi
 
-deluser --quiet --system snapserver > /dev/null || true
-delgroup --quiet --system snapserver > /dev/null || true
+userdel --force --remove snapserver > /dev/null || true
+groupdel snapserver > /dev/null || true
 
 #DEBHELPER#