diff --git a/include/slibtool/slibtool.h b/include/slibtool/slibtool.h
index 3268a3e..aacaa2b 100644
--- a/include/slibtool/slibtool.h
+++ b/include/slibtool/slibtool.h
@@ -193,6 +193,7 @@ struct slbt_common_ctx {
 	const char *			release;
 	const char *			symfile;
 	const char *			regex;
+	const char *			user;
 	char **				targv;
 	char **				cargv;
 };
diff --git a/src/driver/slbt_driver_ctx.c b/src/driver/slbt_driver_ctx.c
index 4815d34..29caf2c 100644
--- a/src/driver/slbt_driver_ctx.c
+++ b/src/driver/slbt_driver_ctx.c
@@ -916,6 +916,12 @@ int slbt_get_driver_ctx(
 			nunits++;
 	}
 
+	/* -o in install mode means USER */
+	if ((cctx.mode == SLBT_MODE_INSTALL) && cctx.output) {
+		cctx.user   = cctx.output;
+		cctx.output = 0;
+	}
+
 	/* driver context */
 	if (!(ctx = slbt_driver_ctx_alloc(meta,&cctx,nunits)))
 		return slbt_get_driver_ctx_fail(meta);