diff --git a/debian/security-misc.preinst b/debian/security-misc.preinst
index 3937ba4..0f77ca4 100644
--- a/debian/security-misc.preinst
+++ b/debian/security-misc.preinst
@@ -165,6 +165,11 @@ legacy() {
 
    user_to_be_created=user
 
+   if ! id "$user_to_be_created" &>/dev/null ; then
+      true "INFO: user '$user_to_be_created' does not exist. Skipping addgroup console and pam-auth-update."
+      return 0
+   fi
+
    addgroup "$user_to_be_created" console
 
    pam-auth-update --enable console-lockdown-security-misc