diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
index c540d4f..7ce3098 100644
--- a/README.rst
+++ b/README.rst
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ The CKAN harvesters support a number of configuration options to control their
 behaviour. Those need to defined as a JSON object in the configuration form
 field. The currently supported configuration options are:
 
-* api_version: You can force the harvester to use eithoer version '1' or
+* api_version: You can force the harvester to use either version '1' or
     '2' of the CKAN API. Default is '2'.
 
 * default_tags: A list of tags that will be added to all harvested datasets.
@@ -128,13 +128,18 @@ field. The currently supported configuration options are:
     define the groups according to the API version you defined (names for
     version '1', ids for version '2')
 
+* user: User who will run the harvesting process. Please note that this user
+    needs to have permission for creating packages, and if default groups were
+    defined, the user must have permission to assign packages to these groups.
+
 Here is an example of a configuration object (the one that must be entered in
 the configuration field)::
 
     {
      "api_version":"1",
      "default_tags":["new-tag-1","new-tag-2"],
-     "default_groups":["my-own-group"]
+     "default_groups":["my-own-group"],
+     "user":"harverster-user"
     }
 
 
diff --git a/ckanext/harvest/harvesters/base.py b/ckanext/harvest/harvesters/base.py
index 3a8de25..3a8e992 100644
--- a/ckanext/harvest/harvesters/base.py
+++ b/ckanext/harvest/harvesters/base.py
@@ -109,13 +109,16 @@ class HarvesterBase(SingletonPlugin):
             # Check API version
             if self.config:
                 api_version = self.config.get('api_version','2')
+                #TODO: use site user when available
+                user_name = self.config.get('user',u'harvest')
             else:
                 api_verion = '2'
+                user_name = u'harvest'
 
             context = {
                 'model': model,
                 'session': Session,
-                'user': u'harvest',
+                'user': user_name,
                 'api_version': api_version,
                 'schema': schema,
             }
diff --git a/ckanext/harvest/harvesters/ckanharvester.py b/ckanext/harvest/harvesters/ckanharvester.py
index 208daa5..919af83 100644
--- a/ckanext/harvest/harvesters/ckanharvester.py
+++ b/ckanext/harvest/harvesters/ckanharvester.py
@@ -77,6 +77,14 @@ class CKANHarvester(HarvesterBase):
                     except NotFound,e:
                         raise ValueError('Default group not found')
 
+            if 'user' in config_obj:
+                # Check if user exists
+                context = {'model':model,'user':c.user}
+                try:
+                    user = get_action('user_show')(context,{'id':config_obj.get('user')})
+                except NotFound,e:
+                    raise ValueError('User not found')
+
         except ValueError,e:
             raise e