diff --git a/debian/freeswitch-sysvinit.freeswitch.init b/debian/freeswitch-sysvinit.freeswitch.init
index f393ff48a6..98be1af324 100644
--- a/debian/freeswitch-sysvinit.freeswitch.init
+++ b/debian/freeswitch-sysvinit.freeswitch.init
@@ -19,8 +19,7 @@ DESC=freeswitch
 NAME=freeswitch
 DAEMON=/usr/bin/freeswitch
 USER=freeswitch
-GROUP=freeswitch
-DAEMON_ARGS="-u $USER -g $GROUP -ncwait"
+DAEMON_ARGS="-u $USER -ncwait"
 CONFDIR=/etc/$NAME
 RUNDIR=/var/run/$NAME
 PIDFILE=$RUNDIR/$NAME.pid
@@ -43,7 +42,7 @@ do_start() {
 
   # Directory in /var/run may disappear on reboot (e.g. when tmpfs used for /var/run).
   mkdir -p $RUNDIR
-  chown -R $USER:$GROUP $RUNDIR
+  chown -R $USER: $RUNDIR
   chmod -R ug=rwX,o= $RUNDIR
 
   start-stop-daemon --start --quiet \