diff --git a/subversion.README.SuSE b/subversion.README.SuSE
index 1082f81..9a16957 100644
--- a/subversion.README.SuSE
+++ b/subversion.README.SuSE
@@ -23,10 +23,11 @@ subversion repositories can be served either via http, or via the svnserve
 daemon and a special network protocol. svnserve should not run as root user.
 The startup script rcsvnserve expects a user/group named 'svn', configureable
 via /etc/sysconfig/svnserve.
+
 But this user/group must be created before first use:
 
-	useradd svn
 	groupadd svn
+	useradd  -d /srv/svn -s /bin/false -g svn svn
 
 
 3. mini-howto for 2 projects
diff --git a/subversion.changes b/subversion.changes
index a2180ff..c44b175 100644
--- a/subversion.changes
+++ b/subversion.changes
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+-------------------------------------------------------------------
+Wed Nov 24 11:28:51 CET 2010 - dmueller@suse.de
+
+- correct instructions on how to create the svn account (bnc#655094) 
+
 -------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sat Oct  2 20:36:52 UTC 2010 - pascal.bleser@opensuse.org
 
diff --git a/subversion.rcsvnserve b/subversion.rcsvnserve
index 76e17f4..fb42d9f 100644
--- a/subversion.rcsvnserve
+++ b/subversion.rcsvnserve
@@ -96,8 +96,16 @@ case "$1" in
 	echo -n "Starting svnserve "
 	## Start daemon with startproc(8). If this fails
 	## the return value is set appropriately by startproc.
-	startproc -u "$SVNSERVE_USERID" -g "$SVNSERVE_GROUPID" -e $SVNSERVE_BIN $SVNSERVE_OPTIONS
+	if test -z "$SVNSERVE_USERID" || ! (/usr/bin/id $SVNSERVE_USERID &>/dev/null) \
 
+           test -z "$SVNSERVE_GROUPID" || ! (/usr/bin/id $SVNSERVE_GROUPID;
+	then
+		echo "User $SVNSERVE_USERID does not exist."
+		echo "Please check $SVNSERVE_CONFIG before starting this service."
+		rc_failed
+	else
+		startproc -u "$SVNSERVE_USERID" -g "$SVNSERVE_GROUPID" -e $SVNSERVE_BIN $SVNSERVE_OPTIONS
+	fi
 	# Remember status and be verbose
 	rc_status -v
 	;;
diff --git a/subversion.sysconfig.svnserve b/subversion.sysconfig.svnserve
index 01b6f31..f54fd18 100644
--- a/subversion.sysconfig.svnserve
+++ b/subversion.sysconfig.svnserve
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ SVNSERVE_OPTIONS="-d -R -r /srv/svn/repos"
 #
 # svnserve should run as unprivileged user
 # the userid/groupid svn is not created during package install
-# run 'useradd -d /srv/svn -s /bin/false svn ; groupadd svn' to create the userid/groupid
+# run 'groupadd svn; useradd -d /srv/svn -s /bin/false -g svn svn' to create the userid/groupid
 #
 SVNSERVE_USERID="svn"
 
@@ -25,6 +25,6 @@ SVNSERVE_USERID="svn"
 #
 # svnserve should run as unprivileged user
 # the userid/groupid svn is not created during package install
-# run 'useradd -d /srv/svn -s /bin/false svn ; groupadd svn' to create the userid/groupid
+# run 'groupadd svn; useradd -d /srv/svn -s /bin/false -g svn svn' to create the userid/groupid
 #
 SVNSERVE_GROUPID="svn"