diff --git a/cloudinit/distros/__init__.py b/cloudinit/distros/__init__.py
index f56c0cf..1fd48a7 100755
--- a/cloudinit/distros/__init__.py
+++ b/cloudinit/distros/__init__.py
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ from cloudinit.distros.parsers import hosts
 
 OSFAMILIES = {
     'debian': ['debian', 'ubuntu'],
-    'redhat': ['fedora', 'rhel'],
+    'redhat': ['centos', 'fedora', 'rhel'],
     'gentoo': ['gentoo'],
     'freebsd': ['freebsd'],
     'suse': ['sles'],
diff --git a/cloudinit/distros/centos.py b/cloudinit/distros/centos.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4b803d2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cloudinit/distros/centos.py
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+# This file is part of cloud-init. See LICENSE file for license information.
+
+from cloudinit.distros import rhel
+from cloudinit import log as logging
+
+LOG = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+
+class Distro(rhel.Distro):
+    pass
+
+# vi: ts=4 expandtab
diff -uNr cloud-init-0.7.9__orig/rhel/cloud.cfg cloud-init-0.7.9/rhel/cloud.cfg
--- cloud-init-0.7.9__orig/rhel/cloud.cfg	2017-09-05 22:20:14.302075947 +0100
+++ cloud-init-0.7.9/rhel/cloud.cfg	2017-09-05 22:20:37.912076373 +0100
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@
 
 system_info:
   default_user:
-    name: cloud-user
+    name: centos
     lock_passwd: true
     gecos: Cloud User
     groups: [wheel, adm, systemd-journal]