diff --git a/fabfile.py b/fabfile.py
index ea3094523705b5f4d4316d30bb1fcbbf30c981a8..709a3f0f0f8cb6339040ed1026d83d5da554b791 100644
--- a/fabfile.py
+++ b/fabfile.py
@@ -46,3 +46,12 @@ def release():
     with cd('/srv/pypi'):
         run('rm --recursive --force simple')
         run('compoze index')
+
+
+@task
+def create_user():
+    """
+    Create the 'rattail' user account.
+    """
+
+    sudo('adduser --system --home /var/local/lib/rattail --group rattail')