diff --git a/hgext/record.py b/hgext/record.py
--- a/hgext/record.py
+++ b/hgext/record.py
@@ -502,7 +502,8 @@ def dorecord(ui, repo, commitfunc, cmdsu
                          cmdsuggest)
 
     # make sure username is set before going interactive
-    ui.username()
+    if not opts.get('user'):
+        ui.username() # raise exception, username not provided
 
     def recordfunc(ui, repo, message, match, opts):
         """This is generic record driver.
diff --git a/tests/test-record.t b/tests/test-record.t
--- a/tests/test-record.t
+++ b/tests/test-record.t
@@ -1277,5 +1277,25 @@ Ignore win32text deprecation warning for
    c
   +d
   
+Test --user when ui.username not set
+  $ unset HGUSER
+  $ echo e >> subdir/f1
+  $ hg record  --config ui.username= -d '8 0' --user xyz -m "user flag" <<EOF
+  > y
+  > y
+  > EOF
+  diff --git a/subdir/f1 b/subdir/f1
+  1 hunks, 1 lines changed
+  examine changes to 'subdir/f1'? [Ynesfdaq?] 
+  @@ -4,3 +4,4 @@
+   b
+   c
+   d
+  +e
+  record this change to 'subdir/f1'? [Ynesfdaq?] 
+  $ hg log --template '{author}\n' -l 1
+  xyz
+  $ HGUSER="test"
+  $ export HGUSER
 
   $ cd ..