diff --git a/system/ids.nix b/system/ids.nix
index 73fa8c8a0bb1..b0ce6e28591e 100644
--- a/system/ids.nix
+++ b/system/ids.nix
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
     haldaemon = 5;
     vsftpd = 7;
     ftp = 8;
+    bitlbee = 9;
     avahi = 10;
     portmap = 11;
     audio = 17;
diff --git a/system/options.nix b/system/options.nix
index f62bcd82d8db..f8d3e302e722 100644
--- a/system/options.nix
+++ b/system/options.nix
@@ -1042,7 +1042,7 @@
       };
 
       portNumber = mkOption {
-        default = "6667";
+        default = 6667;
         description = ''
           Number of the port BitlBee will be listening to.
         '';
diff --git a/upstart-jobs/bitlbee.nix b/upstart-jobs/bitlbee.nix
index b28d3d055612..d9956230aa07 100644
--- a/upstart-jobs/bitlbee.nix
+++ b/upstart-jobs/bitlbee.nix
@@ -1,17 +1,27 @@
 args: with args;
+
+let
+  bitlbeeUid = (import ../system/ids.nix).uids.bitlbee;
+in
 {
   name = "bitlbee";
 
   users = [
     { name = "bitlbee";
-      uid = (import ../system/ids.nix).uids.bitlbee;
+      uid = bitlbeeUid;
       description = "BitlBee user";
       home = "/var/empty";
     }
   ];
   
-  job = "
-description \"BitlBee IRC to other chat networks gateway\"
+  groups = [
+    { name = "bitlbee";
+      gid = (import ../system/ids.nix).gids.bitlbee;
+    }
+  ];
+
+  job = ''
+description "BitlBee IRC to other chat networks gateway"
 
 start on network-interfaces/started
 stop on network-interfaces/stop
@@ -23,8 +33,8 @@ start script
     fi
 end script
 
-# FIXME: Eventually we want to use inetd instead of using `-F'.
-respawn ${bitlbee}/sbin/bitlbee -F -p ${portNumber} -i ${interface}
-  ";
+respawn ${bitlbee}/sbin/bitlbee -F -p ${toString portNumber} \
+        -i ${interface} -u bitlbee
+  '';
   
 }