diff --git a/cdist/conf/type/__user/explorer/group b/cdist/conf/type/__user/explorer/group
index 98ce39c6..b95f3d01 100755
--- a/cdist/conf/type/__user/explorer/group
+++ b/cdist/conf/type/__user/explorer/group
@@ -23,6 +23,10 @@
 
 if [ -f "$__object/parameter/gid" ]; then
    gid=$(cat "$__object/parameter/gid")
-   getent group "$gid" || true
+   if [ -x /usr/bin/getent ] || [ -x /bin/getent ]; then
+      getent group "$gid" || true
+   elif [ -f /etc/group ]; then
+      grep -E "^(${gid}|([^:]:){2}${gid}):" /etc/group || true
+   fi
 fi
 
diff --git a/cdist/conf/type/__user/explorer/passwd b/cdist/conf/type/__user/explorer/passwd
index fdbfb193..592d04c4 100755
--- a/cdist/conf/type/__user/explorer/passwd
+++ b/cdist/conf/type/__user/explorer/passwd
@@ -23,5 +23,8 @@
 
 name=$__object_id
 
-getent passwd "$name" || true
-
+if [ -x /usr/bin/getent ] || [ -x /bin/getent ]; then
+  getent passwd "$name" || true
+elif [ -f /etc/passwd ]; then
+  grep "^${name}:" /etc/passwd || true
+fi
diff --git a/cdist/conf/type/__user/explorer/shadow b/cdist/conf/type/__user/explorer/shadow
index 1a8fd809..b2d1d121 100755
--- a/cdist/conf/type/__user/explorer/shadow
+++ b/cdist/conf/type/__user/explorer/shadow
@@ -31,5 +31,8 @@ case "$os" in
 esac
   
 
-getent "$database" "$name" || true
-
+if [ -x /usr/bin/getent ] || [ -x /bin/getent ]; then
+  getent "$database" "$name" || true
+elif [ -f /etc/shadow ]; then
+  grep "^${name}:" /etc/shadow || true
+fi