diff --git a/cdist/conf/type/__ssh_dot_ssh/explorer/group b/cdist/conf/type/__ssh_dot_ssh/explorer/group
index cdea6fe7..faf44cb8 100755
--- a/cdist/conf/type/__ssh_dot_ssh/explorer/group
+++ b/cdist/conf/type/__ssh_dot_ssh/explorer/group
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 #
 # 2014 Steven Armstrong (steven-cdist at armstrong.cc)
+# 2019 Dennis Camera (dennis.camera at ssrq-sds-fds.ch)
 #
 # This file is part of cdist.
 #
@@ -18,5 +19,11 @@
 # along with cdist. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 #
 
-gid="$("$__type_explorer/passwd" | cut -d':' -f 4)"
-getent group "$gid" || true
+gid=$("$__type_explorer/passwd" | cut -d':' -f4)
+
+if command -v getent >/dev/null
+then
+	getent group "$gid" || true
+else
+	awk -F: "\$3 == \"$gid\" { print }" /etc/group
+fi
diff --git a/cdist/conf/type/__ssh_dot_ssh/explorer/passwd b/cdist/conf/type/__ssh_dot_ssh/explorer/passwd
index 3fbad06f..42686b20 100755
--- a/cdist/conf/type/__ssh_dot_ssh/explorer/passwd
+++ b/cdist/conf/type/__ssh_dot_ssh/explorer/passwd
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 #
 # 2012 Steven Armstrong (steven-cdist at armstrong.cc)
 # 2014 Nico Schottelius (nico-cdist at schottelius.org)
+# 2019 Dennis Camera (dennis.camera at ssrq-sds-fds.ch)
 #
 # This file is part of cdist.
 #
@@ -21,4 +22,16 @@
 
 owner="$__object_id"
 
-getent passwd "$owner" || true
+if command -v getent >/dev/null
+then
+    getent passwd "$owner" || true
+else
+    case $owner in
+        [0-9][0-9]*)
+            awk -F: "\$3 == \"$owner\" { print }" /etc/passwd
+            ;;
+        *)
+            grep "^$owner:" /etc/passwd || true
+            ;;
+    esac
+fi