diff --git a/cmd/setup.go b/cmd/setup.go
index 7340f94..86f0f16 100644
--- a/cmd/setup.go
+++ b/cmd/setup.go
@@ -273,13 +273,15 @@ func newSetup(setupOpts setupOpts) error {
 			return fmt.Errorf("issue selecting if verification is to be run: %w", err)
 		}
 		if verifyChoice {
-			username, err := operatingsystem.PromptAndVerifyUser()
+			username, skip, err := operatingsystem.PromptAndVerifyUser()
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
-			err = workbench.VerifyInstallation(username)
-			if err != nil {
-				return fmt.Errorf("issue running verification: %w", err)
+			if !skip {
+				err = workbench.VerifyInstallation(username)
+				if err != nil {
+					return fmt.Errorf("issue running verification: %w", err)
+				}
 			}
 		}
 		step = "done"
diff --git a/internal/operatingsystem/user.go b/internal/operatingsystem/user.go
index 906206d..e8018ac 100644
--- a/internal/operatingsystem/user.go
+++ b/internal/operatingsystem/user.go
@@ -2,28 +2,37 @@ package operatingsystem
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/sol-eng/wbi/internal/system"
 )
 
-func PromptAndVerifyUser() (string, error) {
-	userAccount, err := PromptUserAccount()
-	if err != nil {
-		return "", err
+func PromptAndVerifyUser() (string, bool, error) {
+	var overallSkip bool
+	var userAccount string
+	for {
+		username, err := PromptUserAccount()
+		userAccount = username
+		if err != nil {
+			return "", false, err
+		}
+		if strings.Contains(userAccount, "skip") {
+			overallSkip = true
+			break
+		}
+		// lookup user account details
+		user, err := UserLookup(userAccount)
+		if err != nil {
+			system.PrintAndLogInfo(fmt.Sprintf(`The user account "%s" you entered cannot be found. Please try again. To skip this section type "skip".`, userAccount))
+		} else if user.Uid == "0" {
+			system.PrintAndLogInfo(fmt.Sprintf(`The user account "%s" is root. A non-root user is required. Please try again. To skip this section type "skip".`, userAccount))
+		} else if user.HomeDir == "" {
+			system.PrintAndLogInfo(fmt.Sprintf(`The user account "%s" does not have a home directory. A home directory is required. Please try again. To skip this section type "skip".`, userAccount))
+		} else {
+			system.PrintAndLogInfo(fmt.Sprintf("user %s account found and validated", userAccount))
+			break
+		}
 	}
-	// lookup user account details
-	user, err := UserLookup(userAccount)
-	if err != nil {
-		return "", fmt.Errorf("user %s account not found", userAccount)
-	}
-	// verify non-root and a home directory exists
-	if user.Uid == "0" {
-		return "", fmt.Errorf("user %s account is root. A non-root user is required", userAccount)
-	}
-	if user.HomeDir == "" {
-		return "", fmt.Errorf("user %s account does not have a home directory. A home directory is required", userAccount)
-	}
-	system.PrintAndLogInfo(fmt.Sprintf("user %s account found and validated", userAccount))
 
-	return user.Username, nil
+	return userAccount, overallSkip, nil
 }