diff --git a/defaults/main.yml b/defaults/main.yml
index 357e3b4..e157e2e 100644
--- a/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/defaults/main.yml
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ slurmdbd_service_name: slurmdbd
 
 __slurm_user_name: "{{ (slurm_user | default({})).name | default('slurm') }}"
 # TODO: this could be incorrect, use the group collection from galaxyproject.galaxy
-__slurm_group_name: "{{ (slurm_user | default({})).group | default((slurm_user | default({})).name) | default('slurm') }}"
+__slurm_group_name: "{{ (slurm_user | default({})).group | default(omit) }}"
 
 __slurm_debian: "{{ ansible_os_family == 'Debian' }}"
 __slurm_redhat: "{{ ansible_os_family == 'RedHat' }}"
@@ -29,35 +29,37 @@ __slurm_config_default:
   CryptoType: crypto/munge
   SlurmUser: "{{ __slurm_user_name }}"
   ClusterName: cluster
+  # default is proctrack/cgroup which is the best but also less than 100% chance of working e.g. in docker
+  ProctrackType: proctrack/pgid
   # slurmctld options
   SlurmctldPort: 6817
-  SlurmctldLogFile: "{{ '/var/log/slurm-llnl/slurmctld.log' if __slurm_debian else null }}"
+  SlurmctldLogFile: "{{ '/var/log/slurm-llnl/slurmctld.log' if __slurm_debian else None }}"
   SlurmctldPidFile: >-
     {{
         '/var/run/slurm-llnl/slurmctld.pid' if __slurm_debian else (
         '/var/run/slurmctld.pid' if __slurm_redhat else
-        null)
+        None)
     }}
   StateSaveLocation: >-
     {{
         '/var/lib/slurm-llnl/slurmctld' if __slurm_debian else (
         '/var/lib/slurm/slurmctld' if __slurm_redhat else
-        null)
+        None)
     }}
   # slurmd options
   SlurmdPort: 6818
-  SlurmdLogFile: "{{ '/var/log/slurm-llnl/slurmd.log' if __slurm_debian else null }}"
+  SlurmdLogFile: "{{ '/var/log/slurm-llnl/slurmd.log' if __slurm_debian else None }}"
   SlurmdPidFile: >-
     {{
         '/var/run/slurm-llnl/slurmd.pid' if __slurm_debian else (
         '/var/run/slurm.pid' if __slurm_redhat else
-        null)
+        None)
     }}
   SlurmdSpoolDir: >-
     {{
         '/var/lib/slurm-llnl/slurmd' if __slurm_debian else (
         '/var/spool/slurm/slurmd' if __slurm_redhat else
-        null)
+        None)
     }}
 __slurm_config_merged: "{{ __slurm_config_default | combine(slurm_config | default({})) }}"
 
@@ -83,7 +85,7 @@ __slurmdbd_config_default:
     {{
         '/var/run/slurm-llnl/slurmdbd.pid' if __slurm_debian else (
         '/var/run/slurmdbd.pid' if __slurm_redhat else
-        null)
+        None)
     }}
-  LogFile: "{{ '/var/log/slurm-llnl/slurmdbd.log' if __slurm_debian else null }}"
+  LogFile: "{{ '/var/log/slurm-llnl/slurmdbd.log' if __slurm_debian else None }}"
 __slurmdbd_config_merged: "{{ __slurmdbd_config_default | combine(slurmdbd_config | default({})) }}"
diff --git a/tasks/main.yml b/tasks/main.yml
index fe81947..b25a374 100644
--- a/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/tasks/main.yml
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 - name: Include user creation tasks
   include_tasks: user.yml
-  when: slurm_user is defined
+  when: slurm_create_user
 
 - name: Include controller installation tasks
   include_tasks: slurmctld.yml
diff --git a/tasks/munge.yml b/tasks/munge.yml
index 0a6181d..dcf7b60 100644
--- a/tasks/munge.yml
+++ b/tasks/munge.yml
@@ -10,12 +10,12 @@
 
 - name: Install munge key
   copy:
-    src: "{{ slurm_munge_key_src }}"
+    src: "{{ slurm_munge_key }}"
     dest: /etc/munge/munge.key
     owner: munge
     group: munge
     mode: 0400
-  when: slurm_munge_key_src is defined
+  when: slurm_munge_key is defined
 
 - name: Ensure Munge is enabled and running
   service:
diff --git a/tasks/slurmctld.yml b/tasks/slurmctld.yml
index eb27077..1356b4f 100644
--- a/tasks/slurmctld.yml
+++ b/tasks/slurmctld.yml
@@ -23,4 +23,4 @@
     group: "{{ __slurm_group_name }}"
     mode: 0755
     state: directory
-  when: slurm_create_dirs and __slurm_config_merged.SlurmctldLogFile != None
+  when: slurm_create_dirs and __slurm_config_merged.SlurmctldLogFile
diff --git a/tasks/slurmd.yml b/tasks/slurmd.yml
index 5d3eb48..6948e58 100644
--- a/tasks/slurmd.yml
+++ b/tasks/slurmd.yml
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
     group: "{{ __slurm_group_name }}"
     mode: 0755
     state: directory
-  when: slurm_create_dirs and __slurm_config_merged.SlurmdLogFile != None
+  when: slurm_create_dirs and __slurm_config_merged.SlurmdLogFile
 
 - name: Include config dir creation tasks
   include_tasks: _inc_create_config_dir.yml
diff --git a/tasks/slurmdbd.yml b/tasks/slurmdbd.yml
index 7c84a55..ca4fd2f 100644
--- a/tasks/slurmdbd.yml
+++ b/tasks/slurmdbd.yml
@@ -22,4 +22,4 @@
     group: "{{ __slurm_group_name }}"
     mode: 0755
     state: directory
-  when: slurm_create_dirs and __slurmdbd_config_merged.LogFile != None
+  when: slurm_create_dirs and __slurmdbd_config_merged.LogFile
diff --git a/tasks/user.yml b/tasks/user.yml
index a65aa68..6038828 100644
--- a/tasks/user.yml
+++ b/tasks/user.yml
@@ -2,17 +2,18 @@
 
 - name: Create slurm group
   group:
-    name: "{{ slurm_user.name | default('slurm') }}"
-    gid: "{{ slurm_user.gid | default(omit) }}"
-    system: "{{ slurm_user.system | default('yes') }}"
+    name: "{{ (slurm_user | default({})).group }}"
+    gid: "{{ (slurm_user | default({})).gid | default(omit) }}"
+    system: "{{ (slurm_user | default({})).system | default('yes') }}"
+  when: (slurm_user | default({})).group is defined
 
 - name: Create slurm user
   user:
-    name: "{{ slurm_user.name | default('slurm') }}"
-    comment: "{{ slurm_user.comment | default(omit) }}"
-    uid: "{{ slurm_user.uid | default(omit) }}"
-    group: "{{ slurm_user.group | default(slurm_user.name | default('slurm')) }}"
-    groups: "{{ slurm_user.groups | default(omit) }}"
-    home: "{{ slurm_user.home | default(omit) }}"
-    shell: "{{ slurm_user.shell | default(omit) }}"
-    system: "{{ slurm_user.system | default('yes') }}"
+    name: "{{ (slurm_user | default({})).name | default('slurm') }}"
+    comment: "{{ (slurm_user | default({})).comment | default(omit) }}"
+    uid: "{{ (slurm_user | default({})).uid | default(omit) }}"
+    group: "{{ (slurm_user | default({})).group | default(omit) }}"
+    groups: "{{ (slurm_user | default({})).groups | default(omit) }}"
+    home: "{{ (slurm_user | default({})).home | default(omit) }}"
+    shell: "{{ (slurm_user | default({})).shell | default(omit) }}"
+    system: "{{ (slurm_user | default({})).system | default('yes') }}"
diff --git a/templates/slurm.conf.j2 b/templates/slurm.conf.j2
index 001a343..3b9ac94 100644
--- a/templates/slurm.conf.j2
+++ b/templates/slurm.conf.j2
@@ -9,18 +9,22 @@ ControlMachine=localhost
 
 # Configuration options
 {% for key in __slurm_config_merged | sort %}
-{% if __slurm_config_merged[key] != None %}
+{% if __slurm_config_merged[key] %}
 {{ key }}={{ __slurm_config_merged[key] }}
 {% endif %}
 {% endfor %}
 
 # Nodes
 {% for i in slurm_nodes %}
-NodeName={{ i.name }}{% for k in i %} {{ k }}={{ i[k] }}{% endfor %}
+NodeName={{ i.name }}{% for k in i | sort %} {{ k }}={{ i[k] }}{% endfor %}
+{% else %}
+NodeName=localhost State=UNKNOWN
 {% endfor %}
 
 
 # Partitions
 {% for i in slurm_partitions %}
-PartitionName={{ i.name }}{% for k in i %} {{ k }}={{ i[k] }}{% endfor %}
+PartitionName={{ i.name }}{% for k in i | sort %} {{ k }}={{ i[k] }}{% endfor %}
+{% else %}
+PartitionName=debug Default=YES Nodes={{ slurm_nodes[0] | default('localhost') }} State=UP
 {% endfor %}