diff -upk.orig cvs-1.11.20.orig/src/server.c cvs-1.11.20/src/server.c
--- cvs-1.11.20.orig/src/server.c	2005-09-29 13:38:51 +0000
+++ cvs-1.11.20/src/server.c	2005-09-29 13:39:11 +0000
@@ -5442,23 +5442,19 @@ error 0 %s: no such system user\n", user
 #endif
 
 #if HAVE_PUTENV
-    /* Set LOGNAME, USER and CVS_USER in the environment, in case they
+    /* Set HOME, LOGNAME, USER and CVS_USER in the environment, in case they
        are already set to something else.  */
     {
 	char *env;
 
-	env = xmalloc (sizeof "LOGNAME=" + strlen (username));
-	(void) sprintf (env, "LOGNAME=%s", username);
-	(void) putenv (env);
-
-	env = xmalloc (sizeof "USER=" + strlen (username));
-	(void) sprintf (env, "USER=%s", username);
-	(void) putenv (env);
+	putenv (xasprintf (&env, "HOME=%s", pw->pw_dir ?: "/"));
+	putenv (xasprintf (&env, "USER=%s", username));
 
 #ifdef AUTH_SERVER_SUPPORT
-	env = xmalloc (sizeof "CVS_USER=" + strlen (CVS_Username));
-	(void) sprintf (env, "CVS_USER=%s", CVS_Username);
-	(void) putenv (env);
+	putenv (xasprintf (&env, "LOGNAME=%s", CVS_Username));
+	putenv (xasprintf (&env, "CVS_USER=%s", CVS_Username));
+#else
+	putenv (xasprintf (&env, "LOGNAME=%s", username));
 #endif
     }
 #endif /* HAVE_PUTENV */