diff --git a/REFERENCE.md b/REFERENCE.md
index 85da05a1..def63d6a 100644
--- a/REFERENCE.md
+++ b/REFERENCE.md
@@ -420,7 +420,7 @@ Data type: `String[1]`
 
 group owner of dotfile
 
-Default value: `'root'`
+Default value: `getvar('python::params::group')`
 
 ##### <a name="-python--dotfile--config"></a>`config`
 
diff --git a/manifests/dotfile.pp b/manifests/dotfile.pp
index 4961f12f..66d59b1e 100644
--- a/manifests/dotfile.pp
+++ b/manifests/dotfile.pp
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
   Enum['absent', 'present'] $ensure   = 'present',
   Stdlib::Absolutepath      $filename = $title,
   String[1]                 $owner    = 'root',
-  String[1]                 $group    = 'root',
+  String[1]                 $group    = getvar('python::params::group'),
   Stdlib::Filemode          $mode     = '0644',
   Hash                      $config   = {},
 ) {
diff --git a/spec/defines/dotfile_spec.rb b/spec/defines/dotfile_spec.rb
index 30ce21b3..a44426f7 100644
--- a/spec/defines/dotfile_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/defines/dotfile_spec.rb
@@ -9,6 +9,16 @@
         facts
       end
 
+      let(:root_group) do
+        if facts[:os]['family'] == 'FreeBSD'
+          'wheel'
+        else
+          'root'
+        end
+      end
+
+      let(:pre_condition) { 'include python' }
+
       describe 'dotfile as' do
         context 'fails with empty string filename' do
           let(:title) { '' }
@@ -32,7 +42,7 @@
         context 'succeeds with filename in a non-existing path' do
           let(:title) { '/home/someuser/.pip/pip.conf' }
 
-          it { is_expected.to contain_exec('create /home/someuser/.pip/pip.conf\'s parent dir').with_command('install -o root -g root -d /home/someuser/.pip') }
+          it { is_expected.to contain_exec('create /home/someuser/.pip/pip.conf\'s parent dir').with_command("install -o root -g #{root_group} -d /home/someuser/.pip") }
           it { is_expected.to contain_file('/home/someuser/.pip/pip.conf').with_mode('0644') }
         end
 
@@ -40,7 +50,7 @@
           let(:title) { '/home/someuser/.pip/pip.conf' }
           let(:params) { { owner: 'someuser' } }
 
-          it { is_expected.to contain_exec('create /home/someuser/.pip/pip.conf\'s parent dir').with_command('install -o someuser -g root -d /home/someuser/.pip') }
+          it { is_expected.to contain_exec('create /home/someuser/.pip/pip.conf\'s parent dir').with_command("install -o someuser -g #{root_group} -d /home/someuser/.pip") }
           it { is_expected.to contain_file('/home/someuser/.pip/pip.conf').with_owner('someuser') }
         end