diff --git a/CHANGELOG b/CHANGELOG
index 11e8cba58b6..ff2784b4780 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG
+++ b/CHANGELOG
@@ -112,6 +112,7 @@ v 8.12.0 (unreleased)
   - Avoid conflict with admin labels when importing GitHub labels
   - User can edit closed MR with deleted fork (Katarzyna Kobierska Ula Budziszewska) !5496
   - Fix repository page ui issues
+  - Add information about user and manual build start to runner as variables !6201 (Sergey Gnuskov)
   - Fixed invisible scroll controls on build page on iPhone
   - Fix error on raw build trace download for old builds stored in database !4822
   - Refactor the triggers page and documentation !6217
diff --git a/app/models/ci/build.rb b/app/models/ci/build.rb
index 61052437318..fb16bc06d71 100644
--- a/app/models/ci/build.rb
+++ b/app/models/ci/build.rb
@@ -148,6 +148,7 @@ module Ci
       variables += runner.predefined_variables if runner
       variables += project.container_registry_variables
       variables += yaml_variables
+      variables += user_variables
       variables += project.secret_variables
       variables += trigger_request.user_variables if trigger_request
       variables
@@ -434,6 +435,15 @@ module Ci
       read_attribute(:yaml_variables) || build_attributes_from_config[:yaml_variables] || []
     end
 
+    def user_variables
+      return [] if user.blank?
+
+      [
+        { key: 'GITLAB_USER_ID', value: user.id.to_s, public: true },
+        { key: 'GITLAB_USER_EMAIL', value: user.email, public: true }
+      ]
+    end
+
     private
 
     def update_artifacts_size
@@ -469,6 +479,7 @@ module Ci
       ]
       variables << { key: 'CI_BUILD_TAG', value: ref, public: true } if tag?
       variables << { key: 'CI_BUILD_TRIGGERED', value: 'true', public: true } if trigger_request
+      variables << { key: 'CI_BUILD_MANUAL', value: 'true', public: true } if manual?
       variables
     end
 
diff --git a/doc/ci/variables/README.md b/doc/ci/variables/README.md
index c32831d3aaa..6a971c3ae87 100644
--- a/doc/ci/variables/README.md
+++ b/doc/ci/variables/README.md
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ The `API_TOKEN` will take the Secure Variable value: `SECURE`.
 | **CI_BUILD_REF_NAME**   | all    | all    | The branch or tag name for which project is built |
 | **CI_BUILD_REPO**       | all    | all    | The URL to clone the Git repository |
 | **CI_BUILD_TRIGGERED**  | all    | 0.5    | The flag to indicate that build was [triggered] |
+| **CI_BUILD_MANUAL**     | 8.12   | all    | The flag to indicate that build was manually started |
 | **CI_BUILD_TOKEN**      | all    | 1.2    | Token used for authenticating with the GitLab Container Registry |
 | **CI_PIPELINE_ID**      | 8.10   | 0.5    | The unique id of the current pipeline that GitLab CI uses internally |
 | **CI_PROJECT_ID**       | all    | all    | The unique id of the current project that GitLab CI uses internally |
@@ -47,6 +48,8 @@ The `API_TOKEN` will take the Secure Variable value: `SECURE`.
 | **CI_RUNNER_ID**        | 8.10   | 0.5    | The unique id of runner being used |
 | **CI_RUNNER_DESCRIPTION** | 8.10 | 0.5    | The description of the runner as saved in GitLab |
 | **CI_RUNNER_TAGS**      | 8.10   | 0.5    | The defined runner tags |
+| **GITLAB_USER_ID**      | 8.12   | all    | The id of the user who started the build |
+| **GITLAB_USER_EMAIL**   | 8.12   | all    | The email of the user who started the build |
 
 **Some of the variables are only available when using runner with at least defined version.**
 
@@ -60,6 +63,7 @@ export CI_BUILD_REPO="https://gitab-ci-token:abcde-1234ABCD5678ef@gitlab.com/git
 export CI_BUILD_TAG="1.0.0"
 export CI_BUILD_NAME="spec:other"
 export CI_BUILD_STAGE="test"
+export CI_BUILD_MANUAL="true"
 export CI_BUILD_TRIGGERED="true"
 export CI_BUILD_TOKEN="abcde-1234ABCD5678ef"
 export CI_PIPELINE_ID="1000"
@@ -78,6 +82,8 @@ export CI_SERVER="yes"
 export CI_SERVER_NAME="GitLab"
 export CI_SERVER_REVISION="70606bf"
 export CI_SERVER_VERSION="8.9.0"
+export GITLAB_USER_ID="42"
+export GITLAB_USER_EMAIL="alexzander@sporer.com"
 ```
 
 ### YAML-defined variables
diff --git a/spec/models/build_spec.rb b/spec/models/build_spec.rb
index c45c2635cf4..8eab4281bc7 100644
--- a/spec/models/build_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/build_spec.rb
@@ -231,6 +231,34 @@ describe Ci::Build, models: true do
       it { is_expected.to eq(predefined_variables) }
     end
 
+    context 'when build has user' do
+      let(:user) { create(:user, username: 'starter') }
+      let(:user_variables) do
+        [
+          { key: 'GITLAB_USER_ID',    value: user.id.to_s, public: true },
+          { key: 'GITLAB_USER_EMAIL', value: user.email,   public: true }
+        ]
+      end
+
+      before do
+        build.update_attributes(user: user)
+      end
+
+      it { user_variables.each { |v| is_expected.to include(v) } }
+    end
+
+    context 'when build started manually' do
+      before do
+        build.update_attributes(when: :manual)
+      end
+
+      let(:manual_variable) do
+        { key: 'CI_BUILD_MANUAL', value: 'true', public: true }
+      end
+
+      it { is_expected.to include(manual_variable) }
+    end
+
     context 'when build is for tag' do
       let(:tag_variable) do
         { key: 'CI_BUILD_TAG', value: 'master', public: true }