diff --git a/migrations/016-permissions.sql b/migrations/016-permissions.sql
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..145eedca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/migrations/016-permissions.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+-- Up
+
+UPDATE users SET roles = '' WHERE roles = 'user';
+
+-- Down
+
+UPDATE users SET roles = 'user' WHERE roles = '';
diff --git a/server/routes/user.js b/server/routes/user.js
index 350f0099..2668b900 100644
--- a/server/routes/user.js
+++ b/server/routes/user.js
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ const fetchOrCreateUser = async (db, user, avatarSource = 'gravatar') => {
             id: ulid(),
             username: await defaultUsername(db, user.name || user.email),
             email: normalise(user.email),
-            roles: 'user',
+            roles: '',
             avatarSource: avatarSource,
         }
         await db.get(SQL`INSERT INTO users(id, username, email, roles, avatarSource)