diff --git a/packages/builder/src/components/backend/DataTable/modals/CreateEditUser.svelte b/packages/builder/src/components/backend/DataTable/modals/CreateEditUser.svelte
index 62985d4285..32f369ce3d 100644
--- a/packages/builder/src/components/backend/DataTable/modals/CreateEditUser.svelte
+++ b/packages/builder/src/components/backend/DataTable/modals/CreateEditUser.svelte
@@ -104,6 +104,7 @@
     options={$roles}
     getOptionLabel={role => role.name}
     getOptionValue={role => role._id}
+    disabled={!creating}
   />
   {#each customSchemaKeys as [key, meta]}
     {#if !meta.autocolumn}
diff --git a/packages/builder/src/pages/builder/portal/manage/users/[userId].svelte b/packages/builder/src/pages/builder/portal/manage/users/[userId].svelte
index 983b31168c..ac5b569411 100644
--- a/packages/builder/src/pages/builder/portal/manage/users/[userId].svelte
+++ b/packages/builder/src/pages/builder/portal/manage/users/[userId].svelte
@@ -33,12 +33,16 @@
     role: {},
   }
 
+  $: defaultRoleId = $userFetch?.data?.builder?.global ? "ADMIN" : ""
   // Merge the Apps list and the roles response to get something that makes sense for the table
-  $: appList = Object.keys($apps?.data).map(id => ({
-    ...$apps?.data?.[id],
-    _id: id,
-    role: [$userFetch?.data?.roles?.[id]],
-  }))
+  $: appList = Object.keys($apps?.data).map(id => {
+    const role = $userFetch?.data?.roles?.[id] || defaultRoleId
+    return {
+      ...$apps?.data?.[id],
+      _id: id,
+      role: [role],
+    }
+  })
   let selectedApp
 
   const userFetch = fetchData(`/api/admin/users/${userId}`)
diff --git a/packages/server/src/api/controllers/user.js b/packages/server/src/api/controllers/user.js
index a7dcc190ba..6778f983c2 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/api/controllers/user.js
+++ b/packages/server/src/api/controllers/user.js
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ const {
   getUserMetadataParams,
 } = require("../../db/utils")
 const { InternalTables } = require("../../db/utils")
-const { addAppRoleToUser } = require("../../utilities/workerRequests")
 const { getGlobalUsers } = require("../../utilities/global")
 const { getFullUser } = require("../../utilities/users")
 
@@ -53,9 +52,6 @@ exports.updateMetadata = async function (ctx) {
   const appId = ctx.appId
   const db = new CouchDB(appId)
   const user = removeGlobalProps(ctx.request.body)
-  if (user.roleId) {
-    await addAppRoleToUser(ctx, appId, user.roleId, user._id)
-  }
   const metadata = {
     tableId: InternalTables.USER_METADATA,
     ...user,
diff --git a/packages/server/src/utilities/global.js b/packages/server/src/utilities/global.js
index eda0e61cff..17ce066551 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/utilities/global.js
+++ b/packages/server/src/utilities/global.js
@@ -12,14 +12,14 @@ exports.updateAppRole = (appId, user) => {
   if (!user.roles) {
     return user
   }
-  if (user.builder && user.builder.global) {
+
+  // always use the deployed app
+  user.roleId = user.roles[getDeployedAppID(appId)]
+  // if a role wasn't found then either set as admin (builder) or public (everyone else)
+  if (!user.roleId && user.builder && user.builder.global) {
     user.roleId = BUILTIN_ROLE_IDS.ADMIN
-  } else {
-    // always use the deployed app
-    user.roleId = user.roles[getDeployedAppID(appId)]
-    if (!user.roleId) {
-      user.roleId = BUILTIN_ROLE_IDS.PUBLIC
-    }
+  } else if (!user.roleId) {
+    user.roleId = BUILTIN_ROLE_IDS.PUBLIC
   }
   delete user.roles
   return user
diff --git a/packages/worker/src/api/routes/tests/realEmail.spec.js b/packages/worker/src/api/routes/tests/realEmail.spec.js
index e87c5d5bf5..8c23141a53 100644
--- a/packages/worker/src/api/routes/tests/realEmail.spec.js
+++ b/packages/worker/src/api/routes/tests/realEmail.spec.js
@@ -3,6 +3,9 @@ const { EmailTemplatePurpose } = require("../../../constants")
 const nodemailer = require("nodemailer")
 const fetch = require("node-fetch")
 
+// need a longer timeout for getting these
+jest.setTimeout(30000)
+
 describe("/api/admin/email", () => {
   let request = setup.getRequest()
   let config = setup.getConfig()