diff --git a/backend/src/main/java/edu/internet2/tier/shibboleth/admin/ui/security/controller/UsersController.java b/backend/src/main/java/edu/internet2/tier/shibboleth/admin/ui/security/controller/UsersController.java
index f4c63c9f4..e1f1fd373 100644
--- a/backend/src/main/java/edu/internet2/tier/shibboleth/admin/ui/security/controller/UsersController.java
+++ b/backend/src/main/java/edu/internet2/tier/shibboleth/admin/ui/security/controller/UsersController.java
@@ -100,7 +100,10 @@ ResponseEntity<?> updateOne(@PathVariable(value = "username") String username, @
         if (StringUtils.isNotBlank(user.getPassword())) {
             persistedUser.setPassword(BCrypt.hashpw(user.getPassword(), BCrypt.gensalt()));
         }
-        userRoleService.updateUserRole(persistedUser);
+        if (StringUtils.isNotBlank(user.getRole())) {
+            persistedUser.setRole(user.getRole());
+            userRoleService.updateUserRole(persistedUser);
+        }
         User savedUser = userRepository.save(persistedUser);
         return ResponseEntity.ok(savedUser);
     }
diff --git a/backend/src/main/java/edu/internet2/tier/shibboleth/admin/ui/security/model/User.java b/backend/src/main/java/edu/internet2/tier/shibboleth/admin/ui/security/model/User.java
index d268dd59b..5993aea72 100644
--- a/backend/src/main/java/edu/internet2/tier/shibboleth/admin/ui/security/model/User.java
+++ b/backend/src/main/java/edu/internet2/tier/shibboleth/admin/ui/security/model/User.java
@@ -55,13 +55,13 @@ public class User extends AbstractAuditable {
     private Set<Role> roles = new HashSet<>();
 
     public String getRole() {
-        Set<Role> roles = this.getRoles();
-        if (roles.size() != 1) {
-            if (StringUtils.isNotBlank(this.role)) {
-                return this.role;
+        if (StringUtils.isBlank(this.role)) {
+            Set<Role> roles = this.getRoles();
+            if (roles.size() != 1) {
+                throw new RuntimeException(String.format("User with username [%s] does not have exactly one role!", this.getUsername()));
             }
-            throw new RuntimeException(String.format("User with username [%s] does not have exactly one role!", this.getUsername()));
+            this.role = roles.iterator().next().getName();
         }
-        return roles.iterator().next().getName();
+        return this.role;
     }
 }