diff --git a/server/src/main/java/access/model/User.java b/server/src/main/java/access/model/User.java
index 49694c31..dc1e9557 100644
--- a/server/src/main/java/access/model/User.java
+++ b/server/src/main/java/access/model/User.java
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 @NoArgsConstructor
 @Getter
 @Setter
+@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
 public class User implements Serializable, Provisionable {
 
     @Id
@@ -89,7 +90,7 @@ public User(boolean superUser, Map<String, Object> attributes) {
         this.email = (String) attributes.get("email");
         this.givenName = (String) attributes.get("given_name");
         this.familyName = (String) attributes.get("family_name");
-        this.institutionAdmin = (boolean) attributes.get(INSTITUTION_ADMIN);
+        this.institutionAdmin = (boolean) attributes.getOrDefault(INSTITUTION_ADMIN, false);
         this.organizationGUID = (String) attributes.get(ORGANIZATION_GUID);
         this.applications = (List<Map<String, Object>>) attributes.getOrDefault(APPLICATIONS, Collections.emptyList());
         this.createdAt = Instant.now();
@@ -175,7 +176,7 @@ public void updateAttributes(Map<String, Object> attributes) {
         this.givenName = (String) attributes.get("given_name");
         this.familyName = (String) attributes.get("family_name");
         this.email = (String) attributes.get("email");
-        this.institutionAdmin = (boolean) attributes.get(INSTITUTION_ADMIN);
+        this.institutionAdmin = (boolean) attributes.getOrDefault(INSTITUTION_ADMIN, false);
         this.organizationGUID = (String) attributes.get(ORGANIZATION_GUID);
         this.applications = (List<Map<String, Object>>) attributes.getOrDefault(APPLICATIONS, Collections.emptyList());
         this.lastActivity = Instant.now();
diff --git a/server/src/test/java/access/api/UserControllerTest.java b/server/src/test/java/access/api/UserControllerTest.java
index 0b2ed13a..471b018c 100644
--- a/server/src/test/java/access/api/UserControllerTest.java
+++ b/server/src/test/java/access/api/UserControllerTest.java
@@ -92,6 +92,8 @@ void meWithOauth2Login() throws Exception {
 
     @Test
     void institutionAdminProvision() throws Exception {
+        super.stubForManageProviderByOrganisationGUID(ORGANISATION_GUID);
+
         AccessCookieFilter accessCookieFilter = openIDConnectFlow("/api/v1/users/me", "new_institution_admin",
                 s -> {
                 }, m -> {
@@ -102,7 +104,6 @@ void institutionAdminProvision() throws Exception {
                             ));
                     return m;
                 });
-        super.stubForManageProviderByOrganisationGUID(ORGANISATION_GUID);
 
         User user = given()
                 .when()