diff --git a/commcare_connect/users/managers.py b/commcare_connect/users/managers.py
index 017ab14e..e41e621f 100644
--- a/commcare_connect/users/managers.py
+++ b/commcare_connect/users/managers.py
@@ -5,24 +5,29 @@
 class UserManager(DjangoUserManager):
     """Custom manager for the User model."""
 
-    def _create_user(self, email: str, password: str | None, **extra_fields):
+    def _create_user(self, username: str | None, email: str | None, password: str | None, **extra_fields):
         """
         Create and save a user with the given email and password.
         """
-        if not email:
-            raise ValueError("The given email must be set")
-        email = self.normalize_email(email)
-        user = self.model(email=email, **extra_fields)
+        if not username and not email:
+            raise ValueError("Username or email must be set")
+        if email:
+            email = self.normalize_email(email)
+        user = self.model(username=username, email=email, **extra_fields)
         user.password = make_password(password)
         user.save(using=self._db)
         return user
 
-    def create_user(self, email: str, password: str | None = None, **extra_fields):
+    def create_user(
+        self, username: str | None = None, email: str | None = None, password: str | None = None, **extra_fields
+    ):
         extra_fields.setdefault("is_staff", False)
         extra_fields.setdefault("is_superuser", False)
-        return self._create_user(email, password, **extra_fields)
+        return self._create_user(username, email, password, **extra_fields)
 
-    def create_superuser(self, email: str, password: str | None = None, **extra_fields):
+    def create_superuser(
+        self, username: str | None = None, email: str | None = None, password: str | None = None, **extra_fields
+    ):
         extra_fields.setdefault("is_staff", True)
         extra_fields.setdefault("is_superuser", True)
 
@@ -31,4 +36,4 @@ def create_superuser(self, email: str, password: str | None = None, **extra_fiel
         if extra_fields.get("is_superuser") is not True:
             raise ValueError("Superuser must have is_superuser=True.")
 
-        return self._create_user(email, password, **extra_fields)
+        return self._create_user(username, email, password, **extra_fields)
diff --git a/commcare_connect/users/models.py b/commcare_connect/users/models.py
index a15656a7..32fd1ea0 100644
--- a/commcare_connect/users/models.py
+++ b/commcare_connect/users/models.py
@@ -35,7 +35,6 @@ class User(AbstractUser):
     )
     phone_number = models.CharField(max_length=15, null=True, blank=True)
 
-    USERNAME_FIELD = "email"
     REQUIRED_FIELDS = []
 
     objects = UserManager()
diff --git a/commcare_connect/users/tests/test_admin.py b/commcare_connect/users/tests/test_admin.py
index 11f4e9ea..244781f2 100644
--- a/commcare_connect/users/tests/test_admin.py
+++ b/commcare_connect/users/tests/test_admin.py
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ def test_add(self, admin_client):
         assert User.objects.filter(email="new-admin@example.com").exists()
 
     def test_view_user(self, admin_client):
-        user = User.objects.get(email="admin@example.com")
+        user = User.objects.get(username="admin")
         url = reverse("admin:users_user_change", kwargs={"object_id": user.pk})
         response = admin_client.get(url)
         assert response.status_code == 200
diff --git a/commcare_connect/users/tests/test_managers.py b/commcare_connect/users/tests/test_managers.py
index f0d7ea22..b2b88e72 100644
--- a/commcare_connect/users/tests/test_managers.py
+++ b/commcare_connect/users/tests/test_managers.py
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ def test_createsuperuser_command():
     out = StringIO()
     command_result = call_command(
         "createsuperuser",
-        "--email",
+        "--username",
         "henry@example.com",
         interactive=False,
         stdout=out,
@@ -51,5 +51,5 @@ def test_createsuperuser_command():
 
     assert command_result is None
     assert out.getvalue() == "Superuser created successfully.\n"
-    user = User.objects.get(email="henry@example.com")
+    user = User.objects.get(username="henry@example.com")
     assert not user.has_usable_password()