diff --git a/django-openstack/django_openstack/api.py b/django-openstack/django_openstack/api.py
index c4a20e154..55b2f919b 100644
--- a/django-openstack/django_openstack/api.py
+++ b/django-openstack/django_openstack/api.py
@@ -236,6 +236,11 @@ class User(APIResourceWrapper):
     _attrs = ['email', 'enabled', 'id', 'tenantId', 'name']
 
 
+class Role(APIResourceWrapper):
+    """Wrapper around user role"""
+    _attrs = ['id', 'name', 'description', 'service_id']
+
+
 class SecurityGroup(APIResourceWrapper):
     """Simple wrapper around openstackx.extras.security_groups.SecurityGroup"""
     _attrs = ['id', 'name', 'description', 'tenant_id', 'rules']
diff --git a/django-openstack/django_openstack/syspanel/views/users.py b/django-openstack/django_openstack/syspanel/views/users.py
index c13703397..868110ed1 100644
--- a/django-openstack/django_openstack/syspanel/views/users.py
+++ b/django-openstack/django_openstack/syspanel/views/users.py
@@ -198,13 +198,19 @@ def create(request):
                                 user['password'],
                                 user['tenant_id'],
                                 True)
-                api.account_api(request).role_refs.add_for_tenant_user(
-                        user['tenant_id'], user['id'],
-                        settings.OPENSTACK_KEYSTONE_DEFAULT_ROLE)
-
                 messages.success(request,
                                  '%s was successfully created.'
                                  % user['id'])
+                try:
+                    api.role_add_for_tenant_user(
+                        request, user['tenant_id'], user['id'],
+                        settings.OPENSTACK_KEYSTONE_DEFAULT_ROLE)
+                except api_exceptions.ApiException, e:
+                    LOG.exception('ApiException while assigning\
+                                   role to new user: %s' % user['id'])
+                    messages.error(request, 'Error assigning role to user: %s' 
+                                             % e.message)
+
                 return redirect('syspanel_users')
 
             except api_exceptions.ApiException, e:
diff --git a/django-openstack/django_openstack/tests/api_tests.py b/django-openstack/django_openstack/tests/api_tests.py
index ceb30b3fb..c0985a97c 100644
--- a/django-openstack/django_openstack/tests/api_tests.py
+++ b/django-openstack/django_openstack/tests/api_tests.py
@@ -543,6 +543,30 @@ class AccountApiTests(test.TestCase):
         self.mox.VerifyAll()
 
 
+    def test_role_add_for_tenant_user(self):
+        account_api = self.stub_account_api()
+
+        role = api.Role(APIResource.get_instance())
+        role.id = TEST_RETURN
+        role.name = TEST_RETURN
+
+        account_api.role_refs = self.mox.CreateMockAnything()
+        account_api.role_refs.add_for_tenant_user(TEST_TENANT_ID,
+                                                  TEST_USERNAME,
+                                                  TEST_RETURN).AndReturn(role)
+        api._get_role = self.mox.CreateMockAnything()
+        api._get_role(IsA(http.HttpRequest), IsA(str)).AndReturn(role)
+
+        self.mox.ReplayAll()
+        ret_val = api.role_add_for_tenant_user(self.request,
+                                               TEST_TENANT_ID,
+                                               TEST_USERNAME,
+                                               TEST_RETURN)
+        self.assertEqual(ret_val, None)
+
+        self.mox.VerifyAll()
+
+
 class AdminApiTests(test.TestCase):
     def stub_admin_api(self, count=1):
         self.mox.StubOutWithMock(api, 'admin_api')