diff --git a/amanuensis/cli/user.py b/amanuensis/cli/user.py
index 576b751..376332b 100644
--- a/amanuensis/cli/user.py
+++ b/amanuensis/cli/user.py
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ def command_create(args):
 	if not user.valid_username(args.username):
 		config.logger.error("Invalid username: usernames may only contain alphanumeric characters, dashes, and underscores")
 		return -1
-	if user.get_user_by_username(args.username) is not None:
+	if user.uid_from_username(args.username) is not None:
 		config.logger.error("Invalid username: username is already taken")
 		return -1
 	if not args.displayname:
@@ -28,9 +28,10 @@ def command_create(args):
 	if not user.valid_email(args.email):
 		config.logger.error("Invalid email")
 		return -1
+
 	# Create user
 	new_user, tmp_pw = user.create_user(args.username, args.displayname, args.email)
-	with config.json_ro(new_user.config) as js:
+	with config.json_ro(new_user.config_path) as js:
 		print(json.dumps(js, indent=2))
 	print("Username: {}\nUser ID:  {}\nPassword: {}".format(args.username, new_user.uid, tmp_pw))
 
diff --git a/amanuensis/config/__init__.py b/amanuensis/config/__init__.py
index 104c7b7..96e152c 100644
--- a/amanuensis/config/__init__.py
+++ b/amanuensis/config/__init__.py
@@ -56,18 +56,4 @@ def json_ro(*path):
 	return config.loader.json_ro(prepend(*path))
 
 def json_rw(*path):
-	return config.loader.json_rw(prepend(*path))
-
-def new_user(user_json):
-	user_dir = prepend("user", user_json['uid'])
-	# Create user dir and put config in it
-	os.mkdir(user_dir)
-	with open_ex(user_dir, "config.json", mode='w') as f:
-		json.dump(user_json, f, allow_nan=False, indent='\t')
-	# Ensure index exists
-	if not os.path.isfile(prepend('user', 'index.json')):
-		with open_ex('user', 'index.json', mode='w') as f:
-			json.dump({}, f)
-	# Update index
-	with json_rw('user', 'index.json') as j:
-		j[user_json['username']] = user_json['uid']
+	return config.loader.json_rw(prepend(*path))
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/amanuensis/server/home.py b/amanuensis/server/home.py
index 6083b29..45d283a 100644
--- a/amanuensis/server/home.py
+++ b/amanuensis/server/home.py
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ def get_bp():
 	@bp.route('/admin/', methods=['GET'])
 	@login_required
 	def admin():
-		if not current_user.admin:
+		if not current_user.is_admin:
 			return redirect(url_for('home.home'))
 
 		with config.json_ro('config.json') as j:
diff --git a/amanuensis/templates/home/home.html b/amanuensis/templates/home/home.html
index b4cec9b..7969784 100644
--- a/amanuensis/templates/home/home.html
+++ b/amanuensis/templates/home/home.html
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 {% block sb_logout %}<a href="{{ url_for('auth.logout') }}">Log out</a>{% endblock %}
 {% set template_sidebar_rows = [self.sb_topline(), self.sb_logout()] %}
 
-{% if current_user.admin %}
+{% if current_user.is_admin %}
 	{% block sb_admin %}<a href="{{ url_for('home.admin') }}">Admin</a>{% endblock %}
 	{% set template_sidebar_rows = template_sidebar_rows + [self.sb_admin()] %}
 {% endif %}
diff --git a/amanuensis/user.py b/amanuensis/user.py
index ddbb89d..7b7b421 100644
--- a/amanuensis/user.py
+++ b/amanuensis/user.py
@@ -7,13 +7,16 @@ from flask_login import UserMixin
 from werkzeug.security import generate_password_hash, check_password_hash
 
 import config
+import resources
 
 class User(UserMixin):
 	def __init__(self, uid):
 		if not os.path.isdir(config.prepend('user', uid)):
 			raise ValueError("No user with uid {}".format(uid))
-		self.uid = str(uid)
-		self.config_path = os.path.join('user', uid, 'config.json')
+		if not os.path.isfile(config.prepend('user', uid, 'config.json')):
+			raise FileNotFoundError("User {} missing config.json".format(uid))
+		self.id = str(uid) # Flask-Login checks for this
+		self.config_path = config.prepend('user', uid, 'config.json')
 		with config.json_ro(self.config_path) as j:
 			self.config = j
 
@@ -45,26 +48,40 @@ def valid_email(email):
 	return re.match(addrspec, email)
 
 def create_user(username, displayname, email):
+	"""
+	Creates a new user
+	"""
+	# Validate arguments
 	if not valid_username(username):
 		raise ValueError("Invalid username: '{}'".format(username))
 	if not valid_email(email):
 		raise ValueError("Invalid email: '{}'".format(email))
+
+	# Create the user directory and initialize it with a blank user
 	uid = uuid.uuid4().hex
-	now = int(time.time())
+	user_dir = config.prepend("user", uid)
+	os.mkdir(user_dir)
+	with resources.get_stream("user.json") as s:
+		with open(config.prepend(user_dir, 'config.json'), 'wb') as f:
+			f.write(s.read())
+
+	# Fill out the new user
+	with config.json_rw(user_dir, 'config.json') as cfg:
+		cfg['uid'] = uid
+		cfg['username'] = username
+		cfg['displayname'] = displayname
+		cfg['email'] = email
+		cfg['created'] = int(time.time())
+
+	# Update the index with the new user
+	with config.json_rw('user', 'index.json') as index:
+		index[username] = uid
+
+	# Set a temporary password
 	temp_pw = os.urandom(32).hex()
-	user_json = {
-		'uid': uid,
-		'username': username,
-		'displayname': displayname,
-		'email': email,
-		'password': None,
-		'created': now,
-		'newPasswordRequired': True,
-		'admin': False,
-	}
-	config.new_user(user_json)
 	u = User(uid)
 	u.set_password(temp_pw)
+
 	return u, temp_pw
 
 def uid_from_username(username):