diff --git a/src/login/login.ts b/src/login/login.ts
index b93e07f11..183554946 100644
--- a/src/login/login.ts
+++ b/src/login/login.ts
@@ -1047,10 +1047,15 @@ export function newAppInstance (
  * and/or a developer
  */
 export async function getUserRoles (): Promise<Array<NamedNode>> {
+  const currentUser = authn.currentUser()
+  if (!currentUser) {
+    return []
+  }
+
   try {
-    const { me, preferencesFile, preferencesFileError } = await ensureLoadedPreferences({})
+    const { me, preferencesFile, preferencesFileError } = await ensureLoadedPreferences({ me: currentUser })
     if (!preferencesFile || preferencesFileError) {
-      throw new Error(preferencesFileError)
+      throw new Error(preferencesFileError || 'Unable to load user preferences file.')
     }
     return solidLogicSingleton.store.each(
       me,
diff --git a/test/unit/login/login.test.ts b/test/unit/login/login.test.ts
index 455c99de2..ceb14bb46 100644
--- a/test/unit/login/login.test.ts
+++ b/test/unit/login/login.test.ts
@@ -11,3 +11,29 @@ describe('ensureLoggedIn', () => {
     expect(testLogin.ensureLoggedIn({})).toBeInstanceOf(Object)
   })
 })
+
+describe('getUserRoles', () => {
+  afterEach(() => {
+    jest.restoreAllMocks()
+    jest.resetModules()
+  })
+
+  it('returns [] and does not load preferences when current user is missing', async () => {
+    const solidLogic = require('solid-logic')
+
+    const currentUserSpy = jest
+      .spyOn(solidLogic.authn, 'currentUser')
+      .mockReturnValue(null)
+    const loadPreferencesSpy = jest.spyOn(
+      solidLogic.solidLogicSingleton.profile,
+      'loadPreferences'
+    )
+
+    const loginModule = require('../../../src/login/login')
+    const roles = await loginModule.getUserRoles()
+
+    expect(currentUserSpy).toHaveBeenCalled()
+    expect(roles).toEqual([])
+    expect(loadPreferencesSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+  })
+})