Index: lams_admin/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/admin/web/controller/UserOrgRoleSaveController.java
===================================================================
diff -u -r399fafea8d30e59f81414f332a7e8a5ed527aee4 -r74f5181ce3ce7949669ac12999797880a2af0b0c
--- lams_admin/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/admin/web/controller/UserOrgRoleSaveController.java	(.../UserOrgRoleSaveController.java)	(revision 399fafea8d30e59f81414f332a7e8a5ed527aee4)
+++ lams_admin/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/admin/web/controller/UserOrgRoleSaveController.java	(.../UserOrgRoleSaveController.java)	(revision 74f5181ce3ce7949669ac12999797880a2af0b0c)
@@ -105,6 +105,12 @@
 	    }
 
 	    List<String> userRolesList = Arrays.asList(roleIds);
+	    if (userRolesList.contains(Role.ROLE_SYSADMIN.toString())
+		    && !userRolesList.contains(Role.ROLE_APPADMIN.toString())) {
+		//all sysadmins are also appadmins
+		userRolesList = new ArrayList<>(userRolesList);
+		userRolesList.add(Role.ROLE_APPADMIN.toString());
+	    }
 	    userManagementService.setRolesForUserOrganisation(user, orgId, userRolesList);
 
 	    if (userRolesList.contains(Role.ROLE_APPADMIN.toString())
Index: lams_admin/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/admin/web/controller/UserRolesSaveController.java
===================================================================
diff -u -r399fafea8d30e59f81414f332a7e8a5ed527aee4 -r74f5181ce3ce7949669ac12999797880a2af0b0c
--- lams_admin/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/admin/web/controller/UserRolesSaveController.java	(.../UserRolesSaveController.java)	(revision 399fafea8d30e59f81414f332a7e8a5ed527aee4)
+++ lams_admin/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/admin/web/controller/UserRolesSaveController.java	(.../UserRolesSaveController.java)	(revision 74f5181ce3ce7949669ac12999797880a2af0b0c)
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 
 package org.lamsfoundation.lams.admin.web.controller;
 
+import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Arrays;
 import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.List;
@@ -111,6 +112,12 @@
 	}
 
 	List<String> userRolesList = roles == null || roles.length < 1 ? List.of() : Arrays.asList(roles);
+	if (userRolesList.contains(Role.ROLE_SYSADMIN.toString())
+		&& !userRolesList.contains(Role.ROLE_APPADMIN.toString())) {
+	    //all sysadmins are also appadmins
+	    userRolesList = new ArrayList<>(userRolesList);
+	    userRolesList.add(Role.ROLE_APPADMIN.toString());
+	}
 	userManagementService.setRolesForUserOrganisation(user, orgId, userRolesList);
 
 	if (userRolesList.contains(Role.ROLE_APPADMIN.toString())