diff --git a/app/models/role.rb b/app/models/role.rb
index 22ce2a65..d1bebdb6 100644
--- a/app/models/role.rb
+++ b/app/models/role.rb
@@ -120,14 +120,30 @@ class Role < ActiveRecord::Base
     find(:all, :conditions => {:builtin => 0}, :order => 'position')
   end
 
-  # Return the builtin 'non member' role
+  # Return the builtin 'non member' role.  If the role doesn't exist,
+  # it will be created on the fly.
   def self.non_member
-    find(:first, :conditions => {:builtin => BUILTIN_NON_MEMBER}) || raise('Missing non-member builtin role.')
+    non_member_role = find(:first, :conditions => {:builtin => BUILTIN_NON_MEMBER})
+    if non_member_role.nil?
+      non_member_role = create(:name => 'Non member', :position => 0) do |role|
+        role.builtin = BUILTIN_NON_MEMBER
+      end
+      raise 'Unable to create the non-member role.' if non_member_role.new_record?
+    end
+    non_member_role
   end
 
-  # Return the builtin 'anonymous' role 
+  # Return the builtin 'anonymous' role.  If the role doesn't exist,
+  # it will be created on the fly.
   def self.anonymous
-    find(:first, :conditions => {:builtin => BUILTIN_ANONYMOUS}) || raise('Missing anonymous builtin role.')
+    anonymous_role = find(:first, :conditions => {:builtin => BUILTIN_ANONYMOUS})
+    if anonymous_role.nil?
+      anonymous_role = create(:name => 'Anonymous', :position => 0) do |role|
+        role.builtin = BUILTIN_ANONYMOUS
+      end
+      raise 'Unable to create the anonymous role.' if anonymous_role.new_record?
+    end
+    anonymous_role
   end
 
   
diff --git a/test/unit/role_test.rb b/test/unit/role_test.rb
index 1e76dd88..df751eb4 100644
--- a/test/unit/role_test.rb
+++ b/test/unit/role_test.rb
@@ -50,4 +50,55 @@ class RoleTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
     assert_equal size - 2, role.permissions.size
   end
 
+  context "#anonymous" do
+    should "return the anonymous role" do
+      role = Role.anonymous
+      assert role.builtin?
+      assert_equal Role::BUILTIN_ANONYMOUS, role.builtin
+    end
+
+    context "with a missing anonymous role" do
+      setup do
+        Role.delete_all("builtin = #{Role::BUILTIN_ANONYMOUS}")
+      end
+
+      should "create a new anonymous role" do
+        assert_difference('Role.count') do
+          Role.anonymous
+        end
+      end
+
+      should "return the anonymous role" do
+        role = Role.anonymous
+        assert role.builtin?
+        assert_equal Role::BUILTIN_ANONYMOUS, role.builtin
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
+  context "#non_member" do
+    should "return the non-member role" do
+      role = Role.non_member
+      assert role.builtin?
+      assert_equal Role::BUILTIN_NON_MEMBER, role.builtin
+    end
+
+    context "with a missing non-member role" do
+      setup do
+        Role.delete_all("builtin = #{Role::BUILTIN_NON_MEMBER}")
+      end
+
+      should "create a new non-member role" do
+        assert_difference('Role.count') do
+          Role.non_member
+        end
+      end
+
+      should "return the non-member role" do
+        role = Role.non_member
+        assert role.builtin?
+        assert_equal Role::BUILTIN_NON_MEMBER, role.builtin
+      end
+    end
+  end
 end