diff --git a/person.py b/person.py
index c5accdc06..2a5c30d1f 100644
--- a/person.py
+++ b/person.py
@@ -105,6 +105,35 @@ def setSkillLevel(baseDir: str,nickname: str,domain: str, \
             commentjson.dump(actorJson, fp, indent=4, sort_keys=False)    
     return True
 
+def setRole(baseDir: str,nickname: str,domain: str, \
+            project: str,role: str) -> bool:
+    """Set a person's role within a project
+    Setting the role to an empty string or None will remove it
+    """
+    # avoid giant strings
+    if len(role)>128 or len(project)>128:
+        return False
+    actorFilename=baseDir+'/accounts/'+nickname+'@'+domain+'.json'
+    if not os.path.isfile(actorFilename):
+        return False
+    with open(actorFilename, 'r') as fp:
+        actorJson=commentjson.load(fp)
+        if role:
+            if actorJson['roles'].get(project):
+                if role not in actorJson['roles'][project]:
+                    actorJson['roles'][project].append(role)
+            else:
+                actorJson['roles'][project]=[role]
+        else:
+            if actorJson['roles'].get(project):
+                actorJson['roles'][project].remove(role)
+                # if the project contains no roles then remove it
+                if len(actorJson['roles'][project])==0:
+                    del actorJson['roles'][project]
+        with open(actorFilename, 'w') as fp:
+            commentjson.dump(actorJson, fp, indent=4, sort_keys=False)    
+    return True
+
 def createPersonBase(baseDir: str,nickname: str,domain: str,port: int, \
                      httpPrefix: str, saveToFile: bool,password=None) -> (str,str,{},{}):
     """Returns the private key, public key, actor and webfinger endpoint
diff --git a/tests.py b/tests.py
index ff5cb01b0..30f592557 100644
--- a/tests.py
+++ b/tests.py
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ from person import createPerson
 from person import setPreferredNickname
 from person import setBio
 from person import setSkillLevel
+from person import setRole
 from auth import createBasicAuthHeader
 from auth import authorizeBasic
 from auth import storeBasicCredentials
@@ -149,6 +150,7 @@ def createServerAlice(path: str,domain: str,port: int,federationList: [], \
     deleteAllPosts(path,nickname,domain,'inbox')
     deleteAllPosts(path,nickname,domain,'outbox')
     assert setSkillLevel(path,nickname,domain,'hacking',90)
+    assert setRole(path,nickname,domain,'someproject','guru')
     if hasFollows:
         followPerson(path,nickname,domain,'bob','127.0.0.100:61936', \
                      federationList,True)
@@ -194,6 +196,8 @@ def createServerBob(path: str,domain: str,port: int,federationList: [], \
         createPerson(path,nickname,domain,port,httpPrefix,True,password)
     deleteAllPosts(path,nickname,domain,'inbox')
     deleteAllPosts(path,nickname,domain,'outbox')
+    assert setRole(path,nickname,domain,'bandname','bass player')
+    assert setRole(path,nickname,domain,'bandname','publicist')
     if hasFollows:
         followPerson(path,nickname,domain, \
                      'alice','127.0.0.50:61935',federationList,True)