diff --git a/daemon.py b/daemon.py
index cd84224ba..aca43eac9 100644
--- a/daemon.py
+++ b/daemon.py
@@ -124,7 +124,6 @@ from blocking import isBlockedHashtag
 from blocking import isBlockedDomain
 from blocking import getDomainBlocklist
 from roles import setRole
-from roles import getRolesFromString
 from roles import clearModeratorStatus
 from roles import clearEditorStatus
 from roles import clearCounselorStatus
@@ -7397,8 +7396,9 @@ class PubServer(BaseHTTPRequestHandler):
 
                     rolesList = []
                     if actorJson.get('affiliation'):
-                        actorRolesStr = actorJson['affiliation']['roleName']
-                        rolesList = getRolesFromString(actorRolesStr)
+                        if isinstance(actorJson['affiliation']['roleName'],
+                                      list):
+                            rolesList = actorJson['affiliation']['roleName']
                     msg = \
                         htmlProfile(self.server.rssIconAtTop,
                                     self.server.cssCache,
@@ -7436,8 +7436,9 @@ class PubServer(BaseHTTPRequestHandler):
                 if self._fetchAuthenticated():
                     rolesList = []
                     if actorJson.get('affiliation'):
-                        actorRolesStr = actorJson['affiliation']['roleName']
-                        rolesList = getRolesFromString(actorRolesStr)
+                        if isinstance(actorJson['affiliation']['roleName'],
+                                      list):
+                            rolesList = actorJson['affiliation']['roleName']
 
                     msg = json.dumps(rolesList,
                                      ensure_ascii=False)
diff --git a/person.py b/person.py
index 8259d6e16..f97f0750e 100644
--- a/person.py
+++ b/person.py
@@ -285,7 +285,7 @@ def _createPersonBase(baseDir: str, nickname: str, domain: str, port: int,
         },
         "affiliation": {
             "@type": "OrganizationRole",
-            "roleName": "",
+            "roleName": [],
             "affiliation": {
                 "@type": "WebSite",
                 "url": httpPrefix + '://' + domain
@@ -598,14 +598,14 @@ def personUpgradeActor(baseDir: str, personJson: {},
     # if the older roles format is being used then switch
     # to the new one
     if not personJson.get('affiliation'):
-        rolesStr = ''
+        rolesList = []
         adminName = getConfigParam(baseDir, 'admin')
         if personJson['id'].endswith('/users/' + adminName):
-            rolesStr = 'admin, moderator, editor'
+            rolesList = ["admin", "moderator", "editor"]
         statusNumber, published = getStatusNumber()
         personJson['affiliation'] = {
             "@type": "OrganizationRole",
-            "roleName": rolesStr,
+            "roleName": rolesList,
             "affiliation": {
                 "@type": "WebSite",
                 "url": personJson['id'].split('/users/')[0]
@@ -620,7 +620,7 @@ def personUpgradeActor(baseDir: str, personJson: {},
         adminName = getConfigParam(baseDir, 'admin')
         if personJson['id'].endswith('/users/' + adminName):
             personJson['affiliation']['roleName'] = \
-                'admin, moderator, editor'
+                ["admin", "moderator", "editor"]
         updateActor = True
 
     # remove the old roles format
diff --git a/roles.py b/roles.py
index 1eba0fa10..2c4d25e0c 100644
--- a/roles.py
+++ b/roles.py
@@ -111,19 +111,17 @@ def _removeRole(baseDir: str, nickname: str, roleFilename: str) -> None:
 def setRolesFromList(actorJson: {}, rolesList: []) -> None:
     """Sets roles from a list
     """
-    rolesStr = ''
-    for roleName in rolesList:
-        if rolesStr:
-            rolesStr += ', '
-        rolesStr += roleName.lower()
     if actorJson.get('affiliation'):
-        actorJson['affiliation']['roleName'] = rolesStr
+        actorJson['affiliation']['roleName'] = rolesList.copy()
 
 
 def getRolesFromString(rolesStr: str) -> []:
     """Returns a list of roles from a string
     """
-    rolesList = rolesStr.split(',')
+    if isinstance(rolesStr, list):
+        rolesList = rolesStr
+    else:
+        rolesList = rolesStr.split(',')
     rolesResult = []
     for roleName in rolesList:
         rolesResult.append(roleName.strip().lower())
diff --git a/tests.py b/tests.py
index 58da3cb07..42c6c4087 100644
--- a/tests.py
+++ b/tests.py
@@ -3685,7 +3685,7 @@ def testRoles() -> None:
     actorJson = {
         'affiliation': {
             "@type": "OrganizationRole",
-            "roleName": "",
+            "roleName": [],
             "affiliation": {
                 "@type": "WebSite",
                 "url": "https://testinstance.org"