diff --git a/backend/helpers/provision.py b/backend/helpers/provision.py
index 3c01acc705e8648631c0c1db43a67a38c8b2cf8e..d14c014f614e474b57ea8c3d514e4fe0de1e53fc 100644
--- a/backend/helpers/provision.py
+++ b/backend/helpers/provision.py
@@ -220,6 +220,10 @@ class Provision:
             # Zulip does not accept an empty formatted name.
             if kratos_user.name is None or kratos_user.name == '':
                 data['name']['formatted'] = " "
+            # Zulip doesn't support SCIM user groups, but we can set the user
+            # role directly.
+            if app_role.role_id == Role.ADMIN_ROLE_ID:
+                data['role'] = 'owner'
 
         # Now format the URL and make the SCIM request.
         if existing_user is None:
@@ -237,18 +241,6 @@ class Provision:
             logging.info(response.content)
             raise ProvisionError("App returned non-json data in SCIM user put/post.")
         logging.info(f"got: {response_json}")
-        # {'schemas': ['urn:ietf:params:scim:schemas:core:2.0:User'], 'id':
-        # 'Greenhostie', 'externalId': '316cbd5c-7b69-4a27-8a3b-96b3ec056e99',
-        # 'meta': None, 'userName': 'Greenhostie', 'name': {'formatted':
-        # 'Greenhostie', 'familyName': None, 'givenName': None, 'middleName': None,
-        # 'honorificPrefix': None, 'honorificSuffix': None}, 'displayName':
-        # 'Greenhostie', 'nickName': None, 'profileUrl': None, 'title': None,
-        # 'userType': None, 'preferredLanguage': None, 'locale': None, 'timezone':
-        # None, 'active': True, 'password': None, 'emails': [{'type': None,
-        # 'primary': True, 'display': None, 'value': 'arie+scim@greenhost.nl',
-        # '$ref': None}], 'phoneNumbers': None, 'ims': None, 'photos': None,
-        # 'addresses': None, 'groups': None, 'entitlements': None, 'roles': None,
-        # 'x509Certificates': None}
         user = User(app_role.user_id, response_json['id'], kratos_user.name)
         if app.scim_group_support:
             if app_role.role_id == Role.ADMIN_ROLE_ID: