diff --git a/packages/stream_chat/lib/src/models/own_user.g.dart b/packages/stream_chat/lib/src/models/own_user.g.dart
index 5802060c..785efb04 100644
--- a/packages/stream_chat/lib/src/models/own_user.g.dart
+++ b/packages/stream_chat/lib/src/models/own_user.g.dart
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ OwnUser _$OwnUserFromJson(Map<String, dynamic> json) {
             .toList() ??
         [],
     id: json['id'] as String,
-    role: json['role'] as String? ?? '',
+    role: json['role'] as String,
     createdAt: json['created_at'] == null
         ? null
         : DateTime.parse(json['created_at'] as String),
diff --git a/packages/stream_chat/lib/src/models/user.dart b/packages/stream_chat/lib/src/models/user.dart
index 3f4c37ef..0de3f38a 100644
--- a/packages/stream_chat/lib/src/models/user.dart
+++ b/packages/stream_chat/lib/src/models/user.dart
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ class User {
   /// Constructor used for json serialization
   User({
     required this.id,
-    this.role = '',
+    this.role,
     DateTime? createdAt,
     DateTime? updatedAt,
     this.lastActive,
@@ -41,9 +41,8 @@ class User {
   final String id;
 
   /// User role
-  @JsonKey(
-      includeIfNull: false, toJson: Serialization.readOnly, defaultValue: '')
-  final String role;
+  @JsonKey(includeIfNull: false, toJson: Serialization.readOnly)
+  final String? role;
 
   /// User role
   @JsonKey(
diff --git a/packages/stream_chat/lib/src/models/user.g.dart b/packages/stream_chat/lib/src/models/user.g.dart
index 18408d76..ef1ccf77 100644
--- a/packages/stream_chat/lib/src/models/user.g.dart
+++ b/packages/stream_chat/lib/src/models/user.g.dart
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ part of 'user.dart';
 User _$UserFromJson(Map<String, dynamic> json) {
   return User(
     id: json['id'] as String,
-    role: json['role'] as String? ?? '',
+    role: json['role'] as String?,
     createdAt: json['created_at'] == null
         ? null
         : DateTime.parse(json['created_at'] as String),