diff --git a/models/f_room.py b/models/f_room.py
index 5842d09a29da98cf3168c524cd90bfc751afa977..e0f5fa6cbc4abe740aa6099fd944069d8857b421 100644
--- a/models/f_room.py
+++ b/models/f_room.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import random
+import base64
 from hashlib import blake2b
 
 db.define_table(
@@ -9,7 +10,7 @@ db.define_table(
     Field('creation', 'datetime', default=request.now, notnull=True),
     Field('heartbeat', 'datetime', default=request.now, notnull=True),
     Field('started', 'boolean', default=False),
-    Field('roles', 'string', default="{}", notnull=True),
+    Field('roles', 'string', default=base64.standard_b64encode(b'{}'), notnull=True),
     Field('closed', 'boolean', default=False)
 )