diff --git a/lib/pleroma/user/info.ex b/lib/pleroma/user/info.ex
index 45a39924b..0f9de25f9 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/user/info.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/user/info.ex
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ defmodule Pleroma.User.Info do
     field(:mascot, :map, default: nil)
     field(:emoji, {:array, :map}, default: [])
     field(:pleroma_settings_store, :map, default: %{})
-    field(:fields, {:array, :map}, default: [])
+    field(:fields, {:array, :map}, default: nil)
     field(:raw_fields, {:array, :map}, default: [])
 
     field(:notification_settings, :map,
@@ -242,6 +242,14 @@ defmodule Pleroma.User.Info do
   end
 
   def remote_user_creation(info, params) do
+    cng = info
+    |> cast(params, [:fields])
+    |> validate_fields(true)
+    fields = if cng.valid?, do: get_field(cng, :fields), else: [%{
+        "name" => "Invalid fields",
+        "value" => "See full profile",
+    }]
+
     info
     |> cast(params, [
       :ap_enabled,
@@ -256,13 +264,20 @@ defmodule Pleroma.User.Info do
       :hide_followers,
       :hide_follows,
       :follower_count,
-      :fields,
       :following_count
     ])
-    |> validate_fields(true)
+    |> put_change(:fields, fields)
   end
 
   def user_upgrade(info, params, remote? \\ false) do
+    cng = info
+    |> cast(params, [:fields])
+    |> validate_fields(remote?)
+    fields = if cng.valid?, do: get_field(cng, :fields), else: [%{
+        "name" => "Invalid fields",
+        "value" => "See full profile",
+    }]
+
     info
     |> cast(params, [
       :ap_enabled,
@@ -273,10 +288,9 @@ defmodule Pleroma.User.Info do
       :follower_count,
       :following_count,
       :hide_follows,
-      :fields,
       :hide_followers
     ])
-    |> validate_fields(remote?)
+    |> put_change(:fields, fields)
   end
 
   def profile_update(info, params) do
@@ -422,7 +436,7 @@ defmodule Pleroma.User.Info do
 
   # ``fields`` is an array of mastodon profile field, containing ``{"name": "…", "value": "…"}``.
   # For example: [{"name": "Pronoun", "value": "she/her"}, …]
-  def fields(%{fields: [], source_data: %{"attachment" => attachment}}) do
+  def fields(%{fields: nil, source_data: %{"attachment" => attachment}}) do
     limit = Pleroma.Config.get([:instance, :max_remote_account_fields], 0)
 
     attachment
@@ -431,6 +445,8 @@ defmodule Pleroma.User.Info do
     |> Enum.take(limit)
   end
 
+  def fields(%{fields: nil}), do: []
+
   def fields(%{fields: fields}), do: fields
 
   def follow_information_update(info, params) do