diff --git a/e2e/tests/functional/userRoles.e2e.spec.js b/e2e/tests/functional/userRoles.e2e.spec.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ba9f6dbf76
--- /dev/null
+++ b/e2e/tests/functional/userRoles.e2e.spec.js
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+/*****************************************************************************
+ * Open MCT, Copyright (c) 2014-2023, United States Government
+ * as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space
+ * Administration. All rights reserved.
+ *
+ * Open MCT is licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the
+ * "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ * http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0.
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT
+ * WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the
+ * License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
+ * under the License.
+ *
+ * Open MCT includes source code licensed under additional open source
+ * licenses. See the Open Source Licenses file (LICENSES.md) included with
+ * this source code distribution or the Licensing information page available
+ * at runtime from the About dialog for additional information.
+ *****************************************************************************/
+
+import { fileURLToPath } from 'url';
+
+import { expect, test } from '../../pluginFixtures.js';
+
+test.describe('User Roles', () => {
+  test('Role prompting', async ({ page }) => {
+    await page.addInitScript({
+      path: fileURLToPath(new URL('../../helper/addInitExampleUser.js', import.meta.url))
+    });
+    await page.goto('./', { waitUntil: 'domcontentloaded' });
+
+    // we have multiple available roles, so it should prompt the user
+    await expect(page.getByText('Select Role')).toBeVisible();
+    await page.getByRole('combobox').selectOption('driver');
+    await page.getByRole('button', { name: 'Select' }).click();
+    await expect(page.getByLabel('User Role')).toContainText('driver');
+
+    // attempt changing the role to another valid available role
+    await page.getByRole('button', { name: 'Change Role' }).click();
+    await page.getByRole('combobox').selectOption('flight');
+    await page.getByRole('button', { name: 'Select' }).click();
+    await expect(page.getByLabel('User Role')).toContainText('flight');
+
+    // reload page
+    await page.reload({ waitUntil: 'domcontentloaded' });
+    // should still be logged in as flight, and tell the user as much
+    await expect(page.getByLabel('User Role')).toContainText('flight');
+    await expect(page.getByText("You're logged in as role flight")).toBeVisible();
+
+    // change active role in local storage to "apple_role", a bogus role not in the list of available roles
+    await page.evaluate(() => {
+      const openmct = window.openmct;
+      openmct.user.setActiveRole('apple_role');
+    });
+
+    // reload page
+    await page.reload({ waitUntil: 'domcontentloaded' });
+
+    // verify that role is prompted
+    await expect(page.getByText('Select Role')).toBeVisible();
+
+    // select real role of "driver"
+    await page.getByRole('combobox').selectOption('driver');
+    await page.getByRole('button', { name: 'Select' }).click();
+    await expect(page.getByLabel('User Role')).toContainText('driver');
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/api/user/UserAPI.js b/src/api/user/UserAPI.js
index d5a0b80f44..28cd457693 100644
--- a/src/api/user/UserAPI.js
+++ b/src/api/user/UserAPI.js
@@ -123,7 +123,11 @@ class UserAPI extends EventEmitter {
    * @returns {undefined}
    */
   setActiveRole(role) {
-    StoragePersistance.setActiveRole(role);
+    if (!role) {
+      StoragePersistance.clearActiveRole();
+    } else {
+      StoragePersistance.setActiveRole(role);
+    }
     this.emit('roleChanged', role);
   }
 
diff --git a/src/plugins/userIndicator/components/UserIndicator.vue b/src/plugins/userIndicator/components/UserIndicator.vue
index 1875f2d141..e3974db573 100644
--- a/src/plugins/userIndicator/components/UserIndicator.vue
+++ b/src/plugins/userIndicator/components/UserIndicator.vue
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 
 <template>
   <div class="c-indicator icon-person c-indicator--clickable">
-    <span class="label c-indicator__label">
+    <span class="label c-indicator__label" aria-label="User Role">
       {{ role ? `${userName}: ${role}` : userName }}
       <button v-if="availableRoles?.length > 1" @click="promptForRoleSelection">Change Role</button>
     </span>
@@ -45,38 +45,48 @@ export default {
   },
 
   async mounted() {
+    // need to wait for openmct to be loaded before using openmct.overlays.selection
+    // as document.body could be null
+    this.openmct.on('start', this.fetchOrPromptForRole);
+
     await this.getUserInfo();
     this.roleChannel = new ActiveRoleSynchronizer(this.openmct);
     this.roleChannel.subscribeToRoleChanges(this.onRoleChange);
-    await this.fetchOrPromptForRole();
   },
   beforeUnmount() {
     this.roleChannel.unsubscribeFromRoleChanges(this.onRoleChange);
+    this.openmct.off('start', this.fetchOrPromptForRole);
   },
   methods: {
     async getUserInfo() {
       const user = await this.openmct.user.getCurrentUser();
       this.userName = user.getName();
       this.role = this.openmct.user.getActiveRole();
-      this.availableRoles = await this.openmct.user.getPossibleRoles();
       this.loggedIn = this.openmct.user.isLoggedIn();
     },
     async fetchOrPromptForRole() {
       const UserAPI = this.openmct.user;
       const activeRole = UserAPI.getActiveRole();
       this.role = activeRole;
-      if (!activeRole) {
+      this.availableRoles = await this.openmct.user.getPossibleRoles();
+
+      // clear role if it's not in list of available roles, e.g., removed by admin
+      if (!this.availableRoles?.includes(this.role)) {
+        this.role = null;
+        UserAPI.setActiveRole(null);
+      }
+
+      // see if we need to prompt for role selection
+      if (!this.role) {
         this.promptForRoleSelection();
       } else {
         // only notify the user if they have more than one role available
-        this.availableRoles = await this.openmct.user.getPossibleRoles();
         if (this.availableRoles.length > 1) {
           this.openmct.notifications.info(`You're logged in as role ${activeRole}`);
         }
       }
     },
-    async promptForRoleSelection() {
-      this.availableRoles = await this.openmct.user.getPossibleRoles();
+    promptForRoleSelection() {
       const selectionOptions = this.availableRoles.map((role) => ({
         key: role,
         name: role