diff --git a/backend/src/graphql/resolver/UserResolver.ts b/backend/src/graphql/resolver/UserResolver.ts
index 9896ddc97..a18833d58 100644
--- a/backend/src/graphql/resolver/UserResolver.ts
+++ b/backend/src/graphql/resolver/UserResolver.ts
@@ -313,10 +313,10 @@ export class UserResolver {
   }
 
   @Authorized([RIGHTS.CREATE_USER])
-  @Mutation(() => String)
+  @Mutation(() => User)
   async createUser(
     @Args() { email, firstName, lastName, language, publisherId }: CreateUserArgs,
-  ): Promise<string> {
+  ): Promise<User> {
     // TODO: wrong default value (should be null), how does graphql work here? Is it an required field?
     // default int publisher_id = 0;
 
@@ -396,7 +396,7 @@ export class UserResolver {
     } finally {
       await queryRunner.release()
     }
-    return 'success'
+    return new User(dbUser)
   }
 
   // THis is used by the admin only - should we move it to the admin resolver?
diff --git a/backend/src/seeds/factory/user.ts b/backend/src/seeds/factory/user.ts
index 6d81f26a6..ff4c1d6c9 100644
--- a/backend/src/seeds/factory/user.ts
+++ b/backend/src/seeds/factory/user.ts
@@ -11,36 +11,41 @@ export const userFactory = async (
 ): Promise<void> => {
   const { mutate } = client
 
-  await mutate({ mutation: createUser, variables: user })
-  let dbUser = await User.findOneOrFail({ where: { email: user.email } })
+  const {
+    data: {
+      createUser: { id },
+    },
+  } = await mutate({ mutation: createUser, variables: user })
 
   if (user.emailChecked) {
-    const optin = await LoginEmailOptIn.findOneOrFail({ where: { userId: dbUser.id } })
+    const optin = await LoginEmailOptIn.findOneOrFail({ userId: id })
     await mutate({
       mutation: setPassword,
       variables: { password: 'Aa12345_', code: optin.verificationCode },
     })
   }
 
-  // refetch data
-  dbUser = await User.findOneOrFail({ where: { email: user.email } })
+  if (user.createdAt || user.deletedAt || user.isAdmin) {
+    // get user from database
+    const dbUser = await User.findOneOrFail({ id })
 
-  if (user.createdAt || user.deletedAt) {
-    if (user.createdAt) dbUser.createdAt = user.createdAt
-    if (user.deletedAt) dbUser.deletedAt = user.deletedAt
-    await dbUser.save()
-  }
+    if (user.createdAt || user.deletedAt) {
+      if (user.createdAt) dbUser.createdAt = user.createdAt
+      if (user.deletedAt) dbUser.deletedAt = user.deletedAt
+      await dbUser.save()
+    }
 
-  if (user.isAdmin) {
-    const admin = new ServerUser()
-    admin.username = dbUser.firstName
-    admin.password = 'please_refactor'
-    admin.email = dbUser.email
-    admin.role = 'admin'
-    admin.activated = 1
-    admin.lastLogin = new Date()
-    admin.created = dbUser.createdAt
-    admin.modified = dbUser.createdAt
-    await admin.save()
+    if (user.isAdmin) {
+      const admin = new ServerUser()
+      admin.username = dbUser.firstName
+      admin.password = 'please_refactor'
+      admin.email = dbUser.email
+      admin.role = 'admin'
+      admin.activated = 1
+      admin.lastLogin = new Date()
+      admin.created = dbUser.createdAt
+      admin.modified = dbUser.createdAt
+      await admin.save()
+    }
   }
 }
diff --git a/backend/src/seeds/graphql/mutations.ts b/backend/src/seeds/graphql/mutations.ts
index 32232e410..306f4350b 100644
--- a/backend/src/seeds/graphql/mutations.ts
+++ b/backend/src/seeds/graphql/mutations.ts
@@ -52,7 +52,9 @@ export const createUser = gql`
       lastName: $lastName
       language: $language
       publisherId: $publisherId
-    )
+    ) {
+      id
+    }
   }
 `
 
diff --git a/frontend/src/graphql/mutations.js b/frontend/src/graphql/mutations.js
index d4bf8c1da..98905e8d6 100644
--- a/frontend/src/graphql/mutations.js
+++ b/frontend/src/graphql/mutations.js
@@ -52,7 +52,9 @@ export const createUser = gql`
       lastName: $lastName
       language: $language
       publisherId: $publisherId
-    )
+    ) {
+      id
+    }
   }
 `