diff --git a/src/MageTest/MagentoExtension/Fixture/User.php b/src/MageTest/MagentoExtension/Fixture/User.php
index cb64697..145c930 100644
--- a/src/MageTest/MagentoExtension/Fixture/User.php
+++ b/src/MageTest/MagentoExtension/Fixture/User.php
@@ -62,7 +62,15 @@ public function create(array $attributes)
             throw new \Exception('Username provided to user fixture should not be existing');
         }
         \Mage::app()->setCurrentStore(\Mage_Core_Model_App::ADMIN_STORE_ID);
+
         $this->model->save();
+
+        if (array_key_exists('role_id', $attributes)) {
+            $this->model->setRoleIds(array($attributes['role_id']))
+                ->setRoleUserId($this->model->getUserId())
+                ->saveRelations();
+        }
+
         \Mage::app()->setCurrentStore(\Mage_Core_Model_App::DISTRO_STORE_ID);
 
         return $this;