diff --git a/src/components/personal.rs b/src/components/personal.rs
index 7ee63dd..bce2901 100644
--- a/src/components/personal.rs
+++ b/src/components/personal.rs
@@ -18,7 +18,8 @@ pub fn Personal() -> impl IntoView {
 pub fn Profile() -> impl IntoView {
     let (dropdown_open, set_dropdown_open) = create_signal(false);
     let logged_in = create_rw_signal(false);
-    let user_signal = create_rw_signal(User::default());
+    // user signal is an option because the user may not be logged in
+    let user_signal = create_rw_signal(None);
 
     let open_dropdown = move |_| {
         spawn_local(async move {
@@ -26,7 +27,7 @@ pub fn Profile() -> impl IntoView {
             if let Ok(user) = user {
                 logged_in.set(true);
                 user_signal.update(|value| {
-                    *value = user;
+                    *value = Some(user);
                 });
             } else {
                 logged_in.set(false);
@@ -63,7 +64,7 @@ pub fn DropDownNotLoggedIn() -> impl IntoView {
     }
 }
 #[component]
-pub fn DropDownLoggedIn(user_signal: RwSignal<User>, logged_in: RwSignal<bool>) -> impl IntoView {
+pub fn DropDownLoggedIn(user_signal: RwSignal<Option<User>>, logged_in: RwSignal<bool>) -> impl IntoView {
 
     let logout = move |_| {
         spawn_local(async move {
@@ -72,7 +73,7 @@ pub fn DropDownLoggedIn(user_signal: RwSignal<User>, logged_in: RwSignal<bool>)
                 log!("Error logging out: {:?}", err);
             } else {
                 log!("Logged out successfully");
-                user_signal.update(|value| *value = User::default());
+                user_signal.update(|value| *value = None);
                 logged_in.set(false);
             }
         });
@@ -82,7 +83,13 @@ pub fn DropDownLoggedIn(user_signal: RwSignal<User>, logged_in: RwSignal<bool>)
         <div class="dropdown-logged">
             <h1>"Logged In"</h1>
             <div class="profile-info">
-                <h1>{move || user_signal.with(|user| user.username.clone())}</h1>
+                <h1>{move || user_signal.with(|user| 
+                    if let Some(user) = user {
+                        user.username.clone()
+                    } else {
+                        "".to_string()
+                    }
+                )}</h1>
             </div>
             <button on:click=logout class="auth-button">Log Out</button>
         </div>
diff --git a/src/models.rs b/src/models.rs
index 59baec3..b96c8d2 100644
--- a/src/models.rs
+++ b/src/models.rs
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ cfg_if! {
 #[cfg_attr(feature = "ssr", derive(Queryable, Selectable, Insertable))]
 #[cfg_attr(feature = "ssr", diesel(table_name = crate::schema::users))]
 #[cfg_attr(feature = "ssr", diesel(check_for_backend(diesel::pg::Pg)))]
-#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Clone, Debug, Default)]
+#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Clone, Debug)]
 pub struct User {
 	/// A unique id for the user
 	#[cfg_attr(feature = "ssr", diesel(deserialize_as = i32))]