diff --git a/src/user.js b/src/user.js
index 72694e8bfe..2fd8ae6db5 100644
--- a/src/user.js
+++ b/src/user.js
@@ -263,7 +263,7 @@ var	async = require('async'),
 			return callback(null, password);
 		}
 
-		Password.hash(nconf.get('bcrypt_rounds'), password, callback);
+		Password.hash(nconf.get('bcrypt_rounds') || 12, password, callback);
 	};
 
 	User.addTopicIdToUser = function(uid, tid, timestamp, callback) {