diff --git a/rhodecode/templates/admin/users/user_add.html b/rhodecode/templates/admin/users/user_add.html
--- a/rhodecode/templates/admin/users/user_add.html
+++ b/rhodecode/templates/admin/users/user_add.html
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@
                     <label for="active">${_('Active')}:</label>
                 </div>
                 <div class="checkboxes">
-                    ${h.checkbox('active',value=True)}
+                    ${h.checkbox('active',value=True,checked='checked')}
                 </div>
              </div>