diff --git a/internal/bootstrap/data/setting.go b/internal/bootstrap/data/setting.go
index 39c3b1be..17a63af2 100644
--- a/internal/bootstrap/data/setting.go
+++ b/internal/bootstrap/data/setting.go
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ package data
 
 import (
 	"strconv"
-	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/alist-org/alist/v3/cmd/flags"
 	"github.com/alist-org/alist/v3/internal/conf"
@@ -92,21 +91,7 @@ func InitialSettings() []model.SettingItem {
 	} else {
 		token = random.Token()
 	}
-	roles, _, err := op.GetRoles(1, model.MaxInt)
-	if err != nil {
-		utils.Log.Fatalf("failed get roles: %+v", err)
-	}
-	roleNames := make([]string, len(roles))
-	defaultRoleID := ""
-	for i, role := range roles {
-		roleNames[i] = role.Name
-		if role.Name == "guest" {
-			defaultRoleID = strconv.Itoa(int(role.ID))
-		}
-	}
-	if defaultRoleID == "" && len(roles) > 0 {
-		defaultRoleID = strconv.Itoa(int(roles[0].ID))
-	}
+	defaultRoleID := strconv.Itoa(model.GUEST)
 	initialSettingItems = []model.SettingItem{
 		// site settings
 		{Key: conf.VERSION, Value: conf.Version, Type: conf.TypeString, Group: model.SITE, Flag: model.READONLY},
@@ -120,7 +105,7 @@ func InitialSettings() []model.SettingItem {
 		{Key: conf.AllowMounted, Value: "true", Type: conf.TypeBool, Group: model.SITE},
 		{Key: conf.RobotsTxt, Value: "User-agent: *\nAllow: /", Type: conf.TypeText, Group: model.SITE},
 		{Key: conf.AllowRegister, Value: "false", Type: conf.TypeBool, Group: model.SITE},
-		{Key: conf.DefaultRole, Value: defaultRoleID, Type: conf.TypeSelect, Options: strings.Join(roleNames, ","), Group: model.SITE},
+		{Key: conf.DefaultRole, Value: defaultRoleID, Type: conf.TypeSelect, Group: model.SITE},
 		// newui settings
 		{Key: conf.UseNewui, Value: "false", Type: conf.TypeBool, Group: model.SITE},
 		// style settings
diff --git a/internal/op/hook.go b/internal/op/hook.go
index 08ea4603..f08966c4 100644
--- a/internal/op/hook.go
+++ b/internal/op/hook.go
@@ -88,12 +88,12 @@ var settingItemHooks = map[string]SettingItemHook{
 		if v == "" {
 			return nil
 		}
-		r, err := GetRoleByName(v)
+		id, err := strconv.Atoi(v)
 		if err != nil {
-			return err
+			return errors.WithStack(err)
 		}
-		item.Value = strconv.Itoa(int(r.ID))
-		return nil
+		_, err = GetRole(uint(id))
+		return err
 	},
 }
 
diff --git a/server/handles/setting.go b/server/handles/setting.go
index 3ce5fcbf..e0dbb490 100644
--- a/server/handles/setting.go
+++ b/server/handles/setting.go
@@ -19,9 +19,12 @@ func getRoleOptions() string {
 	if err != nil {
 		return ""
 	}
-	names := make([]string, len(roles))
-	for i, r := range roles {
-		names[i] = r.Name
+	names := make([]string, 0, len(roles))
+	for _, r := range roles {
+		if r.Name == "admin" || r.Name == "guest" {
+			continue
+		}
+		names = append(names, r.Name)
 	}
 	return strings.Join(names, ",")
 }
@@ -49,6 +52,11 @@ func GetSetting(c *gin.Context) {
 		if item.Key == conf.DefaultRole {
 			copy := *item
 			copy.Options = getRoleOptions()
+			if id, err := strconv.Atoi(copy.Value); err == nil {
+				if r, err := op.GetRole(uint(id)); err == nil {
+					copy.Value = r.Name
+				}
+			}
 			common.SuccessResp(c, copy)
 			return
 		}
@@ -61,6 +69,11 @@ func GetSetting(c *gin.Context) {
 		}
 		for i := range items {
 			if items[i].Key == conf.DefaultRole {
+				if id, err := strconv.Atoi(items[i].Value); err == nil {
+					if r, err := op.GetRole(uint(id)); err == nil {
+						items[i].Value = r.Name
+					}
+				}
 				items[i].Options = getRoleOptions()
 				break
 			}
@@ -75,6 +88,22 @@ func SaveSettings(c *gin.Context) {
 		common.ErrorResp(c, err, 400)
 		return
 	}
+
+	for i := range req {
+		if req[i].Key == conf.DefaultRole {
+			role, err := op.GetRoleByName(req[i].Value)
+			if err != nil {
+				common.ErrorResp(c, err, 400)
+				return
+			}
+			if role.Name == "admin" || role.Name == "guest" {
+				common.ErrorStrResp(c, "cannot set admin or guest as default role", 400)
+				return
+			}
+			req[i].Value = strconv.Itoa(int(role.ID))
+		}
+	}
+
 	if err := op.SaveSettingItems(req); err != nil {
 		common.ErrorResp(c, err, 500)
 	} else {
@@ -114,6 +143,11 @@ func ListSettings(c *gin.Context) {
 	}
 	for i := range settings {
 		if settings[i].Key == conf.DefaultRole {
+			if id, err := strconv.Atoi(settings[i].Value); err == nil {
+				if r, err := op.GetRole(uint(id)); err == nil {
+					settings[i].Value = r.Name
+				}
+			}
 			settings[i].Options = getRoleOptions()
 			break
 		}