diff --git a/app/models/user.rb b/app/models/user.rb
index 9a0671006..c42f6ad8d 100644
--- a/app/models/user.rb
+++ b/app/models/user.rb
@@ -282,7 +282,7 @@ class User < ApplicationRecord
   end
 
   def external?
-    @external
+    !!@external
   end
 
   def sanitize_languages