diff --git a/services/web/app/src/Features/User/UserCreator.js b/services/web/app/src/Features/User/UserCreator.js
index 2656817fdb..f58350a7fe 100644
--- a/services/web/app/src/Features/User/UserCreator.js
+++ b/services/web/app/src/Features/User/UserCreator.js
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ const util = require('util')
 const { User } = require('../../models/User')
 const { addAffiliation } = require('../Institutions/InstitutionsAPI')
 
-async function createNewUser(attributes, options = {}) {
+async function createNewUser(attributes) {
   let user = new User()
 
   if (attributes.first_name == null || attributes.first_name === '') {
@@ -40,17 +40,14 @@ async function createNewUser(attributes, options = {}) {
 
   user = await user.save()
 
-  if (!options.skip_affiliation) {
-    // There is no guarantee this will complete so we must not rely on it
-    addAffiliation(user._id, user.email, err => {
-      if (err) {
-        logger.error(
-          { userId: user._id, email: user.email },
-          "couldn't add affiliation for user on create"
-        )
-      }
-    })
-  }
+  addAffiliation(user._id, user.email, err => {
+    if (err) {
+      logger.error(
+        { userId: user._id, email: user.email },
+        "couldn't add affiliation for user on create"
+      )
+    }
+  })
 
   return user
 }
diff --git a/services/web/test/acceptance/src/helpers/UserHelper.js b/services/web/test/acceptance/src/helpers/UserHelper.js
index 2df1c92ab7..bfb30bbeff 100644
--- a/services/web/test/acceptance/src/helpers/UserHelper.js
+++ b/services/web/test/acceptance/src/helpers/UserHelper.js
@@ -141,14 +141,10 @@ class UserHelper {
    * @param {object} options options for UserCreator
    * @returns {UserHelper}
    */
-  static async createUser(attributes = {}, options = {}) {
+  static async createUser(attributes = {}) {
     const userHelper = new UserHelper()
     attributes = userHelper.getDefaultEmailPassword(attributes)
-    // skip creating affiliations by default because it requires an
-    // API call that will usually not be mocked in testing env
-    if (attributes.skip_affiliation !== false) {
-      attributes.skip_affiliation = true
-    }
+
     // hash password and delete plaintext if set
     if (attributes.password) {
       attributes.hashedPassword = await AuthenticationManager.promises.hashPassword(
@@ -157,10 +153,7 @@ class UserHelper {
       delete attributes.password
     }
 
-    userHelper.user = await UserCreator.promises.createNewUser(
-      attributes,
-      options
-    )
+    userHelper.user = await UserCreator.promises.createNewUser(attributes)
 
     return userHelper
   }
diff --git a/services/web/test/unit/src/User/UserCreatorTests.js b/services/web/test/unit/src/User/UserCreatorTests.js
index 5dac565971..732f8e0d74 100644
--- a/services/web/test/unit/src/User/UserCreatorTests.js
+++ b/services/web/test/unit/src/User/UserCreatorTests.js
@@ -123,18 +123,6 @@ describe('UserCreator', function() {
           done()
         })
       })
-
-      it('should not add affiliation if skipping', function(done) {
-        const attributes = { email: this.email }
-        const options = { skip_affiliation: true }
-        this.UserCreator.createNewUser(attributes, options, (err, user) => {
-          assert.ifError(err)
-          process.nextTick(() => {
-            sinon.assert.notCalled(this.addAffiliation)
-            done()
-          })
-        })
-      })
     })
 
     describe('with promises', function() {
@@ -156,13 +144,6 @@ describe('UserCreator', function() {
         sinon.assert.calledWithMatch(this.addAffiliation, user._id, this.email)
       })
 
-      it('should not add affiliation if skipping', async function() {
-        const attributes = { email: this.email }
-        const opts = { skip_affiliation: true }
-        await this.UserCreator.promises.createNewUser(attributes, opts)
-        sinon.assert.notCalled(this.addAffiliation)
-      })
-
       it('should include SAML provider ID with email', async function() {
         const attributes = {
           email: this.email,