diff --git a/lib/pleroma/user.ex b/lib/pleroma/user.ex
index e8038c1c1..7bef6e281 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/user.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/user.ex
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ defmodule Pleroma.User do
     field(:mascot, :map, default: nil)
     field(:emoji, {:array, :map}, default: [])
     field(:pleroma_settings_store, :map, default: %{})
-    field(:fields, {:array, :map}, default: nil)
+    field(:fields, {:array, :map}, default: [])
     field(:raw_fields, {:array, :map}, default: [])
     field(:discoverable, :boolean, default: false)
     field(:invisible, :boolean, default: false)
diff --git a/priv/repo/migrations/20191009154608_copy_users_info_fields_to_users.exs b/priv/repo/migrations/20191009154608_copy_users_info_fields_to_users.exs
index 87b1e2c8c..9dd27511c 100644
--- a/priv/repo/migrations/20191009154608_copy_users_info_fields_to_users.exs
+++ b/priv/repo/migrations/20191009154608_copy_users_info_fields_to_users.exs
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 defmodule Pleroma.Repo.Migrations.CopyUsersInfoFieldsToUsers do
   use Ecto.Migration
 
+  @jsonb_array_default "'[]'::jsonb"
+
   @info_fields [
     :banner,
     :background,
@@ -129,10 +131,10 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Repo.Migrations.CopyUsersInfoFieldsToUsers do
       add(:pinned_activities, {:array, :text}, default: [])
       add(:email_notifications, :map, default: %{"digest" => false})
       add(:mascot, :map, default: nil)
-      add(:emoji, {:array, :map}, default: [])
+      add(:emoji, :map, default: fragment(@jsonb_array_default))
       add(:pleroma_settings_store, :map, default: %{})
-      add(:fields, {:array, :map}, default: nil)
-      add(:raw_fields, {:array, :map}, default: [])
+      add(:fields, :map, default: fragment(@jsonb_array_default))
+      add(:raw_fields, :map, default: fragment(@jsonb_array_default))
       add(:discoverable, :boolean, default: false, null: false)
       add(:invisible, :boolean, default: false, null: false)
       add(:notification_settings, :map, default: %{})
@@ -143,12 +145,15 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Repo.Migrations.CopyUsersInfoFieldsToUsers do
       for f <- @info_fields do
         set_field = "update users set #{f} ="
 
+        # Coercion of null::jsonb to NULL
+        jsonb = "case when info->>'#{f}' IS NULL then null else info->'#{f}' end"
+
         cond do
           f in @jsonb_fields ->
-            execute("#{set_field} info->'#{f}'")
+            execute("#{set_field} #{jsonb}")
 
           f in @array_jsonb_fields ->
-            execute("#{set_field} ARRAY(SELECT jsonb_array_elements(info->'#{f}'))")
+            execute("#{set_field} coalesce(#{jsonb}, #{@jsonb_array_default})")
 
           f in @int_fields ->
             execute("#{set_field} (info->>'#{f}')::int")
@@ -157,7 +162,7 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Repo.Migrations.CopyUsersInfoFieldsToUsers do
             execute("#{set_field} coalesce((info->>'#{f}')::boolean, false)")
 
           f in @array_text_fields ->
-            execute("#{set_field} ARRAY(SELECT jsonb_array_elements_text(info->'#{f}'))")
+            execute("#{set_field} ARRAY(SELECT jsonb_array_elements_text(#{jsonb}))")
 
           true ->
             execute("#{set_field} info->>'#{f}'")