diff --git a/wagtail/tests/customuser/models.py b/wagtail/tests/customuser/models.py
index 5b6a0c415..2ef6420a1 100644
--- a/wagtail/tests/customuser/models.py
+++ b/wagtail/tests/customuser/models.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ from django.contrib.auth.models import (
 
 class CustomUserManager(BaseUserManager):
     def _create_user(self, username, email, password,
-                     is_staff, is_superuser, **extra_fields):
+                     is_staff, is_superuser, is_active=True, **extra_fields):
         """
         Creates and saves a User with the given username, email and password.
         """
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ class CustomUserManager(BaseUserManager):
             raise ValueError('The given username must be set')
         email = self.normalize_email(email)
         user = self.model(username=username, email=email,
-                          is_staff=is_staff, is_active=True,
+                          is_staff=is_staff, is_active=is_active,
                           is_superuser=is_superuser, **extra_fields)
         user.set_password(password)
         user.save(using=self._db)