diff --git a/modules/user/user.install b/modules/user/user.install
index a0dc12dc52d9994fa23f903f240d14df686fa129..483d227ac7803a01f121e19f5a5b11c8fe7746d4 100644
--- a/modules/user/user.install
+++ b/modules/user/user.install
@@ -283,7 +283,7 @@ function user_install() {
       'mail' => 'placeholder-for-uid-1',
       'created' => REQUEST_TIME,
       'status' => 1,
-      'data' => serialize(array()),
+      'data' => NULL,
     ))
     ->execute();