diff --git a/lib/WeBWorK/Authen/LTIAdvanced.pm b/lib/WeBWorK/Authen/LTIAdvanced.pm
index 03258355bb..6757904bc1 100644
--- a/lib/WeBWorK/Authen/LTIAdvanced.pm
+++ b/lib/WeBWorK/Authen/LTIAdvanced.pm
@@ -501,13 +501,17 @@ sub create_user {
     }
   
   my $nr = scalar(@LTIroles);
-  if (! defined($ce->{userRoles}->{$ce->{LMSrolesToWeBWorKroles}->{$LTIroles[0]}})) {
-    croak("Cannot find a WeBWorK role that corresponds to the LMS role of "
-	  . $LTIroles[0] .".");
+
+  my $LTI_webwork_permissionLevel;
+  if ( ! defined( $ce->{LMSrolesToWeBWorKroles}->{$LTIroles[0]} ) ||
+       ! defined( $ce->{userRoles}->{$ce->{LMSrolesToWeBWorKroles}->{$LTIroles[0]}} ) ) {
+    warn("Cannot find a WeBWorK role that corresponds to the LMS role of "
+	  . $LTIroles[0] ." so will create a student level account.");
+    $LTI_webwork_permissionLevel = $ce->{userRoles}->{student};
+  } else {
+    $LTI_webwork_permissionLevel = $ce->{userRoles}->{$ce->{LMSrolesToWeBWorKroles}->{$LTIroles[0]}};
   }
-  
-  my $LTI_webwork_permissionLevel 
-    = $ce->{userRoles}->{$ce->{LMSrolesToWeBWorKroles}->{$LTIroles[0]}};
+
   if ($nr > 1) {
     for (my $j =1; $j < $nr; $j++) {
       my $wwRole = $ce->{LMSrolesToWeBWorKroles}->{$LTIroles[$j]};
diff --git a/lib/WeBWorK/Authen/LTIBasic.pm b/lib/WeBWorK/Authen/LTIBasic.pm
index 5c680e8b1f..4d867a1caf 100644
--- a/lib/WeBWorK/Authen/LTIBasic.pm
+++ b/lib/WeBWorK/Authen/LTIBasic.pm
@@ -517,12 +517,17 @@ sub authenticate
 			}
 			
 			my $nr = scalar(@LTIroles);
-			if (! defined($ce -> {userRoles} -> {$ce -> {LMSrolesToWeBWorKroles} -> {$LTIroles[0]}})) {
-				croak("Cannot find a WeBWorK role that corresponds to the LMS role of "
-						. $LTIroles[0] .".");
+
+			my $LTI_webwork_permissionLevel;
+			if ( ! defined( $ce->{LMSrolesToWeBWorKroles}->{$LTIroles[0]} ) ||
+			     ! defined( $ce->{userRoles}->{$ce->{LMSrolesToWeBWorKroles}->{$LTIroles[0]}} ) ) {
+				warn("Cannot find a WeBWorK role that corresponds to the LMS role of "
+						. $LTIroles[0] ." so will create a student level account.");
+				$LTI_webwork_permissionLevel = $ce->{userRoles}->{student};
+			} else {
+				$LTI_webwork_permissionLevel = $ce->{userRoles}->{$ce->{LMSrolesToWeBWorKroles}->{$LTIroles[0]}};
 			}
-			my $LTI_webwork_permissionLevel 
-				= $ce -> {userRoles} -> {$ce -> {LMSrolesToWeBWorKroles} -> {$LTIroles[0]}};
+
 			if ($nr > 1) {
 				for (my $j =1; $j < $nr; $j++) {
 					my $wwRole = $ce -> {LMSrolesToWeBWorKroles} -> {$LTIroles[$j]};