diff --git a/awx/api/views.py b/awx/api/views.py
index efbbecf10e..189d687222 100644
--- a/awx/api/views.py
+++ b/awx/api/views.py
@@ -3830,7 +3830,16 @@ class RoleList(ListAPIView):
     new_in_300 = True
 
     def get_queryset(self):
-        return Role.visible_roles(self.request.user)
+        result = Role.visible_roles(self.request.user)
+        # Sanity check: is the requesting user an orphaned non-admin/auditor? 
+        # if yes, make system admin/auditor mandatorily visible.
+        if not self.request.user.organizations.exists() and\
+           not self.request.user.is_superuser and\
+           not self.request.user.is_system_auditor:
+            mandatories = ('system_administrator', 'system_auditor')
+            super_qs = Role.objects.filter(singleton_name__in=mandatories)
+            result = result | super_qs
+        return result
 
 
 class RoleDetail(RetrieveAPIView):
diff --git a/awx/main/models/rbac.py b/awx/main/models/rbac.py
index 8592a9c632..f469c1a7ac 100644
--- a/awx/main/models/rbac.py
+++ b/awx/main/models/rbac.py
@@ -376,13 +376,12 @@ class Role(models.Model):
 
     @staticmethod
     @check_singleton
-    def visible_roles(user, include_super=True):
+    def visible_roles(user):
         sql_params = {
             'ancestors_table': Role.ancestors.through._meta.db_table,
             'parents_table': Role.parents.through._meta.db_table,
             'roles_table': Role._meta.db_table,
             'ids': ','.join(str(x) for x in user.roles.values_list('id', flat=True)),
-            'mandatories': ','.join(('\'system_administrator\'', '\'system_auditor\'')),
         }
 
         qs = Role.objects.extra(
@@ -395,17 +394,6 @@ class Role(models.Model):
                     )
                     ''' % sql_params]
         )
-        if include_super:
-            super_qs = Role.objects.extra(
-                where = ['''
-                        %(roles_table)s.id IN (
-                            SELECT DISTINCT visible_roles_t3.id
-                            FROM %(roles_table)s as visible_roles_t3
-                            WHERE visible_roles_t3.singleton_name IN (%(mandatories)s)
-                        )
-                        ''' % sql_params]
-            )
-            qs = qs | super_qs
         return qs
 
     @staticmethod