diff --git a/src/Model/Types/Workflow.hs b/src/Model/Types/Workflow.hs
index 0b92b546e..29b7294c3 100644
--- a/src/Model/Types/Workflow.hs
+++ b/src/Model/Types/Workflow.hs
@@ -1113,13 +1113,43 @@ deriveJSON defaultOptions
 
 pathPieceJSON ''WorkflowScope'
 
-deriveToJSON workflowActionAesonOptions ''WorkflowAction
+newtype JsonWorkflowActionUser userid = JsonWorkflowActionUser (Maybe (Maybe userid))
+
+instance ToJSON userid => ToJSON (JsonWorkflowActionUser userid) where
+  toJSON (JsonWorkflowActionUser x) = case x of
+    Nothing -> JSON.Null
+    Just Nothing -> JSON.object [ "tag" JSON..= ("unauthenticated" :: Text) ]
+    Just (Just x') -> toJSON x'
+
+instance FromJSON userid => FromJSON (JsonWorkflowActionUser userid) where
+  parseJSON JSON.Null = pure $ JsonWorkflowActionUser Nothing
+  parseJSON x@(JSON.Object _)
+    | x == JSON.object [ "tag" JSON..= ("unauthenticated" :: Text) ]
+    = pure . JsonWorkflowActionUser $ Just Nothing 
+    | otherwise
+    = JsonWorkflowActionUser . Just . Just <$> parseJSON x
+  parseJSON x = JsonWorkflowActionUser . Just . Just <$> parseJSON x
+
+instance (ToJSON fileid, ToJSON userid) => ToJSON (WorkflowAction fileid userid) where
+  toJSON WorkflowAction{..} = JSON.object
+    [ "to" JSON..= wpTo
+    , "via" JSON..= wpVia
+    , "payload" JSON..= wpPayload
+    , "user" JSON..= JsonWorkflowActionUser wpUser
+    , "time" JSON..= wpTime
+    ]
 
 instance ( FromJSON fileid, FromJSON userid
          ,      Ord fileid,      Ord userid
          , Typeable fileid, Typeable userid
          ) => FromJSON (WorkflowAction fileid userid) where
-  parseJSON = genericParseJSON workflowActionAesonOptions
+  parseJSON = JSON.withObject "WorkflowAction" $ \o -> do
+    wpTo <- o JSON..: "to"
+    wpVia <- o JSON..: "via"
+    wpPayload <- o JSON..: "payload"
+    JsonWorkflowActionUser wpUser <- o JSON..: "user"
+    wpTime <- o JSON..: "time"
+    return WorkflowAction{..}
 
 instance (ToJSON fileid, ToJSON userid) => ToJSON (WorkflowFieldPayloadW fileid userid) where
   toJSON (WorkflowFieldPayloadW (WFPText   t)) = JSON.object