diff --git a/includes/admin/core/class-admin-enqueue.php b/includes/admin/core/class-admin-enqueue.php
index efb1cc0b..4d1ce960 100644
--- a/includes/admin/core/class-admin-enqueue.php
+++ b/includes/admin/core/class-admin-enqueue.php
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ if ( ! class_exists( 'um\admin\core\Admin_Enqueue' ) ) {
 		 */
 		function load_role_wrapper() {
 			wp_register_script( 'um_admin_role_wrapper', $this->js_url . 'um-admin-role-wrapper.js', array( 'jquery' ), ultimatemember_version, true );
-			$localize_roles_data = get_option( 'um_roles' );
+			$localize_roles_data = get_option( 'um_roles', array() );
 			wp_localize_script( 'um_admin_role_wrapper', 'um_roles', (array) $localize_roles_data );
 			wp_enqueue_script( 'um_admin_role_wrapper' );
 		}
diff --git a/includes/admin/core/list-tables/roles-list-table.php b/includes/admin/core/list-tables/roles-list-table.php
index 00b25ff2..31e94f5e 100644
--- a/includes/admin/core/list-tables/roles-list-table.php
+++ b/includes/admin/core/list-tables/roles-list-table.php
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ if ( isset( $_GET['action'] ) ) {
 				um_js_redirect( $redirect );
 			}
 
-			$um_roles = get_option( 'um_roles' );
+			$um_roles = get_option( 'um_roles', array() );
 
 			$um_custom_roles = array();
 			foreach ( $role_keys as $k => $role_key ) {
@@ -426,7 +426,7 @@ $ListTable->set_sortable_columns( array(
 $users_count = count_users();
 
 $roles = array();
-$role_keys = get_option( 'um_roles' );
+$role_keys = get_option( 'um_roles', array() );
 
 if ( $role_keys ) {
 	foreach ( $role_keys as $role_key ) {
diff --git a/includes/admin/templates/role/role-edit.php b/includes/admin/templates/role/role-edit.php
index ced3cbd0..497b2bd8 100644
--- a/includes/admin/templates/role/role-edit.php
+++ b/includes/admin/templates/role/role-edit.php
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ if ( ! empty( $_POST['role'] ) ) {
 		if ( '' == $error ) {
 
 			if ( 'add' == sanitize_key( $_GET['tab'] ) ) {
-				$roles = get_option( 'um_roles' );
+				$roles = get_option( 'um_roles', array() );
 				$roles[] = $id;
 
 				update_option( 'um_roles', $roles );
diff --git a/includes/core/class-builtin.php b/includes/core/class-builtin.php
index ed11148d..7f279366 100644
--- a/includes/core/class-builtin.php
+++ b/includes/core/class-builtin.php
@@ -633,7 +633,7 @@ if ( ! class_exists( 'um\core\Builtin' ) ) {
 		function set_predefined_fields() {
 
 			global $wp_roles;
-			$role_keys = get_option( 'um_roles' );
+			$role_keys = get_option( 'um_roles', array() );
 			if ( ! empty( $role_keys ) && is_array( $role_keys ) ) {
 				$role_keys = array_map( function( $item ) {
 					return 'um_' . $item;
diff --git a/includes/core/class-fields.php b/includes/core/class-fields.php
index 33ed449a..749df4a8 100644
--- a/includes/core/class-fields.php
+++ b/includes/core/class-fields.php
@@ -978,7 +978,7 @@ if ( ! class_exists( 'um\core\Fields' ) ) {
 				if ( strstr( $key, 'role_' ) || $key == 'role' ) {
 					$field_value = strtolower( UM()->roles()->get_editable_priority_user_role( um_user( 'ID' ) ) );
 
-					$role_keys = get_option( 'um_roles' );
+					$role_keys = get_option( 'um_roles', array() );
 
 					if ( ! empty( $role_keys ) ) {
 						if ( in_array( $field_value, $role_keys ) ) {
@@ -1125,7 +1125,7 @@ if ( ! class_exists( 'um\core\Fields' ) ) {
 						if ( strstr( $key, 'role_' ) || $key == 'role' ) {
 							$um_user_value = strtolower( UM()->roles()->get_editable_priority_user_role( um_user( 'ID' ) ) );
 
-							$role_keys = get_option( 'um_roles' );
+							$role_keys = get_option( 'um_roles', array() );
 
 							if ( ! empty( $role_keys ) ) {
 								if ( in_array( $um_user_value, $role_keys ) ) {
diff --git a/includes/core/class-roles-capabilities.php b/includes/core/class-roles-capabilities.php
index 60102c26..45264c6a 100644
--- a/includes/core/class-roles-capabilities.php
+++ b/includes/core/class-roles-capabilities.php
@@ -126,10 +126,11 @@ if ( ! class_exists( 'um\core\Roles_Capabilities' ) ) {
 		 */
 		function is_role_custom( $role ) {
 			// User has roles so look for a UM Role one
-			$role_keys = get_option( 'um_roles' );
+			$role_keys = get_option( 'um_roles', array() );
 
-			if ( empty( $role_keys ) )
+			if ( empty( $role_keys ) ) {
 				return false;
+			}
 
 			$role_keys = array_map( function( $item ) {
 				return 'um_' . $item;
@@ -385,7 +386,7 @@ if ( ! class_exists( 'um\core\Roles_Capabilities' ) ) {
 				return false;
 
 			// User has roles so look for a UM Role one
-			$um_roles_keys = get_option( 'um_roles' );
+			$um_roles_keys = get_option( 'um_roles', array() );
 
 			if ( ! empty( $um_roles_keys ) ) {
 				$um_roles_keys = array_map( function( $item ) {
@@ -453,7 +454,7 @@ if ( ! class_exists( 'um\core\Roles_Capabilities' ) ) {
 				return false;
 
 			// User has roles so look for a UM Role one
-			$um_roles_keys = get_option( 'um_roles' );
+			$um_roles_keys = get_option( 'um_roles', array() );
 
 			if ( ! empty( $um_roles_keys ) ) {
 				$um_roles_keys = array_map( function( $item ) {
@@ -495,15 +496,17 @@ if ( ! class_exists( 'um\core\Roles_Capabilities' ) ) {
 		 */
 		function get_um_user_role( $user_id ) {
 			// User has roles so look for a UM Role one
-			$um_roles_keys = get_option( 'um_roles' );
+			$um_roles_keys = get_option( 'um_roles', array() );
 
-			if ( empty( $um_roles_keys ) )
+			if ( empty( $um_roles_keys ) ) {
 				return false;
+			}
 
 			$user = get_userdata( $user_id );
 
-			if ( empty( $user->roles ) )
+			if ( empty( $user->roles ) ) {
 				return false;
+			}
 
 			$um_roles_keys = array_map( function( $item ) {
 				return 'um_' . $item;
@@ -511,8 +514,9 @@ if ( ! class_exists( 'um\core\Roles_Capabilities' ) ) {
 
 			$user_um_roles_array = array_intersect( $um_roles_keys, array_values( $user->roles ) );
 
-			if ( empty( $user_um_roles_array ) )
+			if ( empty( $user_um_roles_array ) ) {
 				return false;
+			}
 
 			return array_shift( $user_um_roles_array );
 		}
diff --git a/includes/core/class-user.php b/includes/core/class-user.php
index 08b31861..dc35f97d 100644
--- a/includes/core/class-user.php
+++ b/includes/core/class-user.php
@@ -729,7 +729,7 @@ if ( ! class_exists( 'um\core\User' ) ) {
 		public function secondary_role_field( $content, $userdata ) {
 			$roles = array();
 
-			$role_keys = get_option( 'um_roles' );
+			$role_keys = get_option( 'um_roles', array() );
 			if ( $role_keys ) {
 				foreach ( $role_keys as $role_key ) {
 					$role_meta = get_option( "um_role_{$role_key}_meta" );
@@ -1858,12 +1858,12 @@ if ( ! class_exists( 'um\core\User' ) ) {
 				//if isset roles argument validate role to properly for security reasons
 				if ( isset( $args['role'] ) ) {
 					global $wp_roles;
-					$um_roles = get_option( 'um_roles' );
+					$um_roles = get_option( 'um_roles', array() );
 
 					if ( ! empty( $um_roles ) ) {
 						$role_keys = array_map( function( $item ) {
 							return 'um_' . $item;
-						}, get_option( 'um_roles' ) );
+						}, $um_roles );
 					} else {
 						$role_keys = array();
 					}
diff --git a/includes/core/um-actions-profile.php b/includes/core/um-actions-profile.php
index 67826f1b..61aa7572 100644
--- a/includes/core/um-actions-profile.php
+++ b/includes/core/um-actions-profile.php
@@ -380,7 +380,7 @@ function um_user_edit_profile( $args ) {
 			global $wp_roles;
 			$role_keys = array_map( function( $item ) {
 				return 'um_' . $item;
-			}, get_option( 'um_roles' ) );
+			}, get_option( 'um_roles', array() ) );
 			$exclude_roles = array_diff( array_keys( $wp_roles->roles ), array_merge( $role_keys, array( 'subscriber' ) ) );
 
 			if ( ! in_array( $args['submitted']['role'], $exclude_roles ) ) {
@@ -400,7 +400,7 @@ function um_user_edit_profile( $args ) {
 				global $wp_roles;
 				$role_keys = array_map( function( $item ) {
 					return 'um_' . $item;
-				}, get_option( 'um_roles' ) );
+				}, get_option( 'um_roles', array() ) );
 				$exclude_roles = array_diff( array_keys( $wp_roles->roles ), array_merge( $role_keys, array( 'subscriber' ) ) );
 
 				if ( ! in_array( $args['submitted']['role'], $exclude_roles ) ) {
@@ -598,7 +598,7 @@ function um_restore_default_roles( $user_id, $args, $to_update ) {
 
 		$role_keys = array_map( function( $item ) {
 			return 'um_' . $item;
-		}, get_option( 'um_roles' ) );
+		}, get_option( 'um_roles', array() ) );
 
 		$leave_roles = array_diff( $args['roles_before_upgrade'], array_merge( $role_keys, array( 'subscriber' ) ) );
 
diff --git a/includes/core/um-actions-register.php b/includes/core/um-actions-register.php
index 7ef63bd5..7277d24c 100644
--- a/includes/core/um-actions-register.php
+++ b/includes/core/um-actions-register.php
@@ -400,12 +400,12 @@ function um_submit_form_register( $args ) {
 	//get user role from field Role dropdown or radio
 	if ( isset( $args['role'] ) ) {
 		global $wp_roles;
-		$um_roles = get_option( 'um_roles' );
+		$um_roles = get_option( 'um_roles', array() );
 
 		if ( ! empty( $um_roles ) ) {
 			$role_keys = array_map( function( $item ) {
 				return 'um_' . $item;
-			}, get_option( 'um_roles' ) );
+			}, $um_roles );
 		} else {
 			$role_keys = array();
 		}
diff --git a/uninstall.php b/uninstall.php
index 0a48b647..b87c6086 100644
--- a/uninstall.php
+++ b/uninstall.php
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ if ( ! empty( $delete_options ) ) {
 	}
 
 	//remove user role meta
-	$role_keys = get_option( 'um_roles' );
+	$role_keys = get_option( 'um_roles', array() );
 	if ( $role_keys ) {
 		foreach ( $role_keys as $role_key ) {
 			delete_option( 'um_role_' . $role_key . '_meta' );