diff --git a/website/src/models/user.js b/website/src/models/user.js
index 7266e0c1b7..61fe6bd140 100644
--- a/website/src/models/user.js
+++ b/website/src/models/user.js
@@ -481,68 +481,7 @@ UserSchema.pre('save', function(next) {
 
   // Populate new users with default content
   if (this.isNew){
-    //TODO for some reason this doesn't work here: `_.merge(this, shared.content.userDefaults);`
-    var self = this;
-    var taskTypes;
-    if (self.registeredThrough === "habitica-web") {
-      taskTypes = ['habits', 'dailys', 'todos', 'rewards', 'tags'];
-    } else {
-      taskTypes = ['todos', 'tags']
-    }
-    _.each(taskTypes, function(taskType){
-      self[taskType] = _.map(shared.content.userDefaults[taskType], function(task){
-        var newTask = _.cloneDeep(task);
-
-        // Render task's text and notes in user's language
-        if(taskType === 'tags'){
-          // tasks automatically get id=helpers.uuid() from TaskSchema id.default, but tags are Schema.Types.Mixed - so we need to manually invoke here
-          newTask.id = shared.uuid();
-          newTask.name = newTask.name(self.preferences.language);
-        }else{
-          newTask.text = newTask.text(self.preferences.language);
-          if(newTask.notes) {
-            newTask.notes = newTask.notes(self.preferences.language);
-          }
-
-          if(newTask.checklist){
-            newTask.checklist = _.map(newTask.checklist, function(checklistItem){
-              checklistItem.text = checklistItem.text(self.preferences.language);
-              return checklistItem;
-            });
-          }
-        }
-
-        return newTask;
-      });
-    });
-    if (self.registeredThrough === "habitica-web") {
-      this.flags.tutorial.common.habits = true;
-      this.flags.tutorial.common.dailies = true;
-      this.flags.tutorial.common.todos = true;
-      this.flags.tutorial.common.rewards = true;
-      this.flags.tutorial.common.party = true;
-      this.flags.tutorial.common.pets = true;
-      this.flags.tutorial.common.gems = true;
-      this.flags.tutorial.common.skills = true;
-      this.flags.tutorial.common.classes = true;
-      this.flags.tutorial.common.tavern = true;
-      this.flags.tutorial.common.equipment = true;
-      this.flags.tutorial.common.items = true;
-    } else {
-      self.flags.showTour = false;
-      self.flags.tour.intro = -2;
-      self.flags.tour.classes = -2;
-      self.flags.tour.stats = -2;
-      self.flags.tour.tavern = -2;
-      self.flags.tour.party = -2;
-      self.flags.tour.guilds = -2;
-      self.flags.tour.challenges = -2;
-      self.flags.tour.market = -2;
-      self.flags.tour.pets = -2;
-      self.flags.tour.mounts = -2;
-      self.flags.tour.hall = -2;
-      self.flags.tour.equipment = -2;
-    }
+    _populateDefaultsForNewUser(this);
   }
 
   //this.markModified('tasks');
@@ -635,6 +574,57 @@ UserSchema.methods.unlink = function(options, cb) {
   self.save(cb);
 }
 
+function _populateDefaultsForNewUser(user) {
+  var taskTypes;
+
+  if (user.registeredThrough === "habitica-web") {
+    taskTypes = ['habits', 'dailys', 'todos', 'rewards', 'tags'];
+
+    _.each(user.flags.tutorial.common, function(value, section) {
+      user.flags.tutorial.common[section] = true;
+    });
+  } else {
+    taskTypes = ['todos', 'tags']
+
+    user.flags.showTour = false;
+
+    _.each(user.flags.tour, function(value, section) {
+      user.flags.tour[section] = -2;
+    });
+  }
+
+  _populateDefaultTasks(user, taskTypes);
+}
+
+function _populateDefaultTasks (user, taskTypes) {
+  _.each(taskTypes, function(taskType){
+    user[taskType] = _.map(shared.content.userDefaults[taskType], function(task){
+      var newTask = _.cloneDeep(task);
+
+      // Render task's text and notes in user's language
+      if(taskType === 'tags'){
+        // tasks automatically get id=helpers.uuid() from TaskSchema id.default, but tags are Schema.Types.Mixed - so we need to manually invoke here
+        newTask.id = shared.uuid();
+        newTask.name = newTask.name(user.preferences.language);
+      }else{
+        newTask.text = newTask.text(user.preferences.language);
+        if(newTask.notes) {
+          newTask.notes = newTask.notes(user.preferences.language);
+        }
+
+        if(newTask.checklist){
+          newTask.checklist = _.map(newTask.checklist, function(checklistItem){
+            checklistItem.text = checklistItem.text(user.preferences.language);
+            return checklistItem;
+          });
+        }
+      }
+
+      return newTask;
+    });
+  });
+}
+
 module.exports.schema = UserSchema;
 module.exports.model = mongoose.model("User", UserSchema);
 // Initially export an empty object so external requires will get