diff --git a/lib/pleroma/user.ex b/lib/pleroma/user.ex
index 25c63fc44..e84900c4f 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/user.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/user.ex
@@ -634,8 +634,16 @@ def register_changeset(struct, params \\ %{}, opts \\ []) do
         opts[:need_confirmation]
       end
 
+    need_approval? =
+      if is_nil(opts[:need_approval]) do
+        Config.get([:instance, :account_approval_required])
+      else
+        opts[:need_approval]
+      end
+
     struct
     |> confirmation_changeset(need_confirmation: need_confirmation?)
+    |> approval_changeset(need_approval: need_approval?)
     |> cast(params, [
       :bio,
       :raw_bio,
@@ -2145,6 +2153,12 @@ def confirmation_changeset(user, need_confirmation: need_confirmation?) do
     cast(user, params, [:confirmation_pending, :confirmation_token])
   end
 
+  @spec approval_changeset(User.t(), keyword()) :: Changeset.t()
+  def approval_changeset(user, need_approval: need_approval?) do
+    params = if need_approval?, do: %{approval_pending: true}, else: %{approval_pending: false}
+    cast(user, params, [:approval_pending])
+  end
+
   def add_pinnned_activity(user, %Pleroma.Activity{id: id}) do
     if id not in user.pinned_activities do
       max_pinned_statuses = Config.get([:instance, :max_pinned_statuses], 0)
diff --git a/test/user_test.exs b/test/user_test.exs
index 040f532fe..e57453982 100644
--- a/test/user_test.exs
+++ b/test/user_test.exs
@@ -516,6 +516,27 @@ test "it creates confirmed user if :confirmed option is given" do
     end
   end
 
+  describe "user registration, with :account_approval_required" do
+    @full_user_data %{
+      bio: "A guy",
+      name: "my name",
+      nickname: "nick",
+      password: "test",
+      password_confirmation: "test",
+      email: "email@example.com"
+    }
+    setup do: clear_config([:instance, :account_approval_required], true)
+
+    test "it creates unapproved user" do
+      changeset = User.register_changeset(%User{}, @full_user_data)
+      assert changeset.valid?
+
+      {:ok, user} = Repo.insert(changeset)
+
+      assert user.approval_pending
+    end
+  end
+
   describe "get_or_fetch/1" do
     test "gets an existing user by nickname" do
       user = insert(:user)