diff --git a/lib/pleroma/user.ex b/lib/pleroma/user.ex
index 6a81adfd6..83a37890a 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/user.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/user.ex
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ defmodule Pleroma.User do
     field(:is_locked, :boolean, default: false)
     field(:confirmation_pending, :boolean, default: false)
     field(:password_reset_pending, :boolean, default: false)
-    field(:approval_pending, :boolean, default: false)
+    field(:is_approved, :boolean, default: true)
     field(:registration_reason, :string, default: nil)
     field(:confirmation_token, :string, default: nil)
     field(:default_scope, :string, default: "public")
@@ -288,7 +288,7 @@ def binary_id(%User{} = user), do: binary_id(user.id)
   @spec account_status(User.t()) :: account_status()
   def account_status(%User{deactivated: true}), do: :deactivated
   def account_status(%User{password_reset_pending: true}), do: :password_reset_pending
-  def account_status(%User{local: true, approval_pending: true}), do: :approval_pending
+  def account_status(%User{local: true, is_approved: false}), do: :approval_pending
 
   def account_status(%User{local: true, confirmation_pending: true}) do
     if Config.get([:instance, :account_activation_required]) do
@@ -711,16 +711,16 @@ 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])
+    approved? =
+      if is_nil(opts[:approved]) do
+        !Config.get([:instance, :account_approval_required])
       else
-        opts[:need_approval]
+        opts[:approved]
       end
 
     struct
     |> confirmation_changeset(need_confirmation: need_confirmation?)
-    |> approval_changeset(need_approval: need_approval?)
+    |> approval_changeset(set_approval: approved?)
     |> cast(params, [
       :bio,
       :raw_bio,
@@ -814,14 +814,14 @@ def post_register_action(%User{confirmation_pending: true} = user) do
     end
   end
 
-  def post_register_action(%User{approval_pending: true} = user) do
+  def post_register_action(%User{is_approved: false} = user) do
     with {:ok, _} <- send_user_approval_email(user),
          {:ok, _} <- send_admin_approval_emails(user) do
       {:ok, user}
     end
   end
 
-  def post_register_action(%User{approval_pending: false, confirmation_pending: false} = user) do
+  def post_register_action(%User{is_approved: true, confirmation_pending: false} = user) do
     with {:ok, user} <- autofollow_users(user),
          {:ok, _} <- autofollowing_users(user),
          {:ok, user} <- set_cache(user),
@@ -1624,8 +1624,8 @@ def approve(users) when is_list(users) do
     end)
   end
 
-  def approve(%User{approval_pending: true} = user) do
-    with chg <- change(user, approval_pending: false),
+  def approve(%User{is_approved: false} = user) do
+    with chg <- change(user, is_approved: true),
          {:ok, user} <- update_and_set_cache(chg) do
       post_register_action(user)
       {:ok, user}
@@ -1684,7 +1684,7 @@ def purge_user_changeset(user) do
       is_locked: false,
       confirmation_pending: false,
       password_reset_pending: false,
-      approval_pending: false,
+      is_approved: true,
       registration_reason: nil,
       confirmation_token: nil,
       domain_blocks: [],
@@ -2327,9 +2327,9 @@ def confirmation_changeset(user, need_confirmation: need_confirmation?) do
   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])
+  def approval_changeset(user, set_approval: approved?) do
+    params = if approved?, do: %{is_approved: true}, else: %{is_approved: false}
+    cast(user, params, [:is_approved])
   end
 
   def add_pinnned_activity(user, %Pleroma.Activity{id: id}) do
diff --git a/lib/pleroma/user/query.ex b/lib/pleroma/user/query.ex
index ab9554bd2..90548677f 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/user/query.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/user/query.ex
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ defp compose_query({:external, _}, query), do: location_query(query, false)
 
   defp compose_query({:active, _}, query) do
     User.restrict_deactivated(query)
-    |> where([u], u.approval_pending == false)
+    |> where([u], u.is_approved == true)
   end
 
   defp compose_query({:legacy_active, _}, query) do
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ defp compose_query({:confirmation_pending, bool}, query) do
   end
 
   defp compose_query({:need_approval, _}, query) do
-    where(query, [u], u.approval_pending)
+    where(query, [u], u.is_approved == false)
   end
 
   defp compose_query({:unconfirmed, _}, query) do
diff --git a/lib/pleroma/web/admin_api/views/account_view.ex b/lib/pleroma/web/admin_api/views/account_view.ex
index 37188bfeb..1a876d272 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/web/admin_api/views/account_view.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/web/admin_api/views/account_view.ex
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ def render("show.json", %{user: user}) do
       "roles" => User.roles(user),
       "tags" => user.tags || [],
       "confirmation_pending" => user.confirmation_pending,
-      "approval_pending" => user.approval_pending,
+      "is_approved" => user.is_approved,
       "url" => user.uri || user.ap_id,
       "registration_reason" => user.registration_reason,
       "actor_type" => user.actor_type
diff --git a/priv/repo/migrations/20201016205220_refactor_approval_pending_user_field.exs b/priv/repo/migrations/20201016205220_refactor_approval_pending_user_field.exs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..944dcf8de
--- /dev/null
+++ b/priv/repo/migrations/20201016205220_refactor_approval_pending_user_field.exs
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+# Pleroma: A lightweight social networking server
+# Copyright © 2017-2020 Pleroma Authors <https://pleroma.social/>
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-only
+
+defmodule Pleroma.Repo.Migrations.RefactorApprovalPendingUserField do
+  use Ecto.Migration
+
+  def up do
+    # Flip the values before we change the meaning of the column
+    execute("UPDATE users SET approval_pending = NOT approval_pending;")
+    execute("ALTER TABLE users RENAME COLUMN approval_pending TO is_approved;")
+    execute("ALTER TABLE users ALTER COLUMN is_approved SET DEFAULT true;")
+  end
+
+  def down do
+    execute("UPDATE users SET is_approved = NOT is_approved;")
+    execute("ALTER TABLE users RENAME COLUMN is_approved TO approval_pending;")
+    execute("ALTER TABLE users ALTER COLUMN approval_pending SET DEFAULT false;")
+  end
+end
diff --git a/test/pleroma/user_test.exs b/test/pleroma/user_test.exs
index bdf17e96a..c6d8e1463 100644
--- a/test/pleroma/user_test.exs
+++ b/test/pleroma/user_test.exs
@@ -694,7 +694,7 @@ test "it creates unapproved user" do
 
       {:ok, user} = Repo.insert(changeset)
 
-      assert user.approval_pending
+      refute user.is_approved
       assert user.registration_reason == "I'm a cool guy :)"
     end
 
@@ -1388,17 +1388,17 @@ test "hide a user's statuses from timelines and notifications" do
 
   describe "approve" do
     test "approves a user" do
-      user = insert(:user, approval_pending: true)
-      assert true == user.approval_pending
+      user = insert(:user, is_approved: false)
+      refute user.is_approved
       {:ok, user} = User.approve(user)
-      assert false == user.approval_pending
+      assert user.is_approved
     end
 
     test "approves a list of users" do
       unapproved_users = [
-        insert(:user, approval_pending: true),
-        insert(:user, approval_pending: true),
-        insert(:user, approval_pending: true)
+        insert(:user, is_approved: false),
+        insert(:user, is_approved: false),
+        insert(:user, is_approved: false)
       ]
 
       {:ok, users} = User.approve(unapproved_users)
@@ -1406,7 +1406,7 @@ test "approves a list of users" do
       assert Enum.count(users) == 3
 
       Enum.each(users, fn user ->
-        assert false == user.approval_pending
+        assert user.is_approved
       end)
     end
 
@@ -1414,7 +1414,7 @@ test "it sends welcome email if it is set" do
       clear_config([:welcome, :email, :enabled], true)
       clear_config([:welcome, :email, :sender], "tester@test.me")
 
-      user = insert(:user, approval_pending: true)
+      user = insert(:user, is_approved: false)
       welcome_user = insert(:user, email: "tester@test.me")
       instance_name = Pleroma.Config.get([:instance, :name])
 
@@ -1432,7 +1432,7 @@ test "it sends welcome email if it is set" do
     test "approving an approved user does not trigger post-register actions" do
       clear_config([:welcome, :email, :enabled], true)
 
-      user = insert(:user, approval_pending: false)
+      user = insert(:user, is_approved: true)
       User.approve(user)
 
       ObanHelpers.perform_all()
@@ -1465,9 +1465,9 @@ test "confirms a list of users" do
       end)
     end
 
-    test "sends approval emails when `approval_pending: true`" do
+    test "sends approval emails when `is_approved: false`" do
       admin = insert(:user, is_admin: true)
-      user = insert(:user, confirmation_pending: true, approval_pending: true)
+      user = insert(:user, confirmation_pending: true, is_approved: false)
       User.confirm(user)
 
       ObanHelpers.perform_all()
@@ -1494,7 +1494,7 @@ test "sends approval emails when `approval_pending: true`" do
     end
 
     test "confirming a confirmed user does not trigger post-register actions" do
-      user = insert(:user, confirmation_pending: false, approval_pending: true)
+      user = insert(:user, confirmation_pending: false, is_approved: false)
       User.confirm(user)
 
       ObanHelpers.perform_all()
@@ -1591,7 +1591,7 @@ test "deactivates user when activation is not required", %{user: user} do
   end
 
   test "delete/1 when approval is pending deletes the user" do
-    user = insert(:user, approval_pending: true)
+    user = insert(:user, is_approved: false)
 
     {:ok, job} = User.delete(user)
     {:ok, _} = ObanHelpers.perform(job)
@@ -1618,7 +1618,7 @@ test "delete/1 purges a user when they wouldn't be fully deleted" do
         is_locked: true,
         confirmation_pending: true,
         password_reset_pending: true,
-        approval_pending: true,
+        is_approved: false,
         registration_reason: "ahhhhh",
         confirmation_token: "qqqq",
         domain_blocks: ["lain.com"],
@@ -1660,7 +1660,7 @@ test "delete/1 purges a user when they wouldn't be fully deleted" do
              is_locked: false,
              confirmation_pending: false,
              password_reset_pending: false,
-             approval_pending: false,
+             is_approved: true,
              registration_reason: nil,
              confirmation_token: nil,
              domain_blocks: [],
@@ -1755,10 +1755,10 @@ test "returns :deactivated for deactivated user" do
     end
 
     test "returns :approval_pending for unapproved user" do
-      user = insert(:user, local: true, approval_pending: true)
+      user = insert(:user, local: true, is_approved: false)
       assert User.account_status(user) == :approval_pending
 
-      user = insert(:user, local: true, confirmation_pending: true, approval_pending: true)
+      user = insert(:user, local: true, confirmation_pending: true, is_approved: false)
       assert User.account_status(user) == :approval_pending
     end
   end
diff --git a/test/pleroma/web/admin_api/controllers/user_controller_test.exs b/test/pleroma/web/admin_api/controllers/user_controller_test.exs
index 40d39aae7..ed094823b 100644
--- a/test/pleroma/web/admin_api/controllers/user_controller_test.exs
+++ b/test/pleroma/web/admin_api/controllers/user_controller_test.exs
@@ -429,7 +429,7 @@ test "allows to force-unfollow another user", %{admin: admin, conn: conn} do
   describe "GET /api/pleroma/admin/users" do
     test "renders users array for the first page", %{conn: conn, admin: admin} do
       user = insert(:user, local: false, tags: ["foo", "bar"])
-      user2 = insert(:user, approval_pending: true, registration_reason: "I'm a chill dude")
+      user2 = insert(:user, is_approved: false, registration_reason: "I'm a chill dude")
 
       conn = get(conn, "/api/pleroma/admin/users?page=1")
 
@@ -444,7 +444,7 @@ test "renders users array for the first page", %{conn: conn, admin: admin} do
             user2,
             %{
               "local" => true,
-              "approval_pending" => true,
+              "is_approved" => false,
               "registration_reason" => "I'm a chill dude",
               "actor_type" => "Person"
             }
@@ -638,7 +638,7 @@ test "only unconfirmed users", %{conn: conn} do
       sad_user = insert(:user, nickname: "sadboy", confirmation_pending: true)
       old_user = insert(:user, nickname: "oldboy", confirmation_pending: true)
 
-      insert(:user, nickname: "happyboy", approval_pending: false)
+      insert(:user, nickname: "happyboy", is_approved: true)
       insert(:user, confirmation_pending: false)
 
       result =
@@ -650,7 +650,7 @@ test "only unconfirmed users", %{conn: conn} do
         Enum.map([old_user, sad_user], fn user ->
           user_response(user, %{
             "confirmation_pending" => true,
-            "approval_pending" => false
+            "is_approved" => true
           })
         end)
         |> Enum.sort_by(& &1["nickname"])
@@ -662,18 +662,18 @@ test "only unapproved users", %{conn: conn} do
       user =
         insert(:user,
           nickname: "sadboy",
-          approval_pending: true,
+          is_approved: false,
           registration_reason: "Plz let me in!"
         )
 
-      insert(:user, nickname: "happyboy", approval_pending: false)
+      insert(:user, nickname: "happyboy", is_approved: true)
 
       conn = get(conn, "/api/pleroma/admin/users?filters=need_approval")
 
       users = [
         user_response(
           user,
-          %{"approval_pending" => true, "registration_reason" => "Plz let me in!"}
+          %{"is_approved" => false, "registration_reason" => "Plz let me in!"}
         )
       ]
 
@@ -816,8 +816,8 @@ test "load users with tags list", %{conn: conn} do
     end
 
     test "`active` filters out users pending approval", %{token: token} do
-      insert(:user, approval_pending: true)
-      %{id: user_id} = insert(:user, approval_pending: false)
+      insert(:user, is_approved: false)
+      %{id: user_id} = insert(:user, is_approved: true)
       %{id: admin_id} = token.user
 
       conn =
@@ -913,8 +913,8 @@ test "PATCH /api/pleroma/admin/users/deactivate", %{admin: admin, conn: conn} do
   end
 
   test "PATCH /api/pleroma/admin/users/approve", %{admin: admin, conn: conn} do
-    user_one = insert(:user, approval_pending: true)
-    user_two = insert(:user, approval_pending: true)
+    user_one = insert(:user, is_approved: false)
+    user_two = insert(:user, is_approved: false)
 
     conn =
       patch(
@@ -924,7 +924,7 @@ test "PATCH /api/pleroma/admin/users/approve", %{admin: admin, conn: conn} do
       )
 
     response = json_response(conn, 200)
-    assert Enum.map(response["users"], & &1["approval_pending"]) == [false, false]
+    assert Enum.map(response["users"], & &1["is_approved"]) == [true, true]
 
     log_entry = Repo.one(ModerationLog)
 
@@ -961,7 +961,7 @@ defp user_response(user, attrs \\ %{}) do
       "avatar" => User.avatar_url(user) |> MediaProxy.url(),
       "display_name" => HTML.strip_tags(user.name || user.nickname),
       "confirmation_pending" => false,
-      "approval_pending" => false,
+      "is_approved" => true,
       "url" => user.ap_id,
       "registration_reason" => nil,
       "actor_type" => "Person"
diff --git a/test/pleroma/web/admin_api/search_test.exs b/test/pleroma/web/admin_api/search_test.exs
index 307578ae0..10ec227d6 100644
--- a/test/pleroma/web/admin_api/search_test.exs
+++ b/test/pleroma/web/admin_api/search_test.exs
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ test "it returns user by email" do
     end
 
     test "it returns unapproved user" do
-      unapproved = insert(:user, approval_pending: true)
+      unapproved = insert(:user, is_approved: false)
       insert(:user)
       insert(:user)
 
diff --git a/test/pleroma/web/mastodon_api/controllers/account_controller_test.exs b/test/pleroma/web/mastodon_api/controllers/account_controller_test.exs
index 7b3cc7344..1c310bb07 100644
--- a/test/pleroma/web/mastodon_api/controllers/account_controller_test.exs
+++ b/test/pleroma/web/mastodon_api/controllers/account_controller_test.exs
@@ -1028,7 +1028,7 @@ test "registers and logs in without :account_activation_required / :account_appr
 
       assert user
       refute user.confirmation_pending
-      refute user.approval_pending
+      assert user.is_approved
     end
 
     test "registers but does not log in with :account_activation_required", %{conn: conn} do
@@ -1150,7 +1150,7 @@ test "registers but does not log in with :account_approval_required", %{conn: co
 
       user = Repo.get_by(User, email: "lain@example.org")
 
-      assert user.approval_pending
+      refute user.is_approved
       assert user.registration_reason == "I'm a cool dude, bro"
     end
 
diff --git a/test/pleroma/web/o_auth/o_auth_controller_test.exs b/test/pleroma/web/o_auth/o_auth_controller_test.exs
index bf47afed8..646d62da4 100644
--- a/test/pleroma/web/o_auth/o_auth_controller_test.exs
+++ b/test/pleroma/web/o_auth/o_auth_controller_test.exs
@@ -1041,7 +1041,7 @@ test "rejects token exchange for valid credentials belonging to an unapproved us
       user =
         insert(:user,
           password_hash: Pleroma.Password.Pbkdf2.hash_pwd_salt(password),
-          approval_pending: true
+          is_approved: false
         )
 
       refute Pleroma.User.account_status(user) == :active
diff --git a/test/pleroma/web/twitter_api/twitter_api_test.exs b/test/pleroma/web/twitter_api/twitter_api_test.exs
index 3be4812d3..05152ee21 100644
--- a/test/pleroma/web/twitter_api/twitter_api_test.exs
+++ b/test/pleroma/web/twitter_api/twitter_api_test.exs
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ test "it sends an admin email if :account_approval_required is specified in inst
     {:ok, user} = TwitterAPI.register_user(data)
     ObanHelpers.perform_all()
 
-    assert user.approval_pending
+    refute user.is_approved
 
     user_email = Pleroma.Emails.UserEmail.approval_pending_email(user)
     admin_email = Pleroma.Emails.AdminEmail.new_unapproved_registration(admin, user)