diff --git a/datastore/users.go b/datastore/users.go
index 93f040f..ad59732 100644
--- a/datastore/users.go
+++ b/datastore/users.go
@@ -2,11 +2,9 @@ package datastore
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
-	"math/rand"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
-	"github.com/jmoiron/modl"
 	"github.com/thermokarst/bactdb/models"
 )
 
@@ -30,46 +28,16 @@ func (s *usersStore) Get(id int64) (*models.User, error) {
 }
 
 func (s *usersStore) Create(user *models.User) (bool, error) {
-	retries := 3
-	var wantRetry bool
 	currentTime := time.Now()
 	user.CreatedAt = currentTime
 	user.UpdatedAt = currentTime
-
-retry:
-	retries--
-	wantRetry = false
-	if retries == 0 {
-		return false, fmt.Errorf("failed to create user with username %q after retrying", user.UserName)
+	fmt.Println(user)
+	if err := s.dbh.Insert(user); err != nil {
+		if strings.Contains(err.Error(), `violates unique constraint "username_idx"`) {
+			return false, err
+		}
 	}
-
-	var created bool
-	err := transact(s.dbh, func(tx modl.SqlExecutor) error {
-		var existing []*models.User
-		if err := tx.Select(&existing, `SELECT * FROM users WHERE username=$1 LIMIT 1;`, user.UserName); err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-		if len(existing) > 0 {
-			*user = *existing[0]
-			return nil
-		}
-
-		if err := tx.Insert(user); err != nil {
-			if strings.Contains(err.Error(), `violates unique constraint "username_idx"`) {
-				time.Sleep(time.Duration(rand.Intn(75)) * time.Millisecond)
-				wantRetry = true
-				return err
-			}
-			return err
-		}
-
-		created = true
-		return nil
-	})
-	if wantRetry {
-		goto retry
-	}
-	return created, err
+	return true, nil
 }
 
 func (s *usersStore) List(opt *models.UserListOptions) ([]*models.User, error) {
diff --git a/datastore/users_test.go b/datastore/users_test.go
index 32600c2..2fc655e 100644
--- a/datastore/users_test.go
+++ b/datastore/users_test.go
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ func TestUsersStore_Get_db(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	normalizeTime(&want.CreatedAt, &want.UpdatedAt, &want.DeletedAt)
+	normalizeTime(&user.CreatedAt, &user.UpdatedAt, &user.DeletedAt)
 	if !reflect.DeepEqual(user, want) {
 		t.Errorf("got user %+v, want %+v", user, want)
 	}
@@ -77,8 +78,9 @@ func TestUsersStore_List_db(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
-	for _, u := range want {
-		normalizeTime(&u.CreatedAt, &u.UpdatedAt, &u.DeletedAt)
+	for i := range want {
+		normalizeTime(&want[i].CreatedAt, &want[i].UpdatedAt, &want[i].DeletedAt)
+		normalizeTime(&users[i].CreatedAt, &users[i].UpdatedAt, &users[i].DeletedAt)
 	}
 	if !reflect.DeepEqual(users, want) {
 		t.Errorf("got users %+v, want %+v", users, want)
diff --git a/models/users.go b/models/users.go
index 3f82107..471aa7d 100644
--- a/models/users.go
+++ b/models/users.go
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ type User struct {
 	UserName  string    `json:"userName"`
 	CreatedAt time.Time `db:"created_at" json:"createdAt"`
 	UpdatedAt time.Time `db:"updated_at" json:"updatedAt"`
-	DeletedAt time.Time `db:"deleted_at" json:"deletedAt"`
+	DeletedAt NullTime  `db:"deleted_at" json:"deletedAt"`
 }
 
 func NewUser() *User {
diff --git a/models/users_test.go b/models/users_test.go
index 5b9399e..35b86c1 100644
--- a/models/users_test.go
+++ b/models/users_test.go
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ func TestUsersService_Create(t *testing.T) {
 	mux.HandleFunc(urlPath(t, router.CreateUser, nil), func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		called = true
 		testMethod(t, r, "POST")
-		testBody(t, r, `{"id":1,"userName":"Test User","createdAt":"0001-01-01T00:00:00Z","updatedAt":"0001-01-01T00:00:00Z","deletedAt":"0001-01-01T00:00:00Z"}`+"\n")
+		testBody(t, r, `{"id":1,"userName":"Test User","createdAt":"0001-01-01T00:00:00Z","updatedAt":"0001-01-01T00:00:00Z","deletedAt":null}`+"\n")
 
 		w.WriteHeader(http.StatusCreated)
 		writeJSON(w, want)