diff --git a/app/models/user.rb b/app/models/user.rb
index d92780a13b..063ae665a8 100644
--- a/app/models/user.rb
+++ b/app/models/user.rb
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ class User < ActiveRecord::Base
   after_create :set_default_sidebar_section_links
 
   after_update :set_default_sidebar_section_links, if: Proc.new  {
-    self.saved_change_to_staged?
+    self.saved_change_to_staged? || self.saved_change_to_admin?
   }
 
   after_update :trigger_user_updated_event, if: Proc.new {
@@ -1944,7 +1944,7 @@ class User < ActiveRecord::Base
       end
     end
 
-    SidebarSectionLink.insert_all!(records) if records.present?
+    SidebarSectionLink.insert_all(records) if records.present?
   end
 
   def stat
diff --git a/spec/models/user_spec.rb b/spec/models/user_spec.rb
index b8735db48a..b77e39ff74 100644
--- a/spec/models/user_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/user_spec.rb
@@ -53,7 +53,20 @@ RSpec.describe User do
           tag.id
         )
 
-        user = Fabricate(:admin)
+        admin = Fabricate(:admin)
+
+        expect(SidebarSectionLink.where(linkable_type: 'Category', user_id: admin.id).pluck(:linkable_id)).to contain_exactly(
+          category.id,
+          secured_category.id
+        )
+
+        expect(SidebarSectionLink.where(linkable_type: 'Tag', user_id: admin.id).pluck(:linkable_id)).to contain_exactly(
+          tag.id,
+          hidden_tag.id
+        )
+
+        # A user promoted to admin should get secured sidebar records
+        user.update(admin: true)
 
         expect(SidebarSectionLink.where(linkable_type: 'Category', user_id: user.id).pluck(:linkable_id)).to contain_exactly(
           category.id,