diff --git a/atst/models/__init__.py b/atst/models/__init__.py
index ea00ff74..85130ceb 100644
--- a/atst/models/__init__.py
+++ b/atst/models/__init__.py
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ from .permissions import Permissions
 from .permission_set import PermissionSet
 from .user import User
 from .portfolio_role import PortfolioRole
+from .application_role import ApplicationRole
+from .environment_role import EnvironmentRole
 from .portfolio import Portfolio
 from .application import Application
 from .environment import Environment
@@ -14,4 +16,3 @@ from .audit_event import AuditEvent
 from .invitation import Invitation
 from .task_order import TaskOrder
 from .dd_254 import DD254
-from .application_role import ApplicationRole
diff --git a/atst/models/application.py b/atst/models/application.py
index d3088ebf..d10bd773 100644
--- a/atst/models/application.py
+++ b/atst/models/application.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ class Application(Base, mixins.TimestampsMixin, mixins.AuditableMixin):
 
     @property
     def users(self):
-        return set([user for env in self.environments for user in env.users])
+        return set(role.user for role in self.roles)
 
     @property
     def num_users(self):
diff --git a/atst/models/user.py b/atst/models/user.py
index 1a156fec..971f0a94 100644
--- a/atst/models/user.py
+++ b/atst/models/user.py
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ class User(
     permission_sets = relationship("PermissionSet", secondary=users_permission_sets)
 
     portfolio_roles = relationship("PortfolioRole", backref="user")
+    application_roles = relationship("ApplicationRole", backref="user")
 
     email = Column(String, unique=True)
     dod_id = Column(String, unique=True, nullable=False)
diff --git a/tests/factories.py b/tests/factories.py
index 9b1174c4..21116cfd 100644
--- a/tests/factories.py
+++ b/tests/factories.py
@@ -4,22 +4,14 @@ import string
 import factory
 from uuid import uuid4
 import datetime
-from faker import Faker as _Faker
 
 from atst.forms import data
-from atst.models.attachment import Attachment
-from atst.models.environment import Environment
-from atst.models.application import Application
-from atst.models.task_order import TaskOrder
-from atst.models.user import User
-from atst.models.permission_set import PermissionSet
-from atst.models.portfolio import Portfolio
-from atst.domain.permission_sets import PermissionSets, PORTFOLIO_PERMISSION_SETS
-from atst.models.portfolio_role import PortfolioRole, Status as PortfolioRoleStatus
-from atst.models.environment_role import EnvironmentRole
-from atst.models.invitation import Invitation, Status as InvitationStatus
-from atst.models.dd_254 import DD254
+from atst.models import *
+from atst.models.portfolio_role import Status as PortfolioRoleStatus
+from atst.models.application_role import Status as ApplicationRoleStatus
+from atst.models.invitation import Status as InvitationStatus
 from atst.domain.invitations import Invitations
+from atst.domain.permission_sets import PermissionSets
 from atst.domain.portfolio_roles import PortfolioRoles
 
 
@@ -169,6 +161,20 @@ class ApplicationFactory(Base):
         with_environments = kwargs.pop("environments", [])
         application = super()._create(model_class, *args, **kwargs)
 
+        # need to create application roles for environment users
+        app_members_from_envs = set()
+        for env in with_environments:
+            with_members = env.get("members", [])
+            for member_data in with_members:
+                member = member_data.get("user", UserFactory.create())
+                app_members_from_envs.add(member)
+                # set for environments in case we just created the
+                # user for the application
+                member_data["user"] = member
+
+        for member in app_members_from_envs:
+            ApplicationRoleFactory.create(application=application, user=member)
+
         environments = [
             EnvironmentFactory.create(application=application, **e)
             for e in with_environments
@@ -207,6 +213,16 @@ class PortfolioRoleFactory(Base):
     permission_sets = factory.LazyFunction(base_portfolio_permission_sets)
 
 
+class ApplicationRoleFactory(Base):
+    class Meta:
+        model = ApplicationRole
+
+    application = factory.SubFactory(ApplicationFactory)
+    user = factory.SubFactory(UserFactory)
+    status = ApplicationRoleStatus.PENDING
+    permission_sets = []
+
+
 class EnvironmentRoleFactory(Base):
     class Meta:
         model = EnvironmentRole
diff --git a/tests/models/test_application.py b/tests/models/test_application.py
index 7701fbaf..d7bf564b 100644
--- a/tests/models/test_application.py
+++ b/tests/models/test_application.py
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
-from atst.domain.environments import Environments
-from tests.factories import ApplicationFactory, UserFactory
+from tests.factories import ApplicationFactory, ApplicationRoleFactory
 
 
 def test_application_num_users():
@@ -8,15 +7,5 @@ def test_application_num_users():
     )
     assert application.num_users == 0
 
-    first_env = application.environments[0]
-    user1 = UserFactory()
-    Environments.add_member(first_env, user1, "developer")
+    ApplicationRoleFactory.create(application=application)
     assert application.num_users == 1
-
-    second_env = application.environments[-1]
-    Environments.add_member(second_env, user1, "developer")
-    assert application.num_users == 1
-
-    user2 = UserFactory()
-    Environments.add_member(second_env, user2, "developer")
-    assert application.num_users == 2