diff --git a/satellite/admin/user.go b/satellite/admin/user.go
index 72c73cb85..ca87d56b2 100644
--- a/satellite/admin/user.go
+++ b/satellite/admin/user.go
@@ -834,12 +834,7 @@ func (server *Server) setGeofenceForUser(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request,
 		return
 	}
 
-	err = server.db.Console().Users().Update(ctx, user.ID, console.UpdateUserRequest{
-		Email:            &user.Email,
-		DefaultPlacement: placement,
-	})
-
-	if err != nil {
+	if err = server.db.Console().Users().UpdateDefaultPlacement(ctx, user.ID, placement); err != nil {
 		sendJSONError(w, "unable to set geofence for user",
 			err.Error(), http.StatusInternalServerError)
 		return
diff --git a/satellite/console/users.go b/satellite/console/users.go
index cae4b9a88..b7ada3d69 100644
--- a/satellite/console/users.go
+++ b/satellite/console/users.go
@@ -46,6 +46,8 @@ type Users interface {
 	UpdateUserAgent(ctx context.Context, id uuid.UUID, userAgent []byte) error
 	// UpdateUserProjectLimits is a method to update the user's usage limits for new projects.
 	UpdateUserProjectLimits(ctx context.Context, id uuid.UUID, limits UsageLimits) error
+	// UpdateDefaultPlacement is a method to update the user's default placement for new projects.
+	UpdateDefaultPlacement(ctx context.Context, id uuid.UUID, placement storj.PlacementConstraint) error
 	// GetProjectLimit is a method to get the users project limit
 	GetProjectLimit(ctx context.Context, id uuid.UUID) (limit int, err error)
 	// GetUserProjectLimits is a method to get the users storage and bandwidth limits for new projects.
diff --git a/satellite/satellitedb/users.go b/satellite/satellitedb/users.go
index d7bfecb6e..5f460ae04 100644
--- a/satellite/satellitedb/users.go
+++ b/satellite/satellitedb/users.go
@@ -180,6 +180,10 @@ func (users *users) Insert(ctx context.Context, user *console.User) (_ *console.
 		optional.SignupCaptcha = dbx.User_SignupCaptcha(*user.SignupCaptcha)
 	}
 
+	if user.DefaultPlacement > 0 {
+		optional.DefaultPlacement = dbx.User_DefaultPlacement(int(user.DefaultPlacement))
+	}
+
 	createdUser, err := users.db.Create_User(ctx,
 		dbx.User_Id(user.ID[:]),
 		dbx.User_Email(user.Email),
@@ -339,6 +343,21 @@ func (users *users) UpdateUserProjectLimits(ctx context.Context, id uuid.UUID, l
 	return err
 }
 
+// UpdateDefaultPlacement is a method to update the user's default placement for new projects.
+func (users *users) UpdateDefaultPlacement(ctx context.Context, id uuid.UUID, placement storj.PlacementConstraint) (err error) {
+	defer mon.Task()(&ctx)(&err)
+
+	_, err = users.db.Update_User_By_Id(
+		ctx,
+		dbx.User_Id(id[:]),
+		dbx.User_Update_Fields{
+			DefaultPlacement: dbx.User_DefaultPlacement(int(placement)),
+		},
+	)
+
+	return err
+}
+
 // GetProjectLimit is a method to get the users project limit.
 func (users *users) GetProjectLimit(ctx context.Context, id uuid.UUID) (limit int, err error) {
 	defer mon.Task()(&ctx)(&err)
@@ -525,7 +544,10 @@ func toUpdateUser(request console.UpdateUserRequest) (*dbx.User_Update_Fields, e
 			update.LoginLockoutExpiration = dbx.User_LoginLockoutExpiration(**request.LoginLockoutExpiration)
 		}
 	}
-	update.DefaultPlacement = dbx.User_DefaultPlacement(int(request.DefaultPlacement))
+
+	if request.DefaultPlacement > 0 {
+		update.DefaultPlacement = dbx.User_DefaultPlacement(int(request.DefaultPlacement))
+	}
 
 	return &update, nil
 }
diff --git a/satellite/satellitedb/users_test.go b/satellite/satellitedb/users_test.go
index 0b5edbc28..cbca324ff 100644
--- a/satellite/satellitedb/users_test.go
+++ b/satellite/satellitedb/users_test.go
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 
+	"storj.io/common/storj"
 	"storj.io/common/testcontext"
 	"storj.io/common/testrand"
 	"storj.io/common/uuid"
@@ -63,11 +64,12 @@ func TestUpdateUser(t *testing.T) {
 		users := db.Console().Users()
 		id := testrand.UUID()
 		u, err := users.Insert(ctx, &console.User{
-			ID:           id,
-			FullName:     "testFullName",
-			ShortName:    "testShortName",
-			Email:        "test@storj.test",
-			PasswordHash: []byte("testPasswordHash"),
+			ID:               id,
+			FullName:         "testFullName",
+			ShortName:        "testShortName",
+			Email:            "test@storj.test",
+			PasswordHash:     []byte("testPasswordHash"),
+			DefaultPlacement: 12,
 		})
 		require.NoError(t, err)
 
@@ -85,6 +87,7 @@ func TestUpdateUser(t *testing.T) {
 			MFARecoveryCodes:       []string{"code1", "code2"},
 			FailedLoginCount:       1,
 			LoginLockoutExpiration: time.Now().Truncate(time.Second),
+			DefaultPlacement:       13,
 		}
 
 		require.NotEqual(t, u.FullName, newInfo.FullName)
@@ -100,6 +103,7 @@ func TestUpdateUser(t *testing.T) {
 		require.NotEqual(t, u.MFARecoveryCodes, newInfo.MFARecoveryCodes)
 		require.NotEqual(t, u.FailedLoginCount, newInfo.FailedLoginCount)
 		require.NotEqual(t, u.LoginLockoutExpiration, newInfo.LoginLockoutExpiration)
+		require.NotEqual(t, u.DefaultPlacement, newInfo.DefaultPlacement)
 
 		// update just fullname
 		updateReq := console.UpdateUserRequest{
@@ -285,6 +289,21 @@ func TestUpdateUser(t *testing.T) {
 
 		u.LoginLockoutExpiration = newInfo.LoginLockoutExpiration
 		require.Equal(t, u, updatedUser)
+
+		// update just the placement
+		defaultPlacement := &newInfo.DefaultPlacement
+		updateReq = console.UpdateUserRequest{
+			DefaultPlacement: *defaultPlacement,
+		}
+
+		err = users.Update(ctx, id, updateReq)
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+
+		updatedUser, err = users.Get(ctx, id)
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+
+		u.DefaultPlacement = newInfo.DefaultPlacement
+		require.Equal(t, u, updatedUser)
 	})
 }
 
@@ -312,6 +331,34 @@ func TestUpdateUserProjectLimits(t *testing.T) {
 	})
 }
 
+func TestUpdateDefaultPlacement(t *testing.T) {
+	satellitedbtest.Run(t, func(ctx *testcontext.Context, t *testing.T, db satellite.DB) {
+		usersRepo := db.Console().Users()
+
+		user, err := usersRepo.Insert(ctx, &console.User{
+			ID:           testrand.UUID(),
+			FullName:     "User",
+			Email:        "test@mail.test",
+			PasswordHash: []byte("123a123"),
+		})
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+
+		err = usersRepo.UpdateDefaultPlacement(ctx, user.ID, 12)
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+
+		user, err = usersRepo.Get(ctx, user.ID)
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+		require.Equal(t, storj.PlacementConstraint(12), user.DefaultPlacement)
+
+		err = usersRepo.UpdateDefaultPlacement(ctx, user.ID, storj.EveryCountry)
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+
+		user, err = usersRepo.Get(ctx, user.ID)
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+		require.Equal(t, storj.EveryCountry, user.DefaultPlacement)
+	})
+}
+
 func TestUserSettings(t *testing.T) {
 	satellitedbtest.Run(t, func(ctx *testcontext.Context, t *testing.T, db satellite.DB) {
 		users := db.Console().Users()