diff --git a/services/Record/RecordUtils.php b/services/Record/RecordUtils.php
index 115c990..cb8eb9f 100644
--- a/services/Record/RecordUtils.php
+++ b/services/Record/RecordUtils.php
@@ -147,7 +147,16 @@ function ht_link_data_from_json($e) {
     $rv['has_activated_role'] = $htstatus->has_activated_role &&
                                      (!$rv['is_fullview'] &&
 				 (!$open_to_no_one));
-		$rv['role_name'] = $htstatus->has_activated_role ? array_keys($htstatus->r)[0] : NULL;
+		# has_activated_role can be true if sssduser, and r will not be set in that case.
+		# Hence the check on $htstatus->r
+		$rv['role_name'] = NULL; # default
+		if (
+		  $htstatus->has_activated_role
+		  && $htstatus->r
+		  && count(array_keys($htstatus->r)) > 0
+		) {
+		  $rv['role_name'] = array_keys($htstatus->r)[0];
+		}
 
     return $rv;
   }
diff --git a/test/RecordUtilsTest.php b/test/RecordUtilsTest.php
index 15d0e22..9f2234d 100644
--- a/test/RecordUtilsTest.php
+++ b/test/RecordUtilsTest.php
@@ -152,6 +152,34 @@ public function test_ht_link_data_from_json_activated_role(): void {
     $this->assertEquals('resourceSharing', $data['role_name']);
   }
 
+  /**
+  * @covers RecordUtils::ht_link_data_from_json
+  * @runInSeparateProcess
+
+    ssduser results in activated role set to true but no role name, because ping
+    Clearly this is not optimal
+  */
+  public function test_ht_link_data_from_json_ssduser(): void {
+    global $htstatus;
+    # Setup for VFSession.php and DSession.php
+    $_SERVER['HTTP_HOST'] = 'localhost';
+    $_SERVER['SERVER_ADDR'] = '127.0.0.1';
+    $sample_json = array(
+      'rights' => 'ic',
+      'htid' => 'mdp.001',
+      'collection_code' => 'miu',
+      'enumcron' => 'v.1',
+      'heldby' => array('umich'),
+    );
+    $utils = new RecordUtils();
+    $htstatus->r = NULL;
+    $htstatus->u = true;
+    $htstatus->has_activated_role = true;
+    $data = $utils->ht_link_data_from_json($sample_json);
+    $this->assertEquals(true, $data['has_activated_role']);
+    $this->assertEquals(NULL, $data['role_name']);
+  }
+
   /**
   * @covers RecordUtils::is_fullview
   */