diff --git a/lib/auth/auth.lisp b/lib/auth/auth.lisp
index 0c4544f..b6cdff0 100644
--- a/lib/auth/auth.lisp
+++ b/lib/auth/auth.lisp
@@ -21,8 +21,11 @@
 (defun setup (cfg)
   (let* ((auth (make-instance 'simple-authenticator))
          (ctx (core:default-setup cfg 'context :authenticator auth))
-         (cred (admin-credentials cfg)))
-    (setf (gethash :admin (principals auth)) cred)
+         (cred (admin-credentials cfg))
+         (head '(:system :admin))
+         (data (list :credentials cred))
+         (admin (make-instance 'principal :head head :data data)))
+    (setf (gethash :admin (principals auth)) admin)
     ctx))
 
 ;;;; simple / basic auth service implementation
@@ -47,7 +50,8 @@
   (let* ((srv (core:find-service :auth))
          (auth (authenticator srv))
          (admin (gethash :admin (principals auth))))
-    (util:lgi cred admin)))
+    (util:lgi cred admin)
+    admin))
 
 ;;;; auxiliary functions
 
diff --git a/lib/auth/test/test-auth.lisp b/lib/auth/test/test-auth.lisp
index 3cca97f..93518bd 100644
--- a/lib/auth/test/test-auth.lisp
+++ b/lib/auth/test/test-auth.lisp
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
                     (:cs-hx :scopes/frontend/cs-hx)
                     (:logging :scopes/logging)
                     (:server :scopes/web/server)
+                    (:shape :scopes/shape)
                     (:t :scopes/testing))
   (:import-from :scopes/testing #:deftest #:==)
   (:export #:run))
@@ -31,6 +32,8 @@
       (t:show-result))))
 
 (deftest test-login ()
-  (let ((cred '(:login "admin" :password "secret")))
-    (auth:login cred)
+  (let ((cred '(:login "admin" :password "secret"))
+        pr1)
+    (setf pr1 (auth:login cred))
+    (== (shape:head-value pr1 :short-name) :admin)
     ))