diff --git a/lib/pleroma/user/query.ex b/lib/pleroma/user/query.ex
index 45553cb6c..d618432ff 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/user/query.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/user/query.ex
@@ -130,6 +130,7 @@ defp compose_query({:external, _}, query), do: location_query(query, false)
   defp compose_query({:active, _}, query) do
     User.restrict_deactivated(query)
     |> where([u], not is_nil(u.nickname))
+    |> where([u], u.approval_pending == false)
   end
 
   defp compose_query({:legacy_active, _}, query) do
diff --git a/lib/pleroma/web/controller_helper.ex b/lib/pleroma/web/controller_helper.ex
index 69946fb81..6445966e0 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/web/controller_helper.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/web/controller_helper.ex
@@ -18,6 +18,12 @@ def falsy_param?(value),
 
   def truthy_param?(value), do: not falsy_param?(value)
 
+  def json_response(conn, status, _) when status in [204, :no_content] do
+    conn
+    |> put_resp_header("content-type", "application/json")
+    |> send_resp(status, "")
+  end
+
   def json_response(conn, status, json) do
     conn
     |> put_status(status)
diff --git a/priv/repo/migrations/20200811125613_set_defaults_to_user_approval_pending.exs b/priv/repo/migrations/20200811125613_set_defaults_to_user_approval_pending.exs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..eec7da03f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/priv/repo/migrations/20200811125613_set_defaults_to_user_approval_pending.exs
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+defmodule Pleroma.Repo.Migrations.SetDefaultsToUserApprovalPending do
+  use Ecto.Migration
+
+  def up do
+    execute("UPDATE users SET approval_pending = false WHERE approval_pending IS NULL")
+
+    alter table(:users) do
+      modify(:approval_pending, :boolean, default: false, null: false)
+    end
+  end
+
+  def down do
+    :ok
+  end
+end
diff --git a/test/support/conn_case.ex b/test/support/conn_case.ex
index b23918dd1..7ef681258 100644
--- a/test/support/conn_case.ex
+++ b/test/support/conn_case.ex
@@ -56,6 +56,13 @@ defp request_content_type(%{conn: conn}) do
         [conn: conn]
       end
 
+      defp empty_json_response(conn) do
+        body = response(conn, 204)
+        response_content_type(conn, :json)
+
+        body
+      end
+
       defp json_response_and_validate_schema(
              %{
                private: %{
@@ -79,7 +86,7 @@ defp json_response_and_validate_schema(
         end
 
         schema = lookup[op_id].responses[status].content[content_type].schema
-        json = json_response(conn, status)
+        json = if status == 204, do: empty_json_response(conn), else: json_response(conn, status)
 
         case OpenApiSpex.cast_value(json, schema, spec) do
           {:ok, _data} ->
diff --git a/test/web/admin_api/controllers/admin_api_controller_test.exs b/test/web/admin_api/controllers/admin_api_controller_test.exs
index b5d5bd8c7..eca9272e0 100644
--- a/test/web/admin_api/controllers/admin_api_controller_test.exs
+++ b/test/web/admin_api/controllers/admin_api_controller_test.exs
@@ -439,7 +439,7 @@ test "it appends specified tags to users with specified nicknames", %{
       user1: user1,
       user2: user2
     } do
-      assert json_response(conn, :no_content)
+      assert empty_json_response(conn)
       assert User.get_cached_by_id(user1.id).tags == ["x", "foo", "bar"]
       assert User.get_cached_by_id(user2.id).tags == ["y", "foo", "bar"]
 
@@ -457,7 +457,7 @@ test "it appends specified tags to users with specified nicknames", %{
     end
 
     test "it does not modify tags of not specified users", %{conn: conn, user3: user3} do
-      assert json_response(conn, :no_content)
+      assert empty_json_response(conn)
       assert User.get_cached_by_id(user3.id).tags == ["unchanged"]
     end
   end
@@ -485,7 +485,7 @@ test "it removes specified tags from users with specified nicknames", %{
       user1: user1,
       user2: user2
     } do
-      assert json_response(conn, :no_content)
+      assert empty_json_response(conn)
       assert User.get_cached_by_id(user1.id).tags == []
       assert User.get_cached_by_id(user2.id).tags == ["y"]
 
@@ -503,7 +503,7 @@ test "it removes specified tags from users with specified nicknames", %{
     end
 
     test "it does not modify tags of not specified users", %{conn: conn, user3: user3} do
-      assert json_response(conn, :no_content)
+      assert empty_json_response(conn)
       assert User.get_cached_by_id(user3.id).tags == ["unchanged"]
     end
   end
@@ -1164,6 +1164,27 @@ test "load users with tags list", %{conn: conn} do
              }
     end
 
+    test "`active` filters out users pending approval", %{token: token} do
+      insert(:user, approval_pending: true)
+      %{id: user_id} = insert(:user, approval_pending: false)
+      %{id: admin_id} = token.user
+
+      conn =
+        build_conn()
+        |> assign(:user, token.user)
+        |> assign(:token, token)
+        |> get("/api/pleroma/admin/users?filters=active")
+
+      assert %{
+               "count" => 2,
+               "page_size" => 50,
+               "users" => [
+                 %{"id" => ^admin_id},
+                 %{"id" => ^user_id}
+               ]
+             } = json_response(conn, 200)
+    end
+
     test "it works with multiple filters" do
       admin = insert(:user, nickname: "john", is_admin: true)
       token = insert(:oauth_admin_token, user: admin)
@@ -1756,7 +1777,7 @@ test "sets password_reset_pending to true", %{conn: conn} do
       conn =
         patch(conn, "/api/pleroma/admin/users/force_password_reset", %{nicknames: [user.nickname]})
 
-      assert json_response(conn, 204) == ""
+      assert empty_json_response(conn) == ""
 
       ObanHelpers.perform_all()