diff --git a/Gemfile b/Gemfile
index 2c8fd572..7847bfd9 100644
--- a/Gemfile
+++ b/Gemfile
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@ group :development, :test do
   gem 'rspec', '>= 3.0.0.beta'
   gem 'rspec-rails', '>= 3.0.0.beta'
   gem 'capybara'
+  gem 'database_cleaner'
 end
 
 # FIXME: We should use http://weblog.rubyonrails.org/2012/3/21/strong-parameters/ 
diff --git a/Gemfile.lock b/Gemfile.lock
index 58e6d2a8..1e787f6e 100644
--- a/Gemfile.lock
+++ b/Gemfile.lock
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ GEM
       thor
     d3_rails (3.4.6)
       railties (>= 3.1.0)
+    database_cleaner (1.2.0)
     devise (3.2.4)
       bcrypt (~> 3.0)
       orm_adapter (~> 0.1)
@@ -305,6 +306,7 @@ DEPENDENCIES
   cocoon
   coveralls
   d3_rails
+  database_cleaner
   devise
   factory_girl_rails
   formtastic (~> 2.3.0.rc3)
diff --git a/app/controllers/admin/conference_controller.rb b/app/controllers/admin/conference_controller.rb
index 0027ff77..70e56897 100644
--- a/app/controllers/admin/conference_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/admin/conference_controller.rb
@@ -16,17 +16,23 @@ class Admin::ConferenceController < ApplicationController
   def create
     @conference = Conference.new(params[:conference])
     if @conference.save
-      redirect_to(admin_conference_path(:id => @conference.short_title), :notice => 'Conference was successfully created.')
+      redirect_to(admin_conference_path(id: @conference.short_title),
+                  notice: 'Conference was successfully created.')
     else
-      render :action => "new"
+      render action: 'new'
     end
   end
 
   def update
     @conference = Conference.find_by(short_title: params[:id])
-    @conference.update_attributes(params[:conference])
-    flash[:notice] = "Updated Conference"
-    redirect_to(admin_conference_path(:id => @conference.short_title), :notice => 'Conference was successfully updated.')
+    short_title = @conference.short_title
+    if @conference.update_attributes(params[:conference])
+      redirect_to(admin_conference_path(id: @conference.short_title),
+                  notice: 'Conference was successfully updated.')
+    else
+      redirect_to(admin_conference_path(id: short_title),
+                  notice: 'Conference update failed.')
+    end
   end
 
   def show
@@ -34,7 +40,7 @@ class Admin::ConferenceController < ApplicationController
     @conference = Conference.find_by(short_title: params[:id])
     respond_to do |format|
       format.html
-      format.json { render :json => @conference.to_json }
+      format.json { render json: @conference.to_json }
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/app/models/user.rb b/app/models/user.rb
index d4a32cf7..e62da4db 100644
--- a/app/models/user.rb
+++ b/app/models/user.rb
@@ -14,12 +14,12 @@ class User < ActiveRecord::Base
   accepts_nested_attributes_for :person
   accepts_nested_attributes_for :roles
 
-  before_save :setup_role
+  before_create :setup_role
   before_create :create_person
 
   def role?(role)
     Rails.logger.debug("Checking role in user")
-    return !!self.roles.find_by_name(role.to_s.camelize)
+    !!roles.find_by_name(role.to_s.downcase.camelize)
   end
 
   def get_roles
@@ -27,12 +27,14 @@ class User < ActiveRecord::Base
   end
 
   def setup_role
-    if self.id == 1
-      self.role_ids = [3]
+    if User.count == 0
+      admin = Role.where(name: 'Admin').first
+      self.role_ids = [admin.id] unless admin.nil?
     end
-    
+
     if self.role_ids.empty?
-      self.role_ids = [1]
+      participant = Role.where(name: 'Participant').first
+      self.role_ids = [participant.id] unless participant.nil?
     end
   end
 
diff --git a/spec/controllers/conferences_controller_spec.rb b/spec/controllers/conferences_controller_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e53462aa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/controllers/conferences_controller_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,231 @@
+#!/bin/env ruby
+# encoding: utf-8
+require 'spec_helper'
+
+describe Admin::ConferenceController do
+
+  shared_examples 'access as administration or organizer' do
+
+    describe 'PATCH #update' do
+      context 'valid attributes' do
+        it 'locates the requested @conference' do
+          patch :update, id: @conference.short_title, conference:
+              attributes_for(:conference, title: 'Example Con')
+
+          expect(assigns(:conference)).to eq(@conference)
+        end
+
+        it 'changes @conference attributes' do
+          patch :update, id: @conference.short_title, conference:
+              attributes_for(:conference, title: 'Example Con',
+                                          short_title: 'ExCon')
+
+          @conference.reload
+          expect(@conference.title).to eq('Example Con')
+          expect(@conference.short_title).to eq('ExCon')
+        end
+
+        it 'redirects to the updated @conference' do
+          patch :update, id: @conference.short_title, conference:
+              attributes_for(:conference, title: 'Example Con')
+
+          expect(response).to redirect_to admin_conference_path(
+                                              @conference.short_title)
+        end
+      end
+
+      context 'invalid attributes' do
+        it 'does not change conference attributes' do
+          patch :update, id: @conference.short_title, conference:
+              attributes_for(:conference, title: 'Example Con',
+                                          short_title: nil)
+
+          @conference.reload
+          expect(@conference.title).to eq('The dog and pony show')
+          expect(@conference.short_title).to eq('dps14')
+        end
+
+        it 're-renders the #show template' do
+          patch :update, id: @conference.short_title, conference:
+              attributes_for(:conference, title: 'Example Con',
+                                          short_title: nil)
+
+          expect(response).to redirect_to admin_conference_path(
+                                              @conference.short_title)
+        end
+      end
+    end
+
+    describe 'POST #create' do
+      context 'with valid attributes' do
+        it 'saves the conference to the database' do
+          expected = expect do
+            post :create, conference:
+                attributes_for(:conference, short_title: 'dps15')
+          end
+          expected.to change { Conference.count }.by 1
+        end
+
+        it 'redirects to conference#show' do
+          post :create, conference:
+              attributes_for(:conference, short_title: 'dps15')
+
+          expect(response).to redirect_to admin_conference_path(
+                                              assigns[:conference].short_title)
+        end
+      end
+
+      context 'with invalid attributes' do
+        it 'does not save the conference to the database' do
+          expected = expect do
+            post :create, conference:
+                attributes_for(:conference, short_title: nil)
+          end
+          expected.to_not change { Conference.count }
+        end
+
+        it 're-renders the new template' do
+          post :create, conference:
+              attributes_for(:conference, short_title: nil)
+          expect(response).to render_template :new
+        end
+      end
+
+      context 'with duplicate conference short title' do
+        it 'does not save the conference to the database' do
+          expected = expect do
+            post :create, conference:
+                attributes_for(:conference)
+          end
+          expected.to_not change { Conference.count }
+        end
+
+        it 're-renders the new template' do
+          post :create, conference: attributes_for(:conference)
+          expect(response).to render_template :new
+        end
+      end
+    end
+
+    describe 'GET #show' do
+      it 'assigns the requested conference to @conference' do
+        get :show, id: @conference.short_title
+        expect(assigns(:conference)).to eq @conference
+      end
+
+      it 'renders the show template' do
+        get :show, id: @conference.short_title
+        expect(response).to render_template :show
+      end
+    end
+
+    describe 'GET #index' do
+      it 'populates an array with conferences' do
+        con2 = create(:conference, short_title: 'dps15',
+                                   title: 'The dog and pony show 2015')
+        get :index
+        expect(assigns(:conferences)).to match_array([@conference, con2])
+      end
+
+      it 'renders the index template' do
+        get :index
+        expect(response).to render_template :index
+      end
+    end
+
+    describe 'GET #new' do
+      it 'assigns a new conference to @conference' do
+        get :new
+        expect(assigns(:conference)).to be_a_new(Conference)
+      end
+
+      it 'renders the :new template' do
+        get :new
+        expect(response).to render_template :new
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe 'administrator access' do
+    before(:each) do
+      @conference = create(:conference)
+      @admin = create(:admin)
+      sign_in(@admin)
+    end
+
+    it_behaves_like 'access as administration or organizer'
+
+  end
+
+  describe 'organizer access' do
+    before(:each) do
+      @conference = create(:conference)
+      @organizer = create(:organizer)
+      sign_in(@organizer)
+    end
+
+    it_behaves_like 'access as administration or organizer'
+
+  end
+
+  shared_examples 'access as participant or guest' do |success_path|
+    describe 'GET #show' do
+      it 'requires admin privileges' do
+        get :show, id: @conference.short_title
+        expect(response).to redirect_to(send(success_path))
+      end
+    end
+
+    describe 'GET #index' do
+      it 'requires admin privileges' do
+        get :index
+        expect(response).to redirect_to(send(success_path))
+      end
+    end
+
+    describe 'GET #new' do
+      it 'requires admin privileges' do
+        get :new
+        expect(response).to redirect_to(send(success_path))
+      end
+    end
+
+    describe 'POST #create' do
+      it 'requires admin privileges' do
+        post :create, conference: attributes_for(:conference,
+                                                 short_title: 'ExCon')
+        expect(response).to redirect_to(send(success_path))
+      end
+    end
+
+    describe 'PATCH #update' do
+      it 'requires admin privileges' do
+        patch :update, id: @conference.short_title,
+                       conference: attributes_for(:conference,
+                                                  short_title: 'ExCon')
+        expect(response).to redirect_to(send(success_path))
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe 'participant access' do
+    before(:each) do
+      @conference = create(:conference)
+      @participant = create(:participant)
+      sign_in(@participant)
+    end
+
+    it_behaves_like 'access as participant or guest', :root_path
+
+  end
+
+  describe 'guest access' do
+
+    before(:each) do
+      @conference = create(:conference)
+    end
+
+    it_behaves_like 'access as participant or guest', :new_user_session_path
+
+  end
+end
diff --git a/spec/factories/role.rb b/spec/factories/role.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6d56375f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/factories/role.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+FactoryGirl.define do
+  factory :role do
+
+    factory :admin_role do
+      name 'Admin'
+    end
+
+    factory :organizer_role do
+      name 'Organizer'
+    end
+
+    factory :participant_role do
+      name 'Participant'
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/spec/factories/users.rb b/spec/factories/users.rb
index 0334d49e..5fe55ab8 100644
--- a/spec/factories/users.rb
+++ b/spec/factories/users.rb
@@ -6,5 +6,17 @@ FactoryGirl.define do
     password 'changeme'
     password_confirmation 'changeme'
     confirmed_at Time.now
+
+    factory :participant do
+      after(:create) { |user| user.role_ids = create(:participant_role).id }
+    end
+
+    factory :admin do
+      after(:create) { |user| user.role_ids = create(:admin_role).id }
+    end
+
+    factory :organizer do
+      after(:create) { |user| user.role_ids = create(:organizer_role).id }
+    end
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/models/user_spec.rb b/spec/models/user_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..391d96a9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/models/user_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+#!/bin/env ruby
+# encoding: utf-8
+require 'spec_helper'
+
+describe User do
+
+  # It is necessary to build roles before user
+  let!(:organizer_role) { create(:organizer_role) }
+  let!(:participant_role) { create(:participant_role) }
+  let!(:admin_role) { create(:admin_role) }
+  let!(:admin) { create(:user) }
+
+  it 'returns the correct role' do
+    participant = create(:user, email: 'participant@example.de')
+    expect(admin.roles.first).to eq(admin_role)
+    expect(participant.roles.first).to eq(participant_role)
+  end
+
+  it 'returns the correct roles' do
+    roles = [organizer_role.id, participant_role.id, admin_role.id]
+    user_with_all_roles = create(:user, email: 'participant@example.de')
+    user_with_all_roles.role_ids = roles
+    user_with_all_roles.save
+
+    expect(user_with_all_roles.roles.length).to eq(3)
+    expect(user_with_all_roles.roles[0]).to eq(participant_role)
+    expect(user_with_all_roles.roles[1]).to eq(organizer_role)
+    expect(user_with_all_roles.roles[2]).to eq(admin_role)
+  end
+
+  describe '#role?' do
+    shared_examples '#role?' do |user, role, expected|
+      it "returns #{expected} for #{role}" do
+        user_obj = create(user, email: 'e@example.com')
+        expect(user_obj.role?(role)).to be expected
+        expect(user_obj.role?(role.downcase)).to be expected
+        expect(user_obj.role?(role.upcase)).to be expected
+        expect(user_obj.role?(role.downcase.capitalize)).to be expected
+      end
+    end
+
+    context 'admin' do
+      it_behaves_like '#role?', :admin, 'orgAnizer', false
+      it_behaves_like '#role?', :admin, 'adMin', true
+      it_behaves_like '#role?', :admin, 'partiCipant', false
+
+      it 'assigns first user admin role' do
+        expect(admin.role?('Admin')).to be true
+        expect(admin.role_ids).to match_array([admin_role.id])
+      end
+    end
+
+    context 'participant' do
+      it_behaves_like '#role?', :participant, 'orgAnizer', false
+      it_behaves_like '#role?', :participant, 'adMin', false
+      it_behaves_like '#role?', :participant, 'partiCipant', true
+
+      it 'assigns second user participant role' do
+        participant = create(:user, email: 'participant@example.de')
+        expect(participant.role_ids).to match_array([participant_role.id])
+      end
+    end
+
+    context 'organizer' do
+      it_behaves_like '#role?', :organizer, 'orgAnizer', true
+      it_behaves_like '#role?', :organizer, 'adMin', false
+      it_behaves_like '#role?', :organizer, 'partiCipant', false
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/spec/spec_helper.rb b/spec/spec_helper.rb
index 0df96be7..4a3c03f8 100644
--- a/spec/spec_helper.rb
+++ b/spec/spec_helper.rb
@@ -1,12 +1,11 @@
 require 'coveralls'
 Coveralls.wear!('rails')
 # This file is copied to spec/ when you run 'rails generate rspec:install'
-ENV["RAILS_ENV"] ||= 'test'
-require File.expand_path("../../config/environment", __FILE__)
+ENV['RAILS_ENV'] ||= 'test'
+require File.expand_path('../../config/environment', __FILE__)
 
 if Rails.configuration.database_configuration['test']['database'] == ':memory:'
   load "#{Rails.root}/db/schema.rb"
-  load "#{Rails.root}/db/seeds.rb"
 end
 
 require 'rspec/rails'
@@ -18,7 +17,7 @@ require 'rspec/rails'
 # run twice. It is recommended that you do not name files matching this glob to
 # end with _spec.rb. You can configure this pattern with with the --pattern
 # option on the command line or in ~/.rspec, .rspec or `.rspec-local`.
-Dir[Rails.root.join("spec/support/**/*.rb")].each { |f| require f }
+Dir[Rails.root.join('spec/support/**/*.rb')].each { |f| require f }
 
 RSpec.configure do |config|
   # ## Mock Framework
@@ -35,17 +34,20 @@ RSpec.configure do |config|
   # If you're not using ActiveRecord, or you'd prefer not to run each of your
   # examples within a transaction, remove the following line or assign false
   # instead of true.
-  config.use_transactional_fixtures = true
+  config.use_transactional_fixtures = false
 
   # Run specs in random order to surface order dependencies. If you find an
   # order dependency and want to debug it, you can fix the order by providing
   # the seed, which is printed after each run.
   #     --seed 1234
-  config.order = "random"
+  config.order = 'random'
 
   # Include factory_girls syntax
   config.include FactoryGirl::Syntax::Methods
 
+  # Enables devise sign_in function
+  config.include Devise::TestHelpers, type: :controller
+
   # As we start from scratch in April 2014, let's forbid the old :should syntax
   config.expect_with :rspec do |c|
     c.syntax = :expect
diff --git a/spec/support/database_cleaner.rb b/spec/support/database_cleaner.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..284790b7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/support/database_cleaner.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+RSpec.configure do |config|
+
+  config.before(:suite) do
+    DatabaseCleaner.clean_with(:truncation)
+  end
+
+  config.before(:each) do
+    DatabaseCleaner.strategy = :transaction
+  end
+
+  config.before(:each, js: true) do
+    DatabaseCleaner.strategy = :truncation
+  end
+
+  config.before(:each) do
+    DatabaseCleaner.start
+  end
+
+  config.after(:each) do
+    DatabaseCleaner.clean
+  end
+end