diff --git a/modules/backend/classes/AuthManager.php b/modules/backend/classes/AuthManager.php
index 8423aa38f..f78e33c6d 100644
--- a/modules/backend/classes/AuthManager.php
+++ b/modules/backend/classes/AuthManager.php
@@ -162,6 +162,34 @@ class AuthManager extends RainAuthManager
         return $tabs;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * {@inheritdoc}
+     */
+    protected function createUserModelQuery()
+    {
+        return parent::createUserModelQuery()->withTrashed();
+    }
+
+
+    /**
+     * {@inheritdoc}
+     */
+    protected function validateUserModel($user)
+    {
+        if ( ! $user instanceof $this->userModel) {
+            return false;
+        }
+
+        // Perform the deleted_at check manually since the relevant migrations
+        // might not have been run yet during the update to build 444.
+        // @see https://github.com/octobercms/october/issues/3999
+        if (array_key_exists('deleted_at', $user->getAttributes()) && $user->deleted_at !== null) {
+            return false;
+        }
+
+        return $user;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Returns an array of registered permissions belonging to a given role code
      * @param string $role