diff --git a/lib/app/schema.js b/lib/app/schema.js
index 9f40e24859..7849c72508 100644
--- a/lib/app/schema.js
+++ b/lib/app/schema.js
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ userSchema = {
 
 module.exports.newUserObject = function() {
   var guid, newUser, task, _i, _len, _ref;
-  newUser = require('node.extend')(true, {}, userSchema);
+  newUser = _.clone(userSchema);
   _ref = content.defaultTasks;
   for (_i = 0, _len = _ref.length; _i < _len; _i++) {
     task = _ref[_i];
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 3142084099..d688130f82 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@
     "everyauth": "git://github.com/bnoguchi/everyauth#express3",
     "derby-ui-boot": "*",
     "guid": "*",
-    "node.extend": "*",
     "moment": "*",
     "stripe": "*",
     "async": "*",
diff --git a/src/app/schema.coffee b/src/app/schema.coffee
index 858b9a9e5e..0f2d452725 100644
--- a/src/app/schema.coffee
+++ b/src/app/schema.coffee
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ userSchema = {
 
 module.exports.newUserObject = ->
     # deep clone, else further new users get duplicate objects
-  newUser = require('node.extend')(true, {}, userSchema)
+  newUser = _.clone(userSchema)
   for task in content.defaultTasks
     guid = task.id = require('derby/node_modules/racer').uuid()
     newUser.tasks[guid] = task