diff --git a/app/notify_client/models.py b/app/notify_client/models.py
index 9c8093ff4..49e1b8ae3 100644
--- a/app/notify_client/models.py
+++ b/app/notify_client/models.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ class User(UserMixin):
         self._mobile_number = fields.get('mobile_number')
         self._password_changed_at = fields.get('password_changed_at')
         self._permissions = fields.get('permissions')
-        self._failed_login_count = 0
+        self._failed_login_count = fields.get('failed_login_count')
         self._state = fields.get('state')
         self.max_failed_login_count = max_failed_login_count
 
diff --git a/tests/app/main/views/test_sign_in.py b/tests/app/main/views/test_sign_in.py
index ef8569338..c3cc669d1 100644
--- a/tests/app/main/views/test_sign_in.py
+++ b/tests/app/main/views/test_sign_in.py
@@ -58,18 +58,6 @@ def test_should_return_locked_out_true_when_user_is_locked(app_,
         assert 'Username or password is incorrect' in resp.get_data(as_text=True)
 
 
-def test_should_return_active_user_is_false_if_user_is_inactive(app_, mock_get_user_by_email_inactive):
-
-    with app_.test_request_context():
-        response = app_.test_client().post(
-            url_for('main.sign_in'), data={
-                'email_address': 'inactive_user@example.gov.uk',
-                'password': 'val1dPassw0rd!'})
-
-    assert response.status_code == 200
-    assert 'Username or password is incorrect' in response.get_data(as_text=True)
-
-
 def test_should_return_200_when_user_does_not_exist(app_, mock_get_user_by_email_not_found):
     with app_.test_request_context():
         response = app_.test_client().post(
diff --git a/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
index be599df6b..589c04517 100644
--- a/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/conftest.py
@@ -401,12 +401,7 @@ def mock_get_user_by_email_locked(mocker, api_user_locked):
 
 @pytest.fixture(scope='function')
 def mock_get_user_by_email_inactive(mocker, api_user_pending):
-
-    def _get_user(email_address):
-        api_user_pending._email_address = email_address
-        api_user_pending._is_locked = True
-        return api_user_pending
-    return mocker.patch('app.user_api_client.get_user_by_email', side_effect=_get_user)
+    return mocker.patch('app.user_api_client.get_user_by_email', return_value=api_user_pending)
 
 
 @pytest.fixture(scope='function')