diff --git a/controllers/user.go b/controllers/user.go
index c9e387e3..78fb6ae8 100644
--- a/controllers/user.go
+++ b/controllers/user.go
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/gravitl/netmaker/logger"
 	"github.com/gravitl/netmaker/logic"
 	"github.com/gravitl/netmaker/models"
+	"github.com/gravitl/netmaker/servercfg"
 )
 
 func userHandlers(r *mux.Router) {
@@ -166,6 +167,11 @@ func createUser(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	// get node from body of request
 	_ = json.NewDecoder(r.Body).Decode(&user)
 
+	if !user.IsAdmin && isAddingComms(user.Networks) {
+		returnErrorResponse(w, r, formatError(fmt.Errorf("can not add comms network to non admin"), "badrequest"))
+		return
+	}
+
 	user, err := logic.CreateUser(user)
 
 	if err != nil {
@@ -194,6 +200,10 @@ func updateUserNetworks(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		returnErrorResponse(w, r, formatError(err, "internal"))
 		return
 	}
+	if !userchange.IsAdmin && isAddingComms(userchange.Networks) {
+		returnErrorResponse(w, r, formatError(fmt.Errorf("can not add comms network to non admin"), "badrequest"))
+		return
+	}
 
 	err = logic.UpdateUserNetworks(userchange.Networks, userchange.IsAdmin, &user)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -219,6 +229,10 @@ func updateUser(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		returnErrorResponse(w, r, formatError(fmt.Errorf("can not update user info for oauth user %s", username), "forbidden"))
 		return
 	}
+	if !user.IsAdmin && isAddingComms(user.Networks) {
+		returnErrorResponse(w, r, formatError(fmt.Errorf("can not add comms network to non admin"), "badrequest"))
+		return
+	}
 	var userchange models.User
 	// we decode our body request params
 	err = json.NewDecoder(r.Body).Decode(&userchange)
@@ -288,3 +302,13 @@ func deleteUser(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	logger.Log(1, username, "was deleted")
 	json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(params["username"] + " deleted.")
 }
+
+func isAddingComms(networks []string) bool {
+	commsID := servercfg.GetCommsID()
+	for i := range networks {
+		if networks[i] == commsID {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+	return false
+}