diff --git a/system/blueprints/user/account.yaml b/system/blueprints/user/account.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9bfef3f03
--- /dev/null
+++ b/system/blueprints/user/account.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,81 @@
+title: Site
+form:
+    validation: loose
+    fields:
+
+        content:
+            type: section
+            title: Account
+
+            fields:
+                username:
+                    type: unset
+
+                password:
+                    type: password
+                    size: large
+                    label: Password
+                    validate:
+                      required: true
+
+                email:
+                    type: text
+                    size: large
+                    label: Email
+                    validate:
+                      required: true
+
+                fullname:
+                    type: text
+                    size: large
+                    label: Full name
+                    validate:
+                      required: true
+
+                title:
+                    type: text
+                    size: large
+                    label: Title
+
+        admin:
+            type: section
+            title: Admin Access
+
+            fields:
+                access.admin.super:
+                    type: toggle
+                    label: Super user
+                    default: 0
+                    highlight: 1
+                    options:
+                        1: Yes
+                        0: No
+                    validate:
+                        type: bool
+
+                access.admin.login:
+                    type: toggle
+                    label: Admin login
+                    default: 0
+                    highlight: 1
+                    options:
+                        1: Yes
+                        0: No
+                    validate:
+                        type: bool
+
+        site:
+            type: section
+            title: Site Access
+
+            fields:
+                access.site.login:
+                    type: toggle
+                    label: Site login
+                    default: 1
+                    highlight: 1
+                    options:
+                        1: Yes
+                        0: No
+                    validate:
+                        type: bool
diff --git a/system/src/Grav/Common/User/User.php b/system/src/Grav/Common/User/User.php
index 678085c13..e9626eda4 100644
--- a/system/src/Grav/Common/User/User.php
+++ b/system/src/Grav/Common/User/User.php
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 <?php
 namespace Grav\Common\User;
 
+use Grav\Common\Data\Blueprints;
 use Grav\Common\Data\Data;
+use Grav\Common\File\CompiledYamlFile;
 
 /**
  * User object
@@ -11,6 +13,30 @@ use Grav\Common\Data\Data;
  */
 class User extends Data
 {
+    /**
+     * Load user account.
+     *
+     * Always creates user object. To check if user exists, use $this->exists().
+     *
+     * @param string $username
+     * @return User
+     */
+    public static function load($username)
+    {
+        // FIXME: validate directory name
+        $blueprints = new Blueprints('blueprints://user');
+        $blueprint = $blueprints->get('account');
+        $file = CompiledYamlFile::instance(ACCOUNTS_DIR . $username . YAML_EXT);
+        $content = $file->content();
+        if (!isset($content['username'])) {
+            $content['username'] = $username;
+        }
+        $user = new User($content, $blueprint);
+        $user->file($file);
+
+        return $user;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Authenticate user.
      *