Index: includes/features.user.inc
===================================================================
--- includes/features.user.inc	(revision 207)
+++ includes/features.user.inc	(working copy)
@@ -119,19 +119,13 @@
   $defaults = module_invoke_all('user_default_permissions');
   foreach ($defaults as $permission) {
     foreach ($permission['roles'] as $role) {
-      // Ensure that each role exists. If it does not, create it and store the rid.
-      if (!isset($roles[$role])) {
-        $record = array('name' => $role);
-        drupal_write_record('role', $record);
-        $roles[$role] = array(
-          'rid' => $record['rid'],
-          'perm' => array(),
-        );
+      // Only add permissions if the role exists.
+      if (isset($roles[$role])) {
+        $perm = $permission['name'];
+        if (!in_array($perm, $roles[$role]['perm'])) {
+          $roles[$role]['perm'][] = $perm;
+        }
       }
-      $perm = $permission['name'];
-      if (!in_array($perm, $roles[$role]['perm'])) {
-        $roles[$role]['perm'][] = $perm;
-      }
     }
   }