A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer program product for performing an automated task in a role-based access control environment. A set of roles is assigned to a user to form assigned roles, wherein the role-based access control environment allows the user to assume a subset of the assigned roles at a given time. Responsive to receiving a request to execute an automated task, an identity of the user creating the automated task is identified. Responsive to determining that the user creating the automated task is not logged in, a set of session roles are identified based on the identity of the user. A session is created for the automated task. The automated task is performed in the session using the set of session roles.