diff --git a/packages/api/src/record.ts b/packages/api/src/record.ts
index b7e8701b5..3868d11d8 100644
--- a/packages/api/src/record.ts
+++ b/packages/api/src/record.ts
@@ -253,7 +253,7 @@ export class Record implements RecordModel {
   get protocolPath() { return this.descriptor.protocolPath; }
 
   /** Role under which the author is writing the record */
-  get protocolRole() { return this.protocolRole; }
+  get protocolRole() { return this._protocolRole; }
 
   /** Record's recipient */
   get recipient() { return this.descriptor.recipient; }
diff --git a/packages/api/tests/record.spec.ts b/packages/api/tests/record.spec.ts
index 3ad12f4f6..f6840774f 100644
--- a/packages/api/tests/record.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/api/tests/record.spec.ts
@@ -300,7 +300,6 @@ describe('Record', () => {
     const record = new Record(testHarness.agent, {
       ...recordsWrite.message,
       encodedData  : dataBlob,
-      author       : aliceDid.uri,
       connectedDid : aliceDid.uri
     });
 
@@ -2011,7 +2010,6 @@ describe('Record', () => {
       const record = new Record(testHarness.agent, {
         ...recordsWrite.message,
         encodedData  : dataBlob,
-        author       : aliceDid.uri,
         connectedDid : aliceDid.uri,
       });