diff --git a/src/models/actions/create/CreateSelfServiceCitizenRunner.ts b/src/models/actions/create/CreateSelfServiceCitizenRunner.ts
index d3a9d12..93ad392 100644
--- a/src/models/actions/create/CreateSelfServiceCitizenRunner.ts
+++ b/src/models/actions/create/CreateSelfServiceCitizenRunner.ts
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ export class CreateSelfServiceCitizenRunner extends CreateParticipant {
     public async toEntity(): Promise<Runner> {
         let newRunner: Runner = new Runner();
 
+        newRunner.created_via = "selfservice";
         newRunner.firstname = this.firstname;
         newRunner.middlename = this.middlename;
         newRunner.lastname = this.lastname;
diff --git a/src/models/actions/create/CreateSelfServiceRunner.ts b/src/models/actions/create/CreateSelfServiceRunner.ts
index 953db43..163a16d 100644
--- a/src/models/actions/create/CreateSelfServiceRunner.ts
+++ b/src/models/actions/create/CreateSelfServiceRunner.ts
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ export class CreateSelfServiceRunner extends CreateParticipant {
     public async toEntity(group: RunnerGroup): Promise<Runner> {
         let newRunner: Runner = new Runner();
 
+        newRunner.created_via = "selfservice";
         newRunner.firstname = this.firstname;
         newRunner.middlename = this.middlename;
         newRunner.lastname = this.lastname;
diff --git a/src/models/entities/Participant.ts b/src/models/entities/Participant.ts
index ccf7656..ba0c741 100644
--- a/src/models/entities/Participant.ts
+++ b/src/models/entities/Participant.ts
@@ -75,6 +75,14 @@ export abstract class Participant {
   @IsEmail()
   email?: string;
 
+  /**
+   * how the participant got into the system
+   */
+  @Column({ nullable: true, default: "backend" })
+  @IsOptional()
+  @IsEmail()
+  created_via?: string;
+
   /**
    * Turns this entity into it's response class.
    */
diff --git a/src/models/responses/ResponseParticipant.ts b/src/models/responses/ResponseParticipant.ts
index b5ca124..5262f89 100644
--- a/src/models/responses/ResponseParticipant.ts
+++ b/src/models/responses/ResponseParticipant.ts
@@ -50,6 +50,12 @@ export abstract class ResponseParticipant implements IResponse {
     @IsString()
     email?: string;
 
+    /**
+     * how the participant got into the system
+     */
+    @IsString()
+    created_via?: string;
+
     /**
      * The participant's address.
      */