diff --git a/app/serializers/user_serializer.rb b/app/serializers/user_serializer.rb
index 1e45721b685..c54147747ed 100644
--- a/app/serializers/user_serializer.rb
+++ b/app/serializers/user_serializer.rb
@@ -73,7 +73,8 @@ class UserSerializer < BasicUserSerializer
              :primary_group_flair_bg_color,
              :primary_group_flair_color,
              :staged,
-             :second_factor_enabled
+             :second_factor_enabled,
+             :external_id
 
   has_one :invited_by, embed: :object, serializer: BasicUserSerializer
   has_many :groups, embed: :object, serializer: BasicGroupSerializer
@@ -287,6 +288,14 @@ class UserSerializer < BasicUserSerializer
     object.try(:primary_group).try(:flair_color)
   end
 
+  def external_id
+    object&.single_sign_on_record&.external_id
+  end
+
+  def include_external_id?
+    SiteSetting.enable_sso
+  end
+
   ###
   ### STAFF ATTRIBUTES
   ###
diff --git a/spec/serializers/user_serializer_spec.rb b/spec/serializers/user_serializer_spec.rb
index 6ed8891c646..4502640b488 100644
--- a/spec/serializers/user_serializer_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/serializers/user_serializer_spec.rb
@@ -196,4 +196,28 @@ describe UserSerializer do
       expect(json[:custom_fields]['secret_field']).to eq(nil)
     end
   end
+
+  context "when SSO is enabled" do
+    it "sets the external_id field" do
+      SiteSetting.sso_url = "http://example.com/discourse_sso"
+      SiteSetting.sso_secret = "abcdefghijklmnop"
+      SiteSetting.enable_sso = true
+      sso = DiscourseSingleSignOn.new
+      sso.username = "test"
+      sso.email = "test@example.com"
+      sso.external_id = "1"
+      user = sso.lookup_or_create_user
+      json = UserSerializer.new(user, scope: Guardian.new, root: false).as_json
+      expect(json[:external_id]).to eq("1")
+    end
+  end
+
+  context "when SSO is not enabled" do
+    let(:user) { Fabricate(:user) }
+    let(:json) { UserSerializer.new(user, scope: Guardian.new, root: false).as_json }
+    it "doesn't include the external_id field" do
+      SiteSetting.enable_sso = false
+      expect(json).not_to have_key(:external_id)
+    end
+  end
 end