diff --git a/src/node/handler/PadMessageHandler.js b/src/node/handler/PadMessageHandler.js
index 913433b0..16068680 100644
--- a/src/node/handler/PadMessageHandler.js
+++ b/src/node/handler/PadMessageHandler.js
@@ -465,6 +465,7 @@ function handleUserChanges(client, message)
   var baseRev = message.data.baseRev;
   var wireApool = (new AttributePool()).fromJsonable(message.data.apool);
   var changeset = message.data.changeset;
+  var thisAuthor = sessioninfos[client.id].author;
       
   var r, apool, pad;
     
@@ -545,8 +546,6 @@ function handleUserChanges(client, message)
         return;
       }
         
-      var thisAuthor = sessioninfos[client.id].author;
-        
       pad.appendRevision(changeset, thisAuthor);
         
       var correctionChangeset = _correctMarkersInPad(pad.atext, pad.pool);