diff --git a/common/models/User-Identity.js b/common/models/User-Identity.js
index ff4508d0ad..3d88b478be 100644
--- a/common/models/User-Identity.js
+++ b/common/models/User-Identity.js
@@ -6,10 +6,17 @@ var defaultProfileImage =
 module.exports = function(UserIdent) {
 
  UserIdent.observe('before save', function(ctx, next) {
-  var userIdent = ctx.currentInstance;
-  // treat userIdent as immutable
+  var userIdent = ctx.currentInstance || ctx.instance;
+  if (userIdent) {
+    debug('no user identity instance found');
+    return next();
+  }
   userIdent.user(function(err, user) {
     if (err) { return next(err); }
+    if (!user) {
+      debug('no user attached to identity!');
+      return next();
+    }
     debug('got user', user.username);
 
     var picture = userIdent.profile && userIdent.profile[0] ?