diff --git a/app/controllers/issues_controller.rb b/app/controllers/issues_controller.rb
index 058752e..1d0ffeb 100644
--- a/app/controllers/issues_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/issues_controller.rb
@@ -144,6 +144,27 @@ class IssuesController < ApplicationController
       @custom_values = @project.custom_fields_for_issues(@issue.tracker).collect { |x| CustomValue.new(:custom_field => x, 
                                                                                                        :customized => @issue,
                                                                                                        :value => (params[:custom_fields] ? params[:custom_fields][x.id.to_s] : nil)) }
+      
+      # Create search string to find this issues author
+      user_name = params[:user][:name]
+      case Setting.user_format
+        when :firstname_lastname then search = ['firstname = ? AND lastname = ?', user_name.split(' ')[0], user_name.split(' ')[1]]
+        when :firstname then search = ['firstname = ?', user_name]
+        when :lastname_firstname then search = ['lastname = ? AND firstname = ?', user_name.split(' ')[0], user_name.split(' ')[1]]
+        when :lastname_coma_firstname then search = ['lastname = ? AND firstname = ?', user_name.split(', ')[0], user_name.split(', ')[1]]
+        when :username then search = ['login = ?', user_name]
+      end
+      
+      # FIXME: user search below assumes there is only one 
+      # individual with this firstname/lastname combination
+      @issue.author = User.find(:first, :conditions => search)
+      
+      if @issue.author.nil?
+        flash[:error] = "Can't find #{l(:field_author)} entered."
+        redirect_to :controller => 'issues', :action => 'new', :issue => params[:issue]
+        return
+      end
+      
       @issue.custom_values = @custom_values
       if @issue.save
         attach_files(@issue, params[:attachments])
@@ -157,6 +178,15 @@ class IssuesController < ApplicationController
     render :layout => !request.xhr?
   end
   
+  def auto_complete_for_user_name
+    search = params[:user][:name]
+    @users = Project.find_by_identifier(params[:project]).users.find(:all,
+          :conditions => ['LOWER(lastname) LIKE ?', "#{search.downcase}%"],
+          :order => 'lastname ASC',
+          :limit => 10) unless search.blank?
+    render :partial => "user_search"
+  end
+  
   # Attributes that can be updated on workflow transition (without :edit permission)
   # TODO: make it configurable (at least per role)
   UPDATABLE_ATTRS_ON_TRANSITION = %w(status_id assigned_to_id fixed_version_id done_ratio) unless const_defined?(:UPDATABLE_ATTRS_ON_TRANSITION)