diff --git a/lib/etherpad/methods.js b/lib/etherpad/methods.js
index 3d79fc2..d41bb21 100644
--- a/lib/etherpad/methods.js
+++ b/lib/etherpad/methods.js
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ const Logger = require('../utils/logger');
 const logger = new Logger('methods');
 
 const AUTHOR_ID = 'authorID';
+const AUTHOR_MAPPER = 'authorMapper';
 const GROUP_ID = 'groupID';
 const PAD_ID = 'padID';
 const SESSION_ID = 'sessionID';
@@ -62,6 +63,12 @@ const methods = {
       optional: [AUTHOR_NAME],
     },
   },
+  createAuthorIfNotExistsFor: {
+    params: {
+      mandatory: [AUTHOR_MAPPER],
+      optional: [AUTHOR_NAME],
+    },
+  },
   listPadsOfAuthor: {
     params: {
       mandatory: [AUTHOR_ID],
diff --git a/lib/redis/database.js b/lib/redis/database.js
index 5fa3952..2e09084 100644
--- a/lib/redis/database.js
+++ b/lib/redis/database.js
@@ -406,7 +406,7 @@ const createUser = (meetingId, {
         return reject();
       }
 
-      api.call('createAuthor', { name }).then(response => {
+      api.call('createAuthorIfNotExistsFor', { authorMapper: userId, name }).then(response => {
         const authorId = response.authorID;
         database[meetingId].users[userId] = {
           authorId,