diff --git a/content_profile_create_user.module b/content_profile_create_user.module
index a5a30945ab5165aeb04ce0baa68c972609286af1..d5f88fcd39a06e7e250564dfd2bc91974e774b56 100644
--- a/content_profile_create_user.module
+++ b/content_profile_create_user.module
@@ -46,6 +46,8 @@ function content_profile_create_user_block($op = 'list', $delta = 0, $edit = arr
  * Implementation of hook_form_alter().
  */
 function content_profile_create_user_form_alter(&$form, &$form_state, $form_id) {
+  /* don't do anything if the node already has an author */
+  if(!empty($form['uid']['#value'])) return;
   
       if (user_access(CONTENT_PROFILE_CREATE_USER_CREATE_PERMISSION)) {
         $types = module_invoke('content_profile', 'get_types', 'names');