diff --git a/modules/node/node.module b/modules/node/node.module
index 376c3d2..db81fc7 100644
--- a/modules/node/node.module
+++ b/modules/node/node.module
@@ -1013,7 +1013,7 @@ function node_validate($node, $form, &$form_state) {
   }
 
   // Validate the "authored by" field.
-  if (!empty($node->name) && !($account = user_load_by_name($node->name))) {
+  if (!empty($node->name) && !($account = user_load($node->uid))) {
     // The use of empty() is mandatory in the context of usernames
     // as the empty string denotes the anonymous user. In case we
     // are dealing with an anonymous user we set the user ID to 0.