diff --git a/runbot_merge/controllers/__init__.py b/runbot_merge/controllers/__init__.py
index 6dad2666..ecee99f3 100644
--- a/runbot_merge/controllers/__init__.py
+++ b/runbot_merge/controllers/__init__.py
@@ -126,6 +126,7 @@ def handle_pr(env, event):
             updates['squash'] = pr['commits'] == 1
         if event['changes'].keys() & {'title', 'body'}:
             updates['message'] = "{}\n\n{}".format(pr['title'].strip(), pr['body'].strip())
+        _logger.info("update: %s#%d = %s (by %s)", repo.name, pr['number'], updates, event['sender']['login'])
         if updates:
             pr_obj = find(source_branch)
             pr_obj.write(updates)
@@ -145,16 +146,13 @@ def handle_pr(env, event):
     if not branch:
         return "Not set up to care about {}:{}".format(r, b)
 
-    author_name = pr['user']['login']
-    author = env['res.partner'].search([('github_login', '=', author_name)], limit=1)
-    if not author:
-        author = env['res.partner'].create({
-            'name': author_name,
-            'github_login': author_name,
-        })
 
-    _logger.info("%s: %s#%s (%s) (%s)", event['action'], repo.name, pr['number'], pr['title'].strip(), author.github_login)
+    _logger.info("%s: %s#%s (%s) (by %s)", event['action'], repo.name, pr['number'], pr['title'].strip(), event['sender']['login'])
     if event['action'] == 'opened':
+        author_name = pr['user']['login']
+        author = env['res.partner'].search([('github_login', '=', author_name)], limit=1)
+        if not author:
+            env['res.partner'].create({'name': author_name, 'github_login': author_name})
         pr_obj = env['runbot_merge.pull_requests']._from_gh(pr)
         return "Tracking PR as {}".format(pr_obj.id)
 
diff --git a/runbot_merge/models/pull_requests.py b/runbot_merge/models/pull_requests.py
index 2b189a38..135a845d 100644
--- a/runbot_merge/models/pull_requests.py
+++ b/runbot_merge/models/pull_requests.py
@@ -147,6 +147,7 @@ All substitutions are tentatively applied sequentially to the input.
                        "its information, you may have to re-approve it as "
                        "I didn't see previous commands." % pr_id.ping()
         })
+        sender = {'login': self.project_id.github_prefix}
         # init the PR to the null commit so we can later synchronise it back
         # back to the "proper" head while resetting reviews
         controllers.handle_pr(self.env, {
@@ -156,6 +157,7 @@ All substitutions are tentatively applied sequentially to the input.
                 'head': {**pr['head'], 'sha': '0'*40},
                 'state': 'open',
             },
+            'sender': sender,
         })
         # fetch & set up actual head
         for st in gh.statuses(pr['head']['sha']):
@@ -177,20 +179,21 @@ All substitutions are tentatively applied sequentially to the input.
                     'review': item,
                     'pull_request': pr,
                     'repository': {'full_name': self.name},
+                    'sender': sender,
                 })
             else:
                 controllers.handle_comment(self.env, {
                     'action': 'created',
                     'issue': issue,
-                    'sender': item['user'],
                     'comment': item,
                     'repository': {'full_name': self.name},
+                    'sender': sender,
                 })
         # sync to real head
         controllers.handle_pr(self.env, {
             'action': 'synchronize',
             'pull_request': pr,
-            'sender': {'login': self.project_id.github_prefix}
+            'sender': sender,
         })
         if pr['state'] == 'closed':
             # don't go through controller because try_closing does weird things
diff --git a/runbot_merge/tests/test_multirepo.py b/runbot_merge/tests/test_multirepo.py
index 96c61423..461ed0cb 100644
--- a/runbot_merge/tests/test_multirepo.py
+++ b/runbot_merge/tests/test_multirepo.py
@@ -930,7 +930,8 @@ class TestSubstitutions:
                             'label': original,
                             'sha': format(pr_number, 'x')*40,
                         }
-                    }
+                    },
+                    'sender': {'login': 'pytest'}
                 }
             )
             pr = env['runbot_merge.pull_requests'].search([