diff --git a/api/src/com/todoroo/andlib/data/AbstractModel.java b/api/src/com/todoroo/andlib/data/AbstractModel.java
index 650dabd62..1d41d88eb 100644
--- a/api/src/com/todoroo/andlib/data/AbstractModel.java
+++ b/api/src/com/todoroo/andlib/data/AbstractModel.java
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import java.lang.reflect.Field;
 import java.lang.reflect.Modifier;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Arrays;
+import java.util.HashSet;
 
 import android.content.ContentValues;
 import android.os.Parcel;
@@ -67,6 +68,9 @@ public abstract class AbstractModel implements Parcelable, Cloneable {
     /** Values from database */
     protected ContentValues values = null;
 
+    /** Model Flags(not saved in database) */
+    protected HashSet<String> modelFlags = null;
+
     /** Get database-read values for this object */
     public ContentValues getDatabaseValues() {
         return values;
@@ -160,6 +164,7 @@ public abstract class AbstractModel implements Parcelable, Cloneable {
 
         // clears user-set values
         setValues = null;
+        modelFlags = null;
 
         for (Property<?> property : cursor.getProperties()) {
             try {
@@ -345,6 +350,21 @@ public abstract class AbstractModel implements Parcelable, Cloneable {
         return (getValue(property) & flag) > 0;
     }
 
+
+    // --- setting and retrieving flags
+
+    public synchronized void setModelFlag(String flag) {
+        if(modelFlags == null)
+            modelFlags = new HashSet<String>();
+        modelFlags.add(flag);
+    }
+
+    public boolean checkModelFlag(String flag) {
+        if(modelFlags == null)
+            return false;
+        return modelFlags.contains(flag);
+    }
+
     // --- property management
 
     /**
diff --git a/api/src/com/todoroo/astrid/data/Task.java b/api/src/com/todoroo/astrid/data/Task.java
index 5fecd82ae..da79064ef 100644
--- a/api/src/com/todoroo/astrid/data/Task.java
+++ b/api/src/com/todoroo/astrid/data/Task.java
@@ -171,6 +171,17 @@ public final class Task extends RemoteModel {
     /** whether task is read-only */
     public static final int FLAG_IS_READONLY = 1 << 2;
 
+    // --- user id special values
+
+    /** user id = read user email value */
+    public static final long USER_ID_EMAIL = -2L;
+
+    /** user id = unassigned */
+    public static final long USER_ID_UNASSIGNED = -1L;
+
+    /** user id = myself */
+    public static final long USER_ID_SELF = 0L;
+
     // --- notification flags
 
     /** whether to send a reminder at deadline */
diff --git a/astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/actfm/EditPeopleControlSet.java b/astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/actfm/EditPeopleControlSet.java
index 36ada3f73..6b29ad946 100644
--- a/astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/actfm/EditPeopleControlSet.java
+++ b/astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/actfm/EditPeopleControlSet.java
@@ -498,11 +498,11 @@ public class EditPeopleControlSet extends PopupControlSet {
                         activity.getString(R.string.actfm_EPA_invalid_email, userJson.optString("email")));
             }
 
-            if(userJson == null || userJson.optLong("id", -2) == 0) {
-                dirty = task.getValue(Task.USER_ID) == 0L ? dirty : true;
-                task.setValue(Task.USER_ID, 0L);
+            if(userJson == null || userJson.optLong("id", Task.USER_ID_EMAIL) == Task.USER_ID_SELF) {
+                dirty = task.getValue(Task.USER_ID) == Task.USER_ID_SELF ? dirty : true;
+                task.setValue(Task.USER_ID, Task.USER_ID_SELF);
                 if(!TextUtils.isEmpty(task.getValue(Task.USER)))
-                    task.setValue(Task.USER, "{}");
+                    task.setValue(Task.USER, "");
             } else {
                 String user = userJson.toString();
 
@@ -510,20 +510,20 @@ public class EditPeopleControlSet extends PopupControlSet {
                 String taskUserEmail = "";
                 try {
                     JSONObject taskUser = new JSONObject(task.getValue(Task.USER));
-                    taskUserId = taskUser.optLong("id", -2);
+                    taskUserId = taskUser.optLong("id", Task.USER_ID_EMAIL);
                     taskUserEmail = taskUser.optString("email");
                 } catch (JSONException e) {
                     // sad times
                 }
-                long userId = userJson.optLong("id", -2);
+                long userId = userJson.optLong("id", Task.USER_ID_EMAIL);
                 String userEmail = userJson.optString("email");
 
 
-                boolean match = (userId == taskUserId && userId != -2);
+                boolean match = (userId == taskUserId && userId != Task.USER_ID_EMAIL);
                 match = match || (userEmail.equals(taskUserEmail) && !TextUtils.isEmpty(userEmail));
 
                 dirty = match ? dirty : true;
-                task.setValue(Task.USER_ID, userJson.optLong("id", -2));
+                task.setValue(Task.USER_ID, userJson.optLong("id", Task.USER_ID_EMAIL));
                 task.setValue(Task.USER, user);
             }
 
@@ -543,7 +543,7 @@ public class EditPeopleControlSet extends PopupControlSet {
                     public void onClick(DialogInterface d, int which) {
                         makePrivateTask();
                         AssignedToUser me = (AssignedToUser) assignedList.getAdapter().getItem(0);
-                        task.setValue(Task.USER_ID, me.user.optLong("id", -2));
+                        task.setValue(Task.USER_ID, me.user.optLong("id", Task.USER_ID_EMAIL));
                         task.setValue(Task.USER, me.user.toString());
                     }
                 };
@@ -557,14 +557,8 @@ public class EditPeopleControlSet extends PopupControlSet {
             if(!TextUtils.isEmpty(task.getValue(Task.SHARED_WITH)) || sharedWith.length() != 0)
                 task.setValue(Task.SHARED_WITH, sharedWith.toString());
 
-            if(dirty)
-                taskService.save(task);
-
-
-            if(dirty)
-                shareTask(sharedWith);
-            else
-                showSaveToast();
+            task.setModelFlag("task-assigned");
+            showSaveToast();
 
             return true;
         } catch (JSONException e) {
@@ -582,13 +576,12 @@ public class EditPeopleControlSet extends PopupControlSet {
     private void makePrivateTask() {
         assignToMe();
         sharedWithContainer.removeAllViews();
-        sharedWithContainer.addPerson("");
+        sharedWithContainer.addPerson(""); //$NON-NLS-1$
         refreshDisplayView();
     }
 
     private void showSaveToast() {
-        int length = saveToast.indexOf('\n') > -1 ? Toast.LENGTH_LONG : Toast.LENGTH_SHORT;
-        Toast.makeText(activity, saveToast, length).show();
+        Toast.makeText(activity, saveToast, Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
     }
 
     private class ParseSharedException extends Exception {
diff --git a/astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/actfm/sync/ActFmSyncService.java b/astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/actfm/sync/ActFmSyncService.java
index fe6618a78..e8fcabe6d 100644
--- a/astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/actfm/sync/ActFmSyncService.java
+++ b/astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/actfm/sync/ActFmSyncService.java
@@ -319,7 +319,7 @@ public final class ActFmSyncService {
         if(values.containsKey(Task.DELETION_DATE.name)) {
             params.add("deleted_at"); params.add(task.getValue(Task.DELETION_DATE) / 1000L);
         }
-        if(Flags.checkAndClear(Flags.ACTFM_REPEATED_TASK)) {
+        if(task.checkModelFlag("repeat-complete")) {
             params.add("completed"); params.add(DateUtilities.now() / 1000L);
         } else if(values.containsKey(Task.COMPLETION_DATE.name)) {
             params.add("completed"); params.add(task.getValue(Task.COMPLETION_DATE) / 1000L);
@@ -334,14 +334,25 @@ public final class ActFmSyncService {
                 recurrence = recurrence + ";FROM=COMPLETION";
             params.add("repeat"); params.add(recurrence);
         }
-        long userId = task.getValue(Task.USER_ID);
-        if(values.containsKey(Task.USER_ID.name) && userId >= 0 || userId == -1) {
-            params.add("user_id");
-            if(task.getValue(Task.USER_ID) == 0)
-                params.add(ActFmPreferenceService.userId());
-            else
-                params.add(task.getValue(Task.USER_ID));
+
+        if(values.containsKey(Task.USER_ID.name) && task.checkModelFlag("task-assigned")) {
+            if(task.getValue(Task.USER_ID) == Task.USER_ID_EMAIL) {
+                try {
+                    JSONObject user = new JSONObject(task.getValue(Task.USER));
+                    params.add("user_email");
+                    params.add(user.get("email"));
+                } catch (JSONException e) {
+                    Log.e("Error parsing user", task.getValue(Task.USER), e);
+                }
+            } else {
+                params.add("user_id");
+                if(task.getValue(Task.USER_ID) == Task.USER_ID_SELF)
+                    params.add(ActFmPreferenceService.userId());
+                else
+                    params.add(task.getValue(Task.USER_ID));
+            }
         }
+
         if(Flags.checkAndClear(Flags.TAGS_CHANGED) || newlyCreated) {
             TodorooCursor<Metadata> cursor = TagService.getInstance().getTags(task.getId());
             try {
diff --git a/astrid/src-legacy/com/timsu/astrid/data/AbstractModel.java b/astrid/src-legacy/com/timsu/astrid/data/AbstractModel.java
index 40dc3d911..38aad297e 100644
--- a/astrid/src-legacy/com/timsu/astrid/data/AbstractModel.java
+++ b/astrid/src-legacy/com/timsu/astrid/data/AbstractModel.java
@@ -41,10 +41,10 @@ public abstract class AbstractModel {
     protected ContentValues setValues = new ContentValues();
 
     /** Cached values from database */
-    private final ContentValues   values    = new ContentValues();
+    private final ContentValues values = new ContentValues();
 
     /** Cursor into the database */
-    private Cursor          cursor    = null;
+    private Cursor cursor = null;
 
     // --- constructors
 
diff --git a/astrid/src/com/todoroo/astrid/activity/TaskEditActivity.java b/astrid/src/com/todoroo/astrid/activity/TaskEditActivity.java
index 578716d05..ea9e61fd0 100755
--- a/astrid/src/com/todoroo/astrid/activity/TaskEditActivity.java
+++ b/astrid/src/com/todoroo/astrid/activity/TaskEditActivity.java
@@ -651,13 +651,14 @@ public final class TaskEditActivity extends Activity {
             }
         }
 
-        taskService.save(model);
 
         String processedToast = addDueTimeToToast(toast.toString());
-        if(!onPause && peopleControlSet != null && !peopleControlSet.saveSharingSettings(processedToast))
-            return;
+        boolean cancelFinish = !onPause && peopleControlSet != null &&
+            !peopleControlSet.saveSharingSettings(processedToast);
+
+        taskService.save(model);
 
-        if (!onPause) { // Saving during on pause could cause a double finish
+        if (!onPause && !cancelFinish) {
             shouldSaveState = false;
             finish();
         }