diff --git a/astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/actfm/EditPeopleControlSet.java b/astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/actfm/EditPeopleControlSet.java
index 0f22a0661..f074a879c 100644
--- a/astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/actfm/EditPeopleControlSet.java
+++ b/astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/actfm/EditPeopleControlSet.java
@@ -292,7 +292,7 @@ public class EditPeopleControlSet extends PopupControlSet {
         HashSet<String> emails = new HashSet<String>();
         HashMap<String, AssignedToUser> names = new HashMap<String, AssignedToUser>();
 
-        if(task.getValue(Task.USER_ID) != 0) {
+        if(task.getValue(Task.USER_ID) > 0) {
             JSONObject user = new JSONObject(task.getValue(Task.USER));
             sharedPeople.add(0, user);
         }
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 49a1ad5f8..fe6618a78 100644
--- a/astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/actfm/sync/ActFmSyncService.java
+++ b/astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/actfm/sync/ActFmSyncService.java
@@ -941,8 +941,11 @@ public final class ActFmSyncService {
             long id = user.optLong("id", -2);
             if(id == -2) {
                 model.setValue(idProperty, -1L);
-                if(userProperty != null)
-                    model.setValue(userProperty, "");
+                if(userProperty != null) {
+                    JSONObject unassigned = new JSONObject();
+                    unassigned.put("id", -1L);
+                    model.setValue(userProperty, unassigned.toString());
+                }
             } else if (id == ActFmPreferenceService.userId()) {
                 model.setValue(idProperty, 0L);
                 if (userProperty != null)