diff --git a/lib/RT/Record/Role/Roles.pm b/lib/RT/Record/Role/Roles.pm
index b973eb21b19..1db783dee89 100644
--- a/lib/RT/Record/Role/Roles.pm
+++ b/lib/RT/Record/Role/Roles.pm
@@ -621,19 +621,27 @@ sub _ResolveRoles {
                             $self->loc("Couldn't load principal: [_1]", $msg);
                     }
                 } else {
-                    my @addresses = RT::EmailParser->ParseEmailAddress( $value );
-                    for my $address ( @addresses ) {
-                        my $user = RT::User->new( RT->SystemUser );
-                        my ($id, $msg) = $user->LoadOrCreateByEmail( $address );
-                        if ( $id ) {
-                            # Load it back as us, not as the system
-                            # user, to be completely safe.
-                            $user = RT::User->new( $self->CurrentUser );
-                            $user->Load( $id );
-                            push @{ $roles->{$role} }, $user->PrincipalObj;
-                        } else {
-                            push @errors,
-                                $self->loc("Couldn't load or create user: [_1]", $msg);
+                    # Try loading by id, name, then email.  If all fail, catch that below
+                    my $user = RT::User->new( $self->CurrentUser );
+                    $user->Load( $value );
+
+                    if ($user->id) {
+                        push @{ $roles->{$role} }, $user->PrincipalObj;
+                    } else {
+                        my @addresses = RT::EmailParser->ParseEmailAddress( $value );
+                        for my $address ( @addresses ) {
+                            $user = RT::User->new( RT->SystemUser );
+                            my ($id, $msg) = $user->LoadOrCreateByEmail( $address );
+                            if ( $id ) {
+                                # Load it back as us, not as the system
+                                # user, to be completely safe.
+                                $user = RT::User->new( $self->CurrentUser );
+                                $user->Load( $id );
+                                push @{ $roles->{$role} }, $user->PrincipalObj;
+                            } else {
+                                push @errors,
+                                    $self->loc("Couldn't load or create user: [_1]", $msg);
+                            }
                         }
                     }
                 }
diff --git a/t/assets/api.t b/t/assets/api.t
index df64eab48fd..a27bb24de3e 100644
--- a/t/assets/api.t
+++ b/t/assets/api.t
@@ -175,5 +175,28 @@ diag "Custom Field handling";
 
 }
 
+note "Create/update with Roles using names";
+{
+    my $root = RT::User->new( RT->SystemUser );
+    $root->Load("root");
+    ok $root->id, "Found root";
+
+    my $bps = RT::Test->load_or_create_user( Name => "BPS" );
+    ok $bps->id, "Created BPS user";
+
+    my $asset = RT::Asset->new( RT->SystemUser );
+    my ($id, $msg) = $asset->Create(
+        Name    => 'RT server 2',
+        HeldBy  => 'root',
+        Owner   => 'BPS',
+        Contact => 'BPS',
+        Catalog => $catalog->id,
+    );
+    ok $id, "Created: $msg";
+    is $asset->HeldBy->UserMembersObj->First->Name, "root", "root is Holder";
+    is $asset->Owner->Name, "BPS", "BPS is Owner";
+    is $asset->Contacts->UserMembersObj->First->Name, "BPS", "BPS is Contact";
+}
+
 
 done_testing;