diff --git a/lib/gitlab/import_export/members_mapper.rb b/lib/gitlab/import_export/members_mapper.rb
index 28e57867158..cd1e174f180 100644
--- a/lib/gitlab/import_export/members_mapper.rb
+++ b/lib/gitlab/import_export/members_mapper.rb
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@ module Gitlab
       def default_project_member
         @default_project_member ||=
           begin
-            return @project.project_members.first.user.id unless @project.project_members.empty?
             default_member = ProjectMember.new(default_project_member_hash)
             default_member.save!
             default_member.user.id
diff --git a/lib/gitlab/import_export/relation_factory.rb b/lib/gitlab/import_export/relation_factory.rb
index 566777e8fc9..d5b80beb312 100644
--- a/lib/gitlab/import_export/relation_factory.rb
+++ b/lib/gitlab/import_export/relation_factory.rb
@@ -39,11 +39,11 @@ module Gitlab
       def update_missing_author(relation_hash, members_map, user_admin)
         old_author_id = relation_hash['author_id']
 
-        # Users with admin access have access to mapping of users
+        # Users with admin access can map users
         if user_admin
-          relation_hash['author_id'] = members_map.default_project_member
-        else
           relation_hash['author_id'] = members_map.map[old_author_id]
+        else
+          relation_hash['author_id'] = members_map.default_project_member
         end
 
         author = relation_hash.delete('author')