diff --git a/user.inc.php b/user.inc.php
index b4f216e..c1a5754 100644
--- a/user.inc.php
+++ b/user.inc.php
@@ -491,8 +491,27 @@ function user_create($accounts_id, $conferences_id=0)
 		exit;
 	}
 
+	$fields = array(
+		'accounts_id' => $accounts_id,
+		'conferences_id' => $conferences_id,
+	);
+
+	/* Get old user data if available */
+	$results = mysql_fetch_assoc(mysql_query("SELECT * FROM users WHERE accounts_id = '$accounts_id' ORDER BY id DESC LIMIT 1"));
+	if(is_array($results)){
+		$skipfields = array('id', 'created', 'lastlogin', 'year', 'accounts_id', 'conferences_id', 'deleted', 'deleteddatetime');
+		foreach($results as $fname => $value){
+			if(!in_array($fname, $skipfields) && $value != null){
+				$fields[$fname] = $value;
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
 	/* Create the user */
-	mysql_query("INSERT INTO users(`accounts_id`,`conferences_id`) VALUES('$accounts_id','$conferences_id')");
+	$fieldList = array_keys($fields);
+	$query = "INSERT INTO users(`created`, `" . implode('`,`', $fieldList) . "`) VALUES(NOW(), '" . implode("','", $fields) . "')";
+
+	mysql_query($query);
 	$id = mysql_insert_id();
 
 	/* Return a loaded user with no roles */
@@ -501,7 +520,6 @@ function user_create($accounts_id, $conferences_id=0)
 
 
 
-
 /* Perform some checks.  Make sure the person is logged in, and that their
  * password hasn't expired (the password_expired var is set in the login page) 
  */
diff --git a/user_edit.php b/user_edit.php
index 68f9a73..eef18b7 100644
--- a/user_edit.php
+++ b/user_edit.php
@@ -33,6 +33,44 @@ if($edit_id != $_SESSION['users_id'])
 else
 	user_auth_required();
 
+if(array_key_exists('join', $_GET)){
+	// this is a request to join this conference
+	// get the corresponding account id to go with this user id
+	$result = mysql_fetch_assoc(mysql_query("SELECT accounts_id FROM users WHERE id=$edit_id"));
+	$edit_accounts_id = $result['accounts_id'];
+
+	// find out if they're already a member of this conference
+	$query = "SELECT COUNT(*) FROM users WHERE conferences_id = {$_SESSION['conferences_id']}"
+		. " AND accounts_id = " . $_SESSION['accounts_id'];
+	$data = mysql_fetch_array(mysql_query($query));
+
+	if($data[0] == 0){
+		// apparently not - let's go ahead and hook them up
+		$u = user_create($edit_accounts_id, $_SESSION['conferences_id']);
+		$edit_id = $u['id'];
+	}
+}else{
+	$joinConference = false;
+	if($edit_id == ''){
+		// the account in question does not have a users record
+		$joinConference = true;
+	}else{
+		$query = "SELECT COUNT(*) FROM users WHERE conferences_id = {$_SESSION['conferences_id']} AND ";
+		$query .= "id = $edit_id";
+		$data = mysql_fetch_array(mysql_query($query));
+		if($data[0] == 0){
+			// the user exists, but they are not linked to this conference
+			$joinConference = true;
+		}
+	}
+
+	if($joinConference){
+		send_header(i18n("User Editor").": {$u['name']}");
+		echo '<a href="user_edit.php?join=' . $_SESSION['conferences_id'] . '">' . i18n('Join this conferenece') . '</a>';
+		exit;
+	}
+}
+
 $tabs = array(	'fairinfo' => array(
 			'label' => 'Fair Information',
 			'types' => array('fair'),
@@ -312,7 +350,7 @@ function user_update_tab_status(tabkey,newstatus)
 		$(".status_overall").addClass('happy');
 	}
 }
-	
+
 
 </script>