diff --git a/roles/bodhi2/backend/templates/owner-sync-pkgdb.j2 b/roles/bodhi2/backend/templates/owner-sync-pkgdb.j2
index c13c6db0c5..bb513035f2 100755
--- a/roles/bodhi2/backend/templates/owner-sync-pkgdb.j2
+++ b/roles/bodhi2/backend/templates/owner-sync-pkgdb.j2
@@ -174,7 +174,11 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
                 if DEBUG:
                     print "Adding user %s" % owner
                 else:
-                    session.createUser(owner)
+                    try:
+                        session.createUser(owner)
+                    except:
+                        # user already exists
+                        continue
                     kojiusers.append(owner)
             if not kojipkgs.has_key(pkg):
                 if DEBUG: