diff --git a/addressbook/inc/class.bocontacts.inc.php b/addressbook/inc/class.bocontacts.inc.php
index 454a8c8324..edd4a9c5cb 100755
--- a/addressbook/inc/class.bocontacts.inc.php
+++ b/addressbook/inc/class.bocontacts.inc.php
@@ -480,7 +480,7 @@ class bocontacts extends socontacts
 				}
 			}
 		}
-		if (!$isUpdate) 
+		else
 		{
 			// if no owner/addressbook set use the setting of the add_default prefs (if set, otherwise the users personal addressbook)
 			if (!isset($contact['owner'])) $contact['owner'] = $this->default_addressbook;
@@ -491,6 +491,10 @@ class bocontacts extends socontacts
 			
 			if (!$contact['tid']) $contact['tid'] = 'n';
 		}
+		if (!$contact['owner'])
+		{
+			$contact['private'] = 0;	// accounts are never private!
+		}
 		if(!$ignore_acl && !$this->check_perms($isUpdate ? EGW_ACL_EDIT : EGW_ACL_ADD,$contact))
 		{
 			$this->error = 'access denied';