diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 2cc1bbf7..9a212f5a 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -78,8 +78,9 @@ readme:
 #: demo - Setup demo project using Python3.
 .PHONY: demo
 demo:
-	$(PIP) install -e . --user
-	$(PIP) install -e demo --user
+	# running it with and without --user flag because it started to be problematic for some setups
+	$(PIP) install -e . --user || $(PIP) install -e .
+	$(PIP) install -e demo --user || $(PIP) install -e demo
 	demodesk migrate --noinput
 	# Create superuser; user will be prompted to manually set a password
 	# When you get a prompt, enter a password of your choosing.
diff --git a/demo/demodesk/config/settings.py b/demo/demodesk/config/settings.py
index e1ac8106..8d931242 100644
--- a/demo/demodesk/config/settings.py
+++ b/demo/demodesk/config/settings.py
@@ -38,7 +38,12 @@ INSTALLED_APPS = [
     'django.contrib.sites',
     'django.contrib.humanize',
     'bootstrap4form',
-    'helpdesk'
+
+    'account',  # Required by pinax-teams
+    'pinax.invitations',  # required by pinax-teams
+    'pinax.teams',  # team support
+    'helpdesk',  # This is us!
+    'reversion',  # required by pinax-teams
 ]
 
 MIDDLEWARE = [
diff --git a/helpdesk/views/public.py b/helpdesk/views/public.py
index e046148f..c268b15f 100644
--- a/helpdesk/views/public.py
+++ b/helpdesk/views/public.py
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ class BaseCreateTicketView(abstract_views.AbstractCreateTicketMixin, FormView):
             # This submission is spam. Let's not save it.
             return render(request, template_name='helpdesk/public_spam.html')
         else:
-            ticket = form.save()
+            ticket = form.save(user=self.request.user if self.request.user.is_authenticated else None)
             try:
                 return HttpResponseRedirect('%s?ticket=%s&email=%s&key=%s' % (
                     reverse('helpdesk:public_view'),
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index 248a6464..83b8924d 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -12,4 +12,6 @@ pytz
 six
 djangorestframework
 django-model-utils
-pinax-teams @ git+https://github.com/auto-mat/pinax-teams.git@slugify#egg=pinax-teams
+
+# specific commit because the current release has no required library upgrade
+pinax-teams @ git+https://github.com/pinax/pinax-teams.git@dd75e1c#egg=pinax-teams