Index: /trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/data/osm/User.java
===================================================================
--- /trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/data/osm/User.java	(revision 3504)
+++ /trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/data/osm/User.java	(revision 3505)
@@ -36,4 +36,10 @@
      */
     public static User createLocalUser(String name) {
+        for(long i = -1; i >= uidCounter.get(); --i)
+        {
+          User olduser = getById(i);
+          if(olduser != null && olduser.hasName(name))
+            return olduser;
+        }
         User user = new User(getNextLocalUid(), name);
         userMap.put(user.getId(), user);