diff --git a/booking.studygroup_leaders.inc b/booking.studygroup_leaders.inc
index c084ae1..5f7a3ec 100644
--- a/booking.studygroup_leaders.inc
+++ b/booking.studygroup_leaders.inc
@@ -399,17 +399,40 @@ function booking_studygroup_leadhelp_edit_form_submit($form, &$form_state) {
 				$person_nid = $matches[1];
 				//if $person is now different, run an update query
 				if ($person_nid != $previous_value) {
-					$update_messages[] = t("Adding role @role to nid @id in group @group and session @session.",
-						array('@id' => $person_nid, '@group' => $group_id, '@role' => $type_id, '@session' => $session_id));
-					//add the role to the new person
-					db_update('booking_studygroup_mapping')
-						->fields(array(
-							'booking_studygroup_role' => $type_id,
-							'booking_session_id' =>  $session_id,
-						))
-						->condition('booking_studygroup_id', $group_id)
-						->condition('booking_node_id', $person_nid)
-						->execute();
+					//check if this person is already a member of this studygroup
+					$group_query = db_query("SELECT * FROM {booking_studygroup_mapping} " . 
+						"WHERE booking_eventid = :eid AND booking_node_id = :nid AND booking_studygroup_id = :gid", 
+						array(':eid' => $event->eid, ':nid' => $person_nid, ':gid' => $group_id))
+						->fetchObject();				
+
+					if (! $group_query) {
+						//this person doesn't seem to already be in this study group so insert a record
+						$update_messages[] = t("Adding via insert: role @role to nid @id in group @group and session @session.",
+							array('@id' => $person_nid, '@group' => $group_id, '@role' => $type_id, '@session' => $session_id));
+						db_insert('booking_studygroup_mapping')
+							->fields(array(	
+								'booking_eventid' => $event->eid,
+								'booking_node_id' => $person_nid,
+								'booking_studygroup_id' => $group_id,
+								'booking_session_id' => $session_id,
+								'booking_studygroup_role' => $type_id,
+							))
+							->execute();						
+					}
+					else {
+						//update the role for the new person
+						$update_messages[] = t("Adding via update: role @role to nid @id in group @group and session @session.",
+							array('@id' => $person_nid, '@group' => $group_id, '@role' => $type_id, '@session' => $session_id));						
+						db_update('booking_studygroup_mapping')
+							->fields(array(
+								'booking_studygroup_role' => $type_id,
+								'booking_session_id' =>  $session_id,
+							))
+							->condition('booking_studygroup_id', $group_id)
+							->condition('booking_node_id', $person_nid)
+							->execute();
+					}
+
 					$counter++;
 					//remove the role from the old person if there was someone else there before
 					if ($previous_value != 0) {