diff --git a/openbis/source/java/ch/ethz/sis/openbis/generic/server/asapi/v3/executor/person/UpdatePersonExecutor.java b/openbis/source/java/ch/ethz/sis/openbis/generic/server/asapi/v3/executor/person/UpdatePersonExecutor.java
index 2751d02dc8a9b0af77cc8b3a15734e9d8995c1d3..d7d592221ba31ed1ccb81616928b7a4a3717fcaa 100644
--- a/openbis/source/java/ch/ethz/sis/openbis/generic/server/asapi/v3/executor/person/UpdatePersonExecutor.java
+++ b/openbis/source/java/ch/ethz/sis/openbis/generic/server/asapi/v3/executor/person/UpdatePersonExecutor.java
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ import ch.ethz.sis.openbis.generic.server.asapi.v3.executor.IOperationContext;
 import ch.ethz.sis.openbis.generic.server.asapi.v3.executor.entity.AbstractUpdateEntityExecutor;
 import ch.ethz.sis.openbis.generic.server.asapi.v3.helper.common.CommonUtils;
 import ch.ethz.sis.openbis.generic.server.asapi.v3.helper.common.batch.MapBatch;
+import ch.systemsx.cisd.common.exceptions.UserFailureException;
 import ch.systemsx.cisd.openbis.generic.server.business.bo.DataAccessExceptionTranslator;
 import ch.systemsx.cisd.openbis.generic.server.dataaccess.IDAOFactory;
 import ch.systemsx.cisd.openbis.generic.server.dataaccess.IRoleAssignmentDAO;
@@ -75,6 +76,17 @@ public class UpdatePersonExecutor
     @Override
     protected void checkData(IOperationContext context, PersonUpdate update)
     {
+        if (update.getPersonId() == null)
+        {
+            PersonPE person = context.getSession().tryGetPerson();
+            if (person != null)
+            {
+                update.setPersonId(new PersonPermId(person.getUserId()));
+            } else
+            {
+                throw new UserFailureException("Person to be updated not specified.");
+            }
+        }
     }
 
     @Override
diff --git a/openbis/sourceTest/java/ch/ethz/sis/openbis/systemtest/asapi/v3/UpdatePersonTest.java b/openbis/sourceTest/java/ch/ethz/sis/openbis/systemtest/asapi/v3/UpdatePersonTest.java
index bddaf75fc03392c118be1b2fb796b1e1a091c8f9..5c340221befc2bf0ddf4c798155483b71ef80607 100644
--- a/openbis/sourceTest/java/ch/ethz/sis/openbis/systemtest/asapi/v3/UpdatePersonTest.java
+++ b/openbis/sourceTest/java/ch/ethz/sis/openbis/systemtest/asapi/v3/UpdatePersonTest.java
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ public class UpdatePersonTest extends AbstractTest
         String sessionToken = v3api.login(TEST_GROUP_OBSERVER, PASSWORD);
         PersonUpdate personUpdate = new PersonUpdate();
         PersonPermId personId = new PersonPermId(TEST_GROUP_OBSERVER);
-        personUpdate.setPersonId(personId);
+//        personUpdate.setPersonId(personId);
         personUpdate.setHomeSpaceId(new SpacePermId("TESTGROUP"));
         
         // When