diff --git a/app/models/edition.rb b/app/models/edition.rb
index 101d98c29..af1c5edcd 100644
--- a/app/models/edition.rb
+++ b/app/models/edition.rb
@@ -337,6 +337,7 @@ def self.find_or_create_from_panopticon_data(panopticon_id, importing_user)
       panopticon_id: metadata.id,
       slug: metadata.slug,
       title: metadata.name,
+      assigned_to_id: importing_user.id,
     )
   end
 
diff --git a/test/models/edition_test.rb b/test/models/edition_test.rb
index ae32edef7..93551cf77 100644
--- a/test/models/edition_test.rb
+++ b/test/models/edition_test.rb
@@ -427,6 +427,24 @@ def draft_second_edition_from(published_edition)
     assert_equal artefact.id.to_s, publication.panopticon_id.to_s
   end
 
+  test "should create a publication with the current user as the assignee" do
+    artefact = FactoryBot.create(
+      :artefact,
+      slug: "foo-bar",
+      kind: "answer",
+      name: "Foo bar",
+      owning_app: "publisher",
+    )
+    artefact.save!
+
+    Artefact.find(artefact.id)
+    user = FactoryBot.create(:user, :govuk_editor)
+
+    publication = Edition.find_or_create_from_panopticon_data(artefact.id, user)
+
+    assert_equal user.id.to_s, publication.assigned_to_id.to_s
+  end
+
   test "should not change edition metadata if archived" do
     artefact = FactoryBot.create(
       :artefact,