diff --git a/app/controllers/merge_requests_controller.rb b/app/controllers/merge_requests_controller.rb
index 70ad7ca77..de5d8dd2f 100644
--- a/app/controllers/merge_requests_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/merge_requests_controller.rb
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ class MergeRequestsController < ApplicationController
 
   def create
     ActiveRecord::Base.transaction do
-      @merge_request = MergeRequest.create!(merge_request_params.merge(status: :incomplete, requester_id: current_user.id))
+      @merge_request = MergeRequest.create!(merge_request_params.merge(status: :incomplete, requester: current_user))
     end
     redirect_to absorbing_organisation_merge_request_path(@merge_request)
   rescue ActiveRecord::RecordInvalid