diff --git a/common/models/User-Identity.js b/common/models/User-Identity.js
index 720e98b44a2..781ea7d0acb 100644
--- a/common/models/User-Identity.js
+++ b/common/models/User-Identity.js
@@ -1,14 +1,16 @@
-var debug = require('debug')('freecc:models:userIdent');
+import debugFactory from 'debug';
 
-var defaultProfileImage =
-  require('../utils/constantStrings.json').defaultProfileImage;
+const debug = debugFactory('freecc:models:userIdent');
+
+const { defaultProfileImage } = require('../utils/constantStrings.json');
 
 function getFirstImageFromProfile(profile) {
   return profile && profile.photos && profile.photos[0] ?
     profile.photos[0].value :
     null;
 }
-module.exports = function(UserIdent) {
+
+export default function(UserIdent) {
  UserIdent.observe('before save', function(ctx, next) {
   var userIdent = ctx.currentInstance || ctx.instance;
   if (!userIdent) {
@@ -16,13 +18,14 @@ module.exports = function(UserIdent) {
     return next();
   }
   userIdent.user(function(err, user) {
+    let userChanged = false;
     if (err) { return next(err); }
     if (!user) {
       debug('no user attached to identity!');
       return next();
     }
 
-    var picture = getFirstImageFromProfile(userIdent.profile);
+    const picture = getFirstImageFromProfile(userIdent.profile);
 
     debug('picture', picture, user.picture);
     // check if picture was found
@@ -34,15 +37,32 @@ module.exports = function(UserIdent) {
       (!user.picture || user.picture === defaultProfileImage)
     ) {
       debug('setting user picture');
-      user.picture = userIdent.profile.photos[0].value;
+      user.picture = picture;
+      userChanged = true;
+    }
+
+    // if user is not github cool
+    // and user signed in with github
+    // then make them github cool
+    // and set their username from their github profile.
+    if (!user.isGithubCool && userIdent.provider === 'github-login') {
+      debug(`
+        user isn't github cool yet but signed in with github
+        lets make them cool!
+      `);
+      user.isGithubCool = true;
+      user.username = userIdent.profile.username.toLowerCase();
+      userChanged = true;
+    }
+
+    if (userChanged) {
       return user.save(function(err) {
         if (err) { return next(err); }
         next();
       });
     }
-
-    debug('exiting after user ident');
+    debug('exiting after user identity before save');
     next();
   });
  });
-};
+}