diff --git a/src/NzbDrone.Core/Books/Services/BookService.cs b/src/NzbDrone.Core/Books/Services/BookService.cs
index 5481bc97a..34a35e92d 100644
--- a/src/NzbDrone.Core/Books/Services/BookService.cs
+++ b/src/NzbDrone.Core/Books/Services/BookService.cs
@@ -63,6 +63,11 @@ namespace NzbDrone.Core.Books
 
         public Book AddBook(Book newBook, bool doRefresh = true)
         {
+            if (newBook.AuthorMetadataId == 0)
+            {
+                throw new InvalidOperationException("Cannot insert book with AuthorMetadataId = 0");
+            }
+
             _bookRepository.Upsert(newBook);
 
             var editions = newBook.Editions.Value;
@@ -244,6 +249,11 @@ namespace NzbDrone.Core.Books
 
         public void InsertMany(List<Book> books)
         {
+            if (books.Any(x => x.AuthorMetadataId == 0))
+            {
+                throw new InvalidOperationException("Cannot insert book with AuthorMetadataId = 0");
+            }
+
             _bookRepository.InsertMany(books);
         }
 
diff --git a/src/NzbDrone.Core/MediaFiles/BookImport/ImportApprovedBooks.cs b/src/NzbDrone.Core/MediaFiles/BookImport/ImportApprovedBooks.cs
index 8d12d3278..53af6e63e 100644
--- a/src/NzbDrone.Core/MediaFiles/BookImport/ImportApprovedBooks.cs
+++ b/src/NzbDrone.Core/MediaFiles/BookImport/ImportApprovedBooks.cs
@@ -374,6 +374,12 @@ namespace NzbDrone.Core.MediaFiles.BookImport
                 if (dbBook == null)
                 {
                     _logger.Debug($"Adding remote book {book}");
+
+                    if (book.AuthorMetadataId == 0)
+                    {
+                        throw new InvalidOperationException("Cannot insert book with AuthorMetadataId = 0");
+                    }
+
                     try
                     {
                         book.Added = DateTime.UtcNow;
diff --git a/src/NzbDrone.Core/MetadataSource/Goodreads/GoodreadsProxy.cs b/src/NzbDrone.Core/MetadataSource/Goodreads/GoodreadsProxy.cs
index 6f6eedc20..2604f15a2 100644
--- a/src/NzbDrone.Core/MetadataSource/Goodreads/GoodreadsProxy.cs
+++ b/src/NzbDrone.Core/MetadataSource/Goodreads/GoodreadsProxy.cs
@@ -747,6 +747,7 @@ namespace NzbDrone.Core.MetadataSource.Goodreads
 
                 book.Author = author;
                 book.AuthorMetadata = book.Author.Value.Metadata.Value;
+                book.AuthorMetadataId = author.AuthorMetadataId;
                 book.CleanTitle = book.Title.CleanAuthorName();
             }
 
@@ -833,6 +834,7 @@ namespace NzbDrone.Core.MetadataSource.Goodreads
 
             book.Author = author;
             book.AuthorMetadata = book.Author.Value.Metadata.Value;
+            book.AuthorMetadataId = author.AuthorMetadataId;
             book.CleanTitle = book.Title.CleanAuthorName();
             book.SeriesLinks = MapSearchSeries(resource.Title, resource.BookTitleBare);