diff --git a/server/contexts/viewer/viewer.go b/server/contexts/viewer/viewer.go
index 3de527ca68..3654986cac 100644
--- a/server/contexts/viewer/viewer.go
+++ b/server/contexts/viewer/viewer.go
@@ -56,6 +56,15 @@ func (v Viewer) Username() string {
 	return "none"
 }
 
+// FullName is a helper that enables quick access to the full name of the
+// current user.
+func (v Viewer) FullName() string {
+	if v.User != nil {
+		return v.User.Name
+	}
+	return "none"
+}
+
 // SessionID returns the current user's session ID
 func (v Viewer) SessionID() uint {
 	if v.Session != nil {
diff --git a/server/datastore/inmem/queries.go b/server/datastore/inmem/queries.go
index c0cdf3d72f..086fa396c8 100644
--- a/server/datastore/inmem/queries.go
+++ b/server/datastore/inmem/queries.go
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ func (d *Datastore) NewQuery(query *kolide.Query) (*kolide.Query, error) {
 	}
 
 	newQuery.ID = d.nextID(newQuery)
+	newQuery.Packs = []kolide.Pack{}
 	d.queries[newQuery.ID] = &newQuery
 
 	return &newQuery, nil
diff --git a/server/datastore/mysql/queries.go b/server/datastore/mysql/queries.go
index 4a630cc62c..f6367c8061 100644
--- a/server/datastore/mysql/queries.go
+++ b/server/datastore/mysql/queries.go
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ func (d *Datastore) NewQuery(query *kolide.Query) (*kolide.Query, error) {
 
 	id, _ := result.LastInsertId()
 	query.ID = uint(id)
+	query.Packs = []kolide.Pack{}
 	return query, nil
 }
 
diff --git a/server/service/service_queries.go b/server/service/service_queries.go
index da1592af0e..c990b42219 100644
--- a/server/service/service_queries.go
+++ b/server/service/service_queries.go
@@ -32,12 +32,14 @@ func (svc service) NewQuery(ctx context.Context, p kolide.QueryPayload) (*kolide
 	vc, ok := viewer.FromContext(ctx)
 	if ok {
 		query.AuthorID = vc.UserID()
+		query.AuthorName = vc.FullName()
 	}
 
 	query, err := svc.ds.NewQuery(query)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
+
 	return query, nil
 }
 
diff --git a/server/service/service_queries_test.go b/server/service/service_queries_test.go
index 0b2c74c06d..69077d34fd 100644
--- a/server/service/service_queries_test.go
+++ b/server/service/service_queries_test.go
@@ -57,7 +57,6 @@ func TestGetQuery(t *testing.T) {
 
 	queryVerify, err := svc.GetQuery(ctx, query.ID)
 	assert.Nil(t, err)
-
 	assert.Equal(t, query.ID, queryVerify.ID)
 }
 
@@ -77,12 +76,13 @@ func TestNewQuery(t *testing.T) {
 
 	name := "foo"
 	query := "select * from time;"
-	_, err = svc.NewQuery(ctx, kolide.QueryPayload{
+	q, err := svc.NewQuery(ctx, kolide.QueryPayload{
 		Name:  &name,
 		Query: &query,
 	})
-
 	assert.Nil(t, err)
+	assert.Equal(t, "Test Name admin1", q.AuthorName)
+	assert.Equal(t, []kolide.Pack{}, q.Packs)
 
 	queries, err := ds.ListQueries(kolide.ListOptions{})
 	assert.Nil(t, err)
@@ -141,5 +141,4 @@ func TestDeleteQuery(t *testing.T) {
 	queries, err := ds.ListQueries(kolide.ListOptions{})
 	assert.Nil(t, err)
 	assert.Len(t, queries, 0)
-
 }