diff --git a/oml/item/handlers.py b/oml/item/handlers.py
index ca3733a..8bf1544 100644
--- a/oml/item/handlers.py
+++ b/oml/item/handlers.py
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import tornado.concurrent
 from oxtornado import json_dumps, json_response
 
 from media import get_id
+import state
 
 import logging
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
@@ -183,6 +184,9 @@ class UploadHandler(tornado.web.RequestHandler):
                         with open(import_name, 'wb') as fd:
                             fd.write(upload.body)
                         file = add_file(id, import_name, prefix_books)
+                    else:
+                        user = state.user()
+                        file.item.add_user(user)
             if listname and ids:
                 l = List.get(settings.USER_ID, listname)
                 if l:
diff --git a/oml/item/models.py b/oml/item/models.py
index fbf53c9..8326648 100644
--- a/oml/item/models.py
+++ b/oml/item/models.py
@@ -92,10 +92,12 @@ class Item(db.Model):
         return item
 
     def add_user(self, user):
-        self.users.append(user)
+        if not user in self.users:
+            self.users.append(user)
         l = user.library
-        l.items.append(self)
-        state.db.session.add(l)
+        if not self in l.items:
+            l.items.append(self)
+            state.db.session.add(l)
 
     def json(self, keys=None):
         j  = {}
@@ -382,7 +384,11 @@ class Item(db.Model):
         primaryid = self.meta.get('primaryid')
         logger.debug('scrape %s', primaryid)
         if primaryid:
-            m = meta.lookup(*primaryid)
+            try:
+                m = meta.lookup(*primaryid)
+            except:
+                logger.debug('meta.lookup %s failed:', primaryid, exc_info=True)
+                m = None
             if m:
                 m['primaryid'] = primaryid
                 self.meta = m