diff --git a/desci-server/src/services/ElasticNodesService.ts b/desci-server/src/services/ElasticNodesService.ts
index 266f85d4..45e1b3e5 100644
--- a/desci-server/src/services/ElasticNodesService.ts
+++ b/desci-server/src/services/ElasticNodesService.ts
@@ -156,6 +156,7 @@ async function fillAuthorData(manifestAuthors: ResearchObjectV1Author[]) {
       const firstHit = hits?.[0];
       return {
         ...firstHit?._source,
+        author_id: firstHit?._id,
       };
     });