diff --git a/mod/assign/locallib.php b/mod/assign/locallib.php
index 3b97b7bfbe1..404b6956ea3 100644
--- a/mod/assign/locallib.php
+++ b/mod/assign/locallib.php
@@ -4413,6 +4413,7 @@ class assign {
 
         $info = new stdClass();
         if ($blindmarking) {
+            $userfrom = clone($userfrom);
             $info->username = get_string('participant', 'assign') . ' ' . $uniqueidforuser;
             $userfrom->firstname = get_string('participant', 'assign');
             $userfrom->lastname = $uniqueidforuser;