diff --git a/app/models/time_entry_import.rb b/app/models/time_entry_import.rb
index 49c6de375..0ac4429f4 100644
--- a/app/models/time_entry_import.rb
+++ b/app/models/time_entry_import.rb
@@ -86,7 +86,11 @@ class TimeEntryImport < Import
 
     user_id = nil
     if User.current.allowed_to?(:log_time_for_other_users, project)
-      user_id = user_value || row_value(row, 'user_id')
+      if user_value
+        user_id = user_value
+      elsif user_name = row_value(row, 'user_id')
+        user_id = Principal.detect_by_keyword(allowed_target_users, user_name).try(:id)
+      end
     else
       user_id = user.id
     end
diff --git a/test/fixtures/files/import_time_entries.csv b/test/fixtures/files/import_time_entries.csv
index 0628e5203..b89cfdfaa 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/files/import_time_entries.csv
+++ b/test/fixtures/files/import_time_entries.csv
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 row;issue_id;date;hours;comment;activity;overtime;user_id
-1;;2020-01-01;1;Some Design;Design;yes;2
-2;;2020-01-02;2;Some Development;Development;yes;2
-3;1;2020-01-03;3;Some QA;QA;no;3
-4;2;2020-01-04;4;Some Inactivity;Inactive Activity;no;2
+1;;2020-01-01;1;Some Design;Design;yes;jsmith@somenet.foo
+2;;2020-01-02;2;Some Development;Development;yes;jsmith@somenet.foo
+3;1;2020-01-03;3;Some QA;QA;no;dlopper@somenet.foo
+4;2;2020-01-04;4;Some Inactivity;Inactive Activity;no;jsmith@somenet.foo