diff --git a/dlx_dl/scripts/sync/__init__.py b/dlx_dl/scripts/sync/__init__.py
index 78ca0a3..3c63d79 100644
--- a/dlx_dl/scripts/sync/__init__.py
+++ b/dlx_dl/scripts/sync/__init__.py
@@ -204,6 +204,9 @@ def run(**kwargs):
         Auth.build_cache()
     
     for i, record in enumerate(records.records):
+        if record.user is None:
+            record.user = 'system'
+
         if record.user[:10] == 'batch_edit':
             # skip syncing batch edited records for now so as not to overwhelm DL queue
             continue
diff --git a/tests/test_dlx_dl.py b/tests/test_dlx_dl.py
index 588f2e5..8ae67f3 100644
--- a/tests/test_dlx_dl.py
+++ b/tests/test_dlx_dl.py
@@ -225,6 +225,7 @@ def test_561(db, tmp_path):
 def test_sync(db, capsys, mock_get_post):
     # todo: expand this test
     from http.server import HTTPServer
+    from dlx import DB
     from dlx.marc import Bib
     
     bib = Bib().set('245', 'a', 'Will self destruct')
@@ -234,5 +235,19 @@ def test_sync(db, capsys, mock_get_post):
     sync.run(connect=db, source='test', type='bib', modified_within=100, force=True)
     data = list(filter(None, capsys.readouterr().out.split('\n')))
     assert data
-        
+
+    # skip special user
+    bib = Bib().set('245', 'a', 'Moar testing')
+    bib.commit(user='batch_edit_x')
+    sync.run(connect=db, source='test', type='bib', id=bib.id, force=True)
+    data = list(filter(None, capsys.readouterr().out.split('\n')))
+    assert 'Updated 0 records' in data
+
+    # no user
+    bib = Bib().set('245', 'a', 'Moar testing')
+    bib.commit(user='')
+    sync.run(connect=db, source='test', type='bib', id=bib.id, force=True)
+    data = list(filter(None, capsys.readouterr().out.split('\n')))
+    assert DB.handle['dlx_dl_log'].find_one({'record_id': bib.id})
+    
 ### end
\ No newline at end of file