diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 5e77e2c35..ed3b6eae1 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,6 +1,12 @@
 2007-10-08  Alex Roitman  <shura@gramps-project.org>
+	* src/gen/db/dbdir.py (__close_metadata): Store tuple;
+	(_load_metadata): Load from tuple;
+	* src/gen/db/base.py (GrampsDbBase.set_researcher): Move details
+	to the Researcher class.
 	* src/gen/lib/researcher.py (serialize, unserialize): Add methods; 
+	(set_from): Add method;
 	(set, get): Remove methods.
+	(__init__): Copy from source if provided.
 
 2007-10-08  Don Allingham  <don@gramps-project.org>
 	* src/gen/lib/attrbase.py: renamed from attributeBase.py
diff --git a/src/gen/db/base.py b/src/gen/db/base.py
index 44a7ee5be..8a1d48ae9 100644
--- a/src/gen/db/base.py
+++ b/src/gen/db/base.py
@@ -1753,10 +1753,7 @@ class GrampsDbBase(GrampsDBCallback):
 
     def set_researcher(self, owner):
         """sets the information about the owner of the database"""
-        self.owner.set(owner.get_name(), owner.get_address(), 
-                       owner.get_city(), owner.get_state(), 
-                       owner.get_country(), owner.get_postal_code(), 
-                       owner.get_phone(), owner.get_email())
+        self.owner.set_from(owner)
 
     def get_researcher(self):
         """returns the Researcher instance, providing information about
diff --git a/src/gen/db/dbdir.py b/src/gen/db/dbdir.py
index 4ad345e84..889b2f5df 100644
--- a/src/gen/db/dbdir.py
+++ b/src/gen/db/dbdir.py
@@ -608,8 +608,9 @@ class GrampsDBDir(GrampsDbBase, UpdateCallback):
         
         # database owner
         try:
-            self.set_researcher(self.metadata.get('researcher', 
-                                                  default=self.owner))
+            owner_data = self.metadata.get('researcher')
+            if owner_data:
+                self.owner.unserialize(owner_data)
         except ImportError: #handle problems with pre-alpha 3.0
             pass
         
@@ -1139,7 +1140,8 @@ class GrampsDBDir(GrampsDbBase, UpdateCallback):
             self.metadata.put('name_formats',self.name_formats,txn=the_txn)
             
             # database owner
-            self.metadata.put('researcher', self.owner, txn=the_txn)
+            owner_data = self.owner.serialize()
+            self.metadata.put('researcher', owner_data, txn=the_txn)
 
             # bookmarks
             self.metadata.put('bookmarks',self.bookmarks.get(),txn=the_txn)
diff --git a/src/gen/lib/researcher.py b/src/gen/lib/researcher.py
index 42f1698f6..09b144057 100644
--- a/src/gen/lib/researcher.py
+++ b/src/gen/lib/researcher.py
@@ -41,13 +41,19 @@ from locationbase import LocationBase
 class Researcher(LocationBase):
     """Contains the information about the owner of the database"""
     
-    def __init__(self):
-        """Initializes the Researcher object"""
+    def __init__(self, source=None):
+        """Initializes the Researcher object,
+        copying from the source if provided"""
 
-        LocationBase.__init__(self )
-        self.name = ""
-        self.addr = ""
-        self.email = ""
+        LocationBase.__init__(self, source)
+        if source:
+            self.name = source.name
+            self.addr = source.addr
+            self.email = source.email
+        else:
+            self.name = ""
+            self.addr = ""
+            self.email = ""
 
     def serialize(self):
         """
@@ -88,3 +94,17 @@ class Researcher(LocationBase):
     def get_email(self):
         """returns the database owner's email"""
         return self.email
+
+    def set_from(self,other_researcher):
+        """set all attributes from another instance"""
+        self.street = other_researcher.street
+        self.city = other_researcher.city
+        self.county = other_researcher.county
+        self.state = other_researcher.state
+        self.country = other_researcher.country
+        self.postal = other_researcher.postal
+        self.phone = other_researcher.phone
+
+        self.name = other_researcher.name
+        self.addr = other_researcher.addr
+        self.email =  other_researcher.email