diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index d5e8fc39..b86a5f9b 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -4,6 +4,12 @@ Follows [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/).
 
 ## Next version
 
+## 1.23.0
+
+### Added
+
+- If no primary author set handle error inline and ability to set new author through vscode inputs. [Issue 27](https://github.com/rkotze/git-mob-vs-code/issues/27)
+
 ## 1.22.0
 
 ### Added
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 730ddad1..fe7c2970 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -133,6 +133,12 @@
         "category": "Git Mob",
         "icon": "$(add)"
       },
+      {
+        "command": "gitmob.addMainAuthor",
+        "title": "New primary author",
+        "category": "Git Mob",
+        "icon": "$(add)"
+      },
       {
         "command": "gitmob.searchRepositoryUsers",
         "title": "Search Git repository for co-authors",
@@ -222,6 +228,11 @@
           "when": "viewItem == add-repo-author",
           "group": "inline"
         },
+        {
+          "command": "gitmob.addMainAuthor",
+          "when": "viewItem == error-author || viewItem == primary-author",
+          "group": "inline"
+        },
         {
           "command": "gitmob.removeCoAuthor",
           "when": "viewItem == remove-author",
@@ -229,7 +240,7 @@
         },
         {
           "command": "gitmob.changePrimaryAuthor",
-          "when": "viewItem == primary-author",
+          "when": "viewItem == error-author || viewItem == primary-author",
           "group": "inline"
         },
         {
diff --git a/src/build-co-author-groups.js b/src/build-co-author-groups.js
index f861295e..704ad3c3 100644
--- a/src/build-co-author-groups.js
+++ b/src/build-co-author-groups.js
@@ -23,7 +23,9 @@ exports.buildCoAuthorGroups = async function buildCoAuthorGroups() {
     const allAuthors = await getAllAuthors();
     const selectedCoAuthors = await getSelectedCoAuthors(allAuthors);
     unselected = authorListToMap(
-      allAuthors.filter((author) => mainAuthor.email != author.email),
+      allAuthors.filter(
+        (author) => mainAuthor === undefined || mainAuthor.email != author.email
+      ),
       (author) => new CoAuthor(author.name, author.email, false, author.key)
     );
     selected = authorListToMap(
@@ -45,7 +47,7 @@ exports.buildCoAuthorGroups = async function buildCoAuthorGroups() {
       if (mainAuthor) {
         return new PrimaryAuthor(mainAuthor.name, mainAuthor.email);
       }
-      return new ErrorAuthor("Missing Git author");
+      return new ErrorAuthor("Error: Missing main Git author.");
     },
     getUnselected() {
       return sortAuthors(Array.from(unselected.values()));
diff --git a/src/build-co-author-groups.spec.js b/src/build-co-author-groups.spec.js
index c7735dc2..29ae0e01 100644
--- a/src/build-co-author-groups.spec.js
+++ b/src/build-co-author-groups.spec.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 const { workspace } = require("../__mocks__/vscode");
 const { buildCoAuthorGroups } = require("./build-co-author-groups");
 const { CoAuthor } = require("./co-author-tree-provider/co-authors");
+const { ErrorAuthor } = require("./co-author-tree-provider/error-author");
 const {
   getAllAuthors,
   setCoAuthors,
@@ -13,7 +14,7 @@ const { Author } = jest.requireActual("git-mob-core");
 jest.mock("git-mob-core");
 
 describe("Co-author list", function () {
-  const author = new Author("Richard Kotze", "rkotze@email.com");
+  const author = new Author("rk", "Richard Kotze", "rkotze@email.com");
 
   beforeAll(function () {
     workspace.getConfiguration.mockReturnValue({
@@ -30,6 +31,21 @@ describe("Co-author list", function () {
     repoAuthorList.mockReset();
   });
 
+  it("No main author email should not throw error", async function () {
+    getPrimaryAuthor.mockResolvedValueOnce(undefined);
+    getAllAuthors.mockResolvedValueOnce([
+      { key: "rk", name: "Richard Kotze", email: "rkotze@email.com" },
+      { key: "ts", name: "Tony Stark", email: "tony@stark.com" },
+    ]);
+    getSelectedCoAuthors.mockResolvedValueOnce([]);
+
+    const coAuthorGroups = await buildCoAuthorGroups();
+
+    expect(coAuthorGroups.getMainAuthor()).toEqual(
+      new ErrorAuthor("Missing main Git author")
+    );
+  });
+
   it("Repo authors should not contain co-authors with same email", async function () {
     repoAuthorList.mockResolvedValueOnce([
       new Author("ts", "Tony Stark", "tony@stark.com"),
diff --git a/src/co-author-tree-provider/error-author.js b/src/co-author-tree-provider/error-author.js
index 946e5b76..11ed183f 100644
--- a/src/co-author-tree-provider/error-author.js
+++ b/src/co-author-tree-provider/error-author.js
@@ -2,15 +2,16 @@ const vscode = require("vscode");
 const { None } = vscode.TreeItemCollapsibleState;
 
 class ErrorAuthor extends vscode.TreeItem {
-  constructor() {
-    super("Error", None);
+  constructor(name, contextValue = "error-author") {
+    super(name || "Error: missing author!", None);
     this.email = "e@r.ror";
     this.selected = false;
     this.commandKey = "";
+    this.contextValue = contextValue;
   }
 
   get tooltip() {
-    return "Error";
+    return "Error: missing author!";
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/commands/add-co-author.js b/src/commands/add-co-author.js
index 08a56d16..8b026597 100644
--- a/src/commands/add-co-author.js
+++ b/src/commands/add-co-author.js
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ const vscode = require("vscode");
 const { CoAuthor } = require("../co-author-tree-provider/co-authors");
 const { moveToCoAuthoring } = require("../ext-config/config");
 const { saveNewCoAuthors } = require("git-mob-core");
+const { inputAuthorData } = require("./shared/input-author-data");
 
 function addRepoAuthorToCoauthors({ coAuthorProvider }) {
   return vscode.commands.registerCommand(
@@ -22,7 +23,11 @@ function addRepoAuthorToCoauthors({ coAuthorProvider }) {
           await coAuthorProvider.toggleCoAuthor(coAuthor, true);
         }
       } else {
-        const newAuthor = await inputAuthorData();
+        const newAuthor = await inputAuthorData([
+          { key: "name", label: "Author name" },
+          { key: "email", label: "Author email" },
+          { key: "key", label: "Author initials" },
+        ]);
         if (newAuthor) {
           await saveNewCoAuthors([newAuthor]);
           const coAuthor = new CoAuthor(
@@ -45,37 +50,4 @@ function addRepoAuthorToCoauthors({ coAuthorProvider }) {
   );
 }
 
-async function inputAuthorData() {
-  const name = await vscode.window.showInputBox({
-    prompt: "Author name (Required)",
-    validateInput: isRequired("Author name"),
-  });
-  const email = await vscode.window.showInputBox({
-    prompt: "Author email (Required)",
-    validateInput: isRequired("Author email"),
-  });
-  const key = await vscode.window.showInputBox({
-    prompt: "Author initials (Required)",
-    validateInput: isRequired("Author initials"),
-  });
-
-  if (anyUndefined(name, email, key)) return null;
-
-  return {
-    name,
-    email,
-    key,
-  };
-}
-
-function isRequired(fieldName) {
-  return (value) => {
-    if (value.length === 0) return `${fieldName} is required.`;
-  };
-}
-
-function anyUndefined(...args) {
-  return args.some((value) => typeof value === "undefined");
-}
-
 exports.addRepoAuthorToCoauthors = addRepoAuthorToCoauthors;
diff --git a/src/commands/add-main-author.js b/src/commands/add-main-author.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a8725d02
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/commands/add-main-author.js
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+const vscode = require("vscode");
+const { Author, setPrimaryAuthor } = require("git-mob-core");
+const { inputAuthorData } = require("./shared/input-author-data");
+
+function addMainAuthor() {
+  return vscode.commands.registerCommand(
+    "gitmob.addMainAuthor",
+    async function () {
+      const newAuthor = await inputAuthorData([
+        { key: "name", label: "Author name" },
+        { key: "email", label: "Author email" },
+      ]);
+      if (newAuthor) {
+        await setPrimaryAuthor(
+          new Author("author", newAuthor.name, newAuthor.email)
+        );
+        await vscode.commands.executeCommand("gitmob.reload");
+      }
+    }
+  );
+}
+
+exports.addMainAuthor = addMainAuthor;
diff --git a/src/commands/shared/input-author-data.js b/src/commands/shared/input-author-data.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..482f2990
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/commands/shared/input-author-data.js
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+const vscode = require("vscode");
+
+async function inputAuthorData(fields) {
+  const authorData = {};
+
+  for (const field of fields) {
+    const value = await vscode.window.showInputBox({
+      prompt: `${field.label} (Required)`,
+      validateInput: isRequired(field.label),
+    });
+    if (typeof value === "undefined") return null;
+    authorData[field.key] = value;
+  }
+
+  return authorData;
+}
+
+function isRequired(fieldName) {
+  return (value) => {
+    if (value.length === 0) return `${fieldName} is required.`;
+  };
+}
+
+exports.inputAuthorData = inputAuthorData;
diff --git a/src/setup-git-mob.js b/src/setup-git-mob.js
index 94e0040e..f1625416 100644
--- a/src/setup-git-mob.js
+++ b/src/setup-git-mob.js
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ const { buildCoAuthorGroups } = require("./build-co-author-groups");
 const {
   InputCompletionProvider,
 } = require("./co-author-tree-provider/input-completion-provider");
+const { addMainAuthor } = require("./commands/add-main-author");
 
 async function setupGitMob(context, gitExt) {
   return bootGitMob(context, gitExt);
@@ -66,6 +67,7 @@ async function bootGitMob(context, gitExt) {
       new CountDecorationProvider(coAuthorProvider),
       new InputCompletionProvider(coAuthorProvider),
       copyCoAuthor(),
+      addMainAuthor({ coAuthorProvider }),
     ];
 
     disposables.forEach((dispose) => context.subscriptions.push(dispose));