diff --git a/rhodecode/lib/db_manage.py b/rhodecode/lib/db_manage.py
index 5cdd369d..b33a3cf5 100644
--- a/rhodecode/lib/db_manage.py
+++ b/rhodecode/lib/db_manage.py
@@ -606,8 +606,8 @@ class DbManage(object):
             )
 
     def create_ghost_user(self):
-        log.info("creating ghost user")
         if not User.get_by_username(User.GHOST_USER):
+            log.info("creating ghost user")
             ghost_user = User()
             ghost_user.name = User.GHOST_USER.capitalize()
             ghost_user.username = User.GHOST_USER
diff --git a/rhodecode/model/db.py b/rhodecode/model/db.py
index 21fb8a6a..be69e0d8 100644
--- a/rhodecode/model/db.py
+++ b/rhodecode/model/db.py
@@ -1284,15 +1284,15 @@ class User(Base, BaseModel):
 
     @classmethod
     def get_ghost_user(cls, cache=False, refresh=False):
-        return cls._get_system_user(username=User.GHOST_USER, cache=cache, refresh=refresh)
+        return cls._get_system_user(username=cls.GHOST_USER, cache=cache, refresh=refresh)
 
     @classmethod
     def get_default_user(cls, cache=False, refresh=False):
-        return cls._get_system_user(username=User.DEFAULT_USER, cache=cache, refresh=refresh)
+        return cls._get_system_user(username=cls.DEFAULT_USER, cache=cache, refresh=refresh)
 
     @classmethod
     def _get_system_user(cls, username, cache=False, refresh=False):
-        user = User.get_by_username(username, cache=cache)
+        user = cls.get_by_username(username, cache=cache)
         if user is None:
             raise Exception("FATAL: Missing %s account!" % username)
         if refresh:
diff --git a/rhodecode/model/user.py b/rhodecode/model/user.py
index aa0283d2..e3f6458f 100644
--- a/rhodecode/model/user.py
+++ b/rhodecode/model/user.py
@@ -464,45 +464,45 @@ class UserModel(BaseModel):
             log.error(traceback.format_exc())
             raise
 
-    def _detach_user_repos(self, username, repositories, handle_user):
+    def _detach_user_repos(self, username, repositories, new_owner):
         for obj in repositories:
-            obj.user = handle_user
+            obj.user = new_owner
             # set description we know why ghost now owns
             # additional repositories that were orphaned !
             obj.description += "  \n::detached repository from deleted user: %s" % (username,)
             self.sa.add(obj)
 
-    def _detach_user_repo_groups(self, username, repository_groups, handle_user):
+    def _detach_user_repo_groups(self, username, repository_groups, new_owner):
         for r in repository_groups:
-            r.user = handle_user
+            r.user = new_owner
             # set description we know why ghost now owns
             # additional repositories that were orphaned !
             r.group_description += "  \n::detached repository group from deleted user: %s" % (username,)
             r.personal = False
             self.sa.add(r)
 
-    def _detach_user_user_groups(self, username, user_groups, handle_user):
+    def _detach_user_user_groups(self, username, user_groups, new_owner):
         for r in user_groups:
             for user_user_group_to_perm in r.user_user_group_to_perm:
                 if user_user_group_to_perm.user.username == username:
-                    user_user_group_to_perm.user = handle_user
-            r.user = handle_user
+                    user_user_group_to_perm.user = new_owner
+            r.user = new_owner
             # set description we know why ghost now owns
             # additional repositories that were orphaned !
             r.user_group_description += "  \n::detached user group from deleted user: %s" % (username,)
             self.sa.add(r)
 
-    def _detach_user_pull_requests(self, username, pull_requests, handle_user):
+    def _detach_user_pull_requests(self, username, pull_requests, new_owner):
         for pr in pull_requests:
-            pr.user_id = handle_user.user_id
+            pr.user_id = new_owner.user_id
             # set description we know why ghost now owns
             # additional repositories that were orphaned !
             pr.description += "  \n::detached pull requests from deleted user: %s" % (username,)
             self.sa.add(pr)
 
-    def _detach_user_artifacts(self, username, artifacts, new_user):
+    def _detach_user_artifacts(self, username, artifacts, new_owner):
         for a in artifacts:
-            a.upload_user = new_user
+            a.upload_user = new_owner
             # set description we know why ghost now owns
             # additional artifacts that were orphaned !
             a.file_description += "  \n::detached artifact from deleted user: %s" % (username,)