diff --git a/project/src/main/java/de/srsoftware/umbrella/project/ProjectModule.java b/project/src/main/java/de/srsoftware/umbrella/project/ProjectModule.java
index 1fcc4af..ad8a986 100644
--- a/project/src/main/java/de/srsoftware/umbrella/project/ProjectModule.java
+++ b/project/src/main/java/de/srsoftware/umbrella/project/ProjectModule.java
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import static de.srsoftware.umbrella.core.ConnectionProvider.connect;
 import static de.srsoftware.umbrella.core.Constants.*;
 import static de.srsoftware.umbrella.core.Paths.LIST;
 import static de.srsoftware.umbrella.core.exceptions.UmbrellaException.*;
+import static de.srsoftware.umbrella.core.model.Permission.EDIT;
 import static de.srsoftware.umbrella.core.model.Permission.OWNER;
 import static de.srsoftware.umbrella.core.model.Status.OPEN;
 import static de.srsoftware.umbrella.project.Constants.CONFIG_DATABASE;
@@ -176,6 +177,11 @@ public class ProjectModule extends BaseHandler implements ProjectService {
 			}
 			if (!(json.get(key) instanceof Number number)) throw invalidFieldException(PERMISSION,"int");
 			var permission = Permission.of(number.intValue());
+			if (permission == OWNER) { // if a new person is about to become the project owner
+				for (var member : members.values()){ // alter the previous owners to editors
+					if (member.permission() == OWNER) members.put(member.user().id(),new Member(member.user(),EDIT));
+				}
+			}
 			members.put(userId,new Member(users.loadUser(userId),permission));
 			project.dirtyFields().add(MEMBERS);
 		}
@@ -186,6 +192,7 @@ public class ProjectModule extends BaseHandler implements ProjectService {
 		if (!project.hasMember(user)) throw forbidden("You are not a member of {0}",project.name());
 		var json = json(ex);
 		if (json.has(MEMBERS) && json.get(MEMBERS) instanceof JSONObject memberJson) patchMembers(project,memberJson);
+
 		projects.save(project.patch(json));
 		return sendContent(ex,project.toMap());
 	}