diff --git a/src/apps/people/PeopleApp.cpp b/src/apps/people/PeopleApp.cpp
index f7869a38ca..39ef3354ed 100644
--- a/src/apps/people/PeopleApp.cpp
+++ b/src/apps/people/PeopleApp.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2005-2010, Haiku, Inc. All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright 2005-2023, Haiku, Inc. All rights reserved.
  * Distributed under the terms of the MIT license.
  *
  * Authors:
@@ -223,7 +223,7 @@ TPeopleApp::MessageReceived(BMessage* message)
 	switch (message->what) {
 		case M_NEW:
 		case B_SILENT_RELAUNCH:
-			_NewWindow();
+			_NewWindow(NULL, message);
 			break;
 
 		case M_WINDOW_QUITS:
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ TPeopleApp::RefsReceived(BMessage* message)
 		else {
 			BFile file(&ref, B_READ_ONLY);
 			if (file.InitCheck() == B_OK)
-				_NewWindow(&ref);
+				_NewWindow(&ref, NULL);
 		}
 	}
 }
@@ -292,13 +292,15 @@ TPeopleApp::ReadyToRun()
 
 
 PersonWindow*
-TPeopleApp::_NewWindow(entry_ref* ref)
+TPeopleApp::_NewWindow(entry_ref* ref, BMessage* message)
 {
 	PersonWindow* window = new PersonWindow(fPosition,
 		B_TRANSLATE("New person"), kNameAttribute,
 		kCategoryAttribute, ref);
 
 	_AddAttributes(window);
+	if (message != NULL)
+		window->SetInitialValues(message);
 
 	window->Show();
 
diff --git a/src/apps/people/PeopleApp.h b/src/apps/people/PeopleApp.h
index 4adb7377d3..c47880b509 100644
--- a/src/apps/people/PeopleApp.h
+++ b/src/apps/people/PeopleApp.h
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ enum {
 	M_NEW					= 'newp',
 	M_SAVE_AS				= 'svas',
 	M_WINDOW_QUITS			= 'wndq',
-	M_CONFIGURE_ATTRIBUTES	= 'catr'
+	M_CONFIGURE_ATTRIBUTES	= 'catr',
 };
 
 class PersonWindow;
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ public:
 
 private:
 				PersonWindow*	_FindWindow(const entry_ref&) const;
-				PersonWindow*	_NewWindow(entry_ref* = NULL);
+				PersonWindow*	_NewWindow(entry_ref* = NULL, BMessage* = NULL);
 				void			_AddAttributes(PersonWindow* window) const;
 				void			_SavePreferences(BMessage* message) const;
 
diff --git a/src/apps/people/PersonView.cpp b/src/apps/people/PersonView.cpp
index 6788dab984..37ef4079c3 100644
--- a/src/apps/people/PersonView.cpp
+++ b/src/apps/people/PersonView.cpp
@@ -386,8 +386,10 @@ PersonView::SetAttribute(const char* attribute, const char* value,
 		}
 	}
 
-	if (control == NULL)
+	if (control == NULL) {
+		UnlockLooper();
 		return;
+	}
 
 	if (update) {
 		control->SetText(value);
diff --git a/src/apps/people/PersonView.h b/src/apps/people/PersonView.h
index f6ecc27941..9f458df76e 100644
--- a/src/apps/people/PersonView.h
+++ b/src/apps/people/PersonView.h
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ public:
 			bool				IsTextSelected() const;
 
 private:
-			const entry_ref*		fRef;
+			const entry_ref*	fRef;
 			time_t				fLastModificationTime;
 			BPopUpMenu*			fGroups;
 			typedef BObjectList<AttributeTextControl> AttributeList;
diff --git a/src/apps/people/PersonWindow.cpp b/src/apps/people/PersonWindow.cpp
index fedfebe01a..d4f74ea379 100644
--- a/src/apps/people/PersonWindow.cpp
+++ b/src/apps/people/PersonWindow.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2005-2010, Haiku, Inc. All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright 2005-2023, Haiku, Inc. All rights reserved.
  * Distributed under the terms of the MIT license.
  *
  * Authors:
@@ -351,6 +351,21 @@ PersonWindow::AddAttribute(const char* label, const char* attribute)
 }
 
 
+void
+PersonWindow::SetInitialValues(BMessage* message)
+{
+	char* attribute;
+	uint32 type;
+	int32 count;
+
+	for (int32 i = 0; message->GetInfo(B_STRING_TYPE, i, &attribute, &type, &count) == B_OK; i++) {
+		BString text = "";
+		if (message->FindString(attribute, &text) == B_OK)
+			fView->SetAttribute(attribute, text.String(), true);
+	}
+}
+
+
 void
 PersonWindow::SaveAs()
 {
diff --git a/src/apps/people/PersonWindow.h b/src/apps/people/PersonWindow.h
index 1f7ef6bb8a..854132341e 100644
--- a/src/apps/people/PersonWindow.h
+++ b/src/apps/people/PersonWindow.h
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2010, Haiku, Inc. All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright 2010-2023, Haiku, Inc. All rights reserved.
  * Distributed under the terms of the MIT license.
  *
  * Authors:
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ public:
 
 			void				AddAttribute(const char* label,
 									const char* attribute);
+			void				SetInitialValues(BMessage* message);
 
 			void				SaveAs();