diff --git a/common/cpw/mods/fml/common/ModMetadata.java b/common/cpw/mods/fml/common/ModMetadata.java
index 93f1478d39..8e86fb035e 100644
--- a/common/cpw/mods/fml/common/ModMetadata.java
+++ b/common/cpw/mods/fml/common/ModMetadata.java
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import argo.jdom.JsonStringNode;
 
 import com.google.common.base.Function;
 import com.google.common.base.Joiner;
+import com.google.common.base.Objects;
 import com.google.common.base.Optional;
 import com.google.common.base.Strings;
 import com.google.common.collect.Lists;
@@ -107,7 +108,7 @@ public class ModMetadata
         version = Strings.nullToEmpty((String)processedFields.get(aStringBuilder("version")));
         credits = Strings.nullToEmpty((String)processedFields.get(aStringBuilder("credits")));
         parent =  Strings.nullToEmpty((String)processedFields.get(aStringBuilder("parent")));
-        authorList = Optional.fromNullable((List<String>)processedFields.get(aStringBuilder("authorList"))).or(authorList);
+        authorList = Objects.firstNonNull(((List<String>)processedFields.get(aStringBuilder("authors"))),Objects.firstNonNull(((List<String>)processedFields.get(aStringBuilder("authorList"))), authorList));
         requiredMods = processReferences((List<String>)processedFields.get(aStringBuilder("requiredMods")));
         dependencies = processReferences((List<String>)processedFields.get(aStringBuilder("dependencies")));
         dependants = processReferences((List<String>)processedFields.get(aStringBuilder("dependants")));