diff --git a/cli.js b/cli.js
index 7bcf1a0..42451c1 100755
--- a/cli.js
+++ b/cli.js
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ function addContribution(argv) {
   var username = argv._[1];
   var contributions = argv._[2];
   // Add or update contributor in the config file
-  return updateContributors(argv, username, contributions, argv.contributors)
+  return updateContributors(argv, username, contributions)
   .then(data => {
     argv.contributors = data.contributors;
     return startGeneration(argv)
diff --git a/lib/contributors/index.js b/lib/contributors/index.js
index af93b15..2cb908d 100644
--- a/lib/contributors/index.js
+++ b/lib/contributors/index.js
@@ -10,8 +10,8 @@ function isNewContributor(contributorList, username) {
   return !_.find({login: username}, contributorList);
 }
 
-module.exports = function addContributor(options, username, contributions, allContributions) {
-  const answersP = prompt(options, username, contributions, allContributions);
+module.exports = function addContributor(options, username, contributions) {
+  const answersP = prompt(options, username, contributions);
   const contributorsP = answersP
     .then(answers => add(options, answers.username, answers.contributions, github));
 
diff --git a/lib/contributors/prompt.js b/lib/contributors/prompt.js
index d82c8b5..07fb3cc 100644
--- a/lib/contributors/prompt.js
+++ b/lib/contributors/prompt.js
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ var contributionChoices = _.flow(
   })
 );
 
-function getQuestions(options, username, contributions, allContributions) {
+function getQuestions(options, username, contributions) {
   return [{
     type: 'input',
     name: 'username',
@@ -31,21 +31,34 @@ function getQuestions(options, username, contributions, allContributions) {
     when: !contributions,
     default: function (answers) {
       // default values for contributions when updating existing users
-      return allContributions
+      answers.username = answers.username || username;
+      return options.contributors
         .filter((entry) => entry.login.toLowerCase() === answers.username.toLowerCase())
         .reduce((memo, entry) => memo.concat(entry.contributions), []);
     },
     choices: contributionChoices(options),
-    validate: input => input.length ? true : 'Use space to select at least one contribution type.'
+    validate: function (input, answers) {
+      answers.username = answers.username || username;
+      var previousContributions = options.contributors
+        .filter((entry) => entry.login.toLowerCase() === answers.username.toLowerCase())
+        .reduce((memo, entry) => memo.concat(entry.contributions), []);
+
+      if (!input.length) {
+        return 'Use space to select at least one contribution type.'
+      } else if (_.isEqual(input, previousContributions)) {
+        return 'Nothing changed, use space to select contribution types.'
+      }
+      return true;
+    }
   }];
 }
 
-module.exports = function prompt(options, username, contributions, allContributions) {
+module.exports = function prompt(options, username, contributions) {
   var defaults = {
     username: username,
     contributions: contributions && contributions.split(',')
   };
-  var questions = getQuestions(options, username, contributions, allContributions);
+  var questions = getQuestions(options, username, contributions);
   return inquirer.prompt(questions)
     .then(_.assign(defaults));
 };