diff --git a/codecov_auth/commands/owner/interactors/set_yaml_on_owner.py b/codecov_auth/commands/owner/interactors/set_yaml_on_owner.py
index 566d003936..12a131e21f 100644
--- a/codecov_auth/commands/owner/interactors/set_yaml_on_owner.py
+++ b/codecov_auth/commands/owner/interactors/set_yaml_on_owner.py
@@ -68,9 +68,9 @@ def yaml_side_effects(self, old_yaml: dict | None, new_yaml: dict | None) -> Non
         old_yaml_bot = old_yaml and old_yaml.get("codecov", {}).get("bot")
         new_yaml_bot = new_yaml and new_yaml.get("codecov", {}).get("bot")
 
-        # Update owner's bot column if bot is updated in yaml
-        if new_yaml_bot != old_yaml_bot:
-            new_bot = (
+        # Update owner's bot column if bot is updated in yaml or if bot is not configured.
+        if new_yaml_bot != old_yaml_bot or self.owner.bot is None:
+            new_bot_id = (
                 get_ownerid_if_member(
                     service=self.owner.service,
                     owner_username=new_yaml_bot,
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ def yaml_side_effects(self, old_yaml: dict | None, new_yaml: dict | None) -> Non
                 or old_yaml_bot
                 or None
             )
-            self.owner.bot = new_bot
+            self.owner.bot_id = new_bot_id
             self.owner.save()
 
     @sync_to_async
diff --git a/codecov_auth/commands/owner/interactors/tests/test_set_yaml_on_owner.py b/codecov_auth/commands/owner/interactors/tests/test_set_yaml_on_owner.py
index e0e35a6083..5c03f955f4 100644
--- a/codecov_auth/commands/owner/interactors/tests/test_set_yaml_on_owner.py
+++ b/codecov_auth/commands/owner/interactors/tests/test_set_yaml_on_owner.py
@@ -66,6 +66,16 @@ def setUp(self):
             organizations=[self.org.ownerid], service=self.org.service
         )
         self.random_owner = OwnerFactory(service=self.org.service)
+        self.codecov_bot = OwnerFactory(
+            username="codecov",
+            organizations=[self.org.ownerid],
+            private_access=True,
+        )
+        self.codecov2_bot = OwnerFactory(
+            username="codecov-2",
+            organizations=[self.org.ownerid],
+            private_access=True,
+        )
 
     # helper to execute the interactor
     def execute(self, owner, *args):
@@ -159,6 +169,7 @@ async def test_yaml_has_comments(self):
 
     async def test_user_changes_yaml_bot_and_branch(self):
         await sync_to_async(RepositoryFactory)(author=self.org, branch="fake-branch")
+        assert self.current_owner.bot_id is None
         owner_updated = await self.execute(
             self.current_owner, self.org.username, yaml_with_changed_branch_and_bot
         )
@@ -168,3 +179,4 @@ async def test_user_changes_yaml_bot_and_branch(self):
             "codecov": {"branch": "test-2", "bot": "codecov-2"},
             "to_string": "\ncodecov:\n  branch: 'test-2'\n  bot: 'codecov-2'\n",
         }
+        assert owner_updated.bot_id == self.codecov2_bot.ownerid