diff --git a/awx/api/generics.py b/awx/api/generics.py
index 7d30b6eda5..5b990821b4 100644
--- a/awx/api/generics.py
+++ b/awx/api/generics.py
@@ -253,11 +253,7 @@ class ListAPIView(generics.ListAPIView, GenericAPIView):
 
 class ListCreateAPIView(ListAPIView, generics.ListCreateAPIView):
     # Base class for a list view that allows creating new objects.
-
-    def pre_save(self, obj):
-        super(ListCreateAPIView, self).pre_save(obj)
-        if isinstance(obj, PrimordialModel):
-            obj.created_by = self.request.user
+    pass
 
 class SubListAPIView(ListAPIView):
     # Base class for a read-only sublist view.
diff --git a/awx/lib/site-packages/README b/awx/lib/site-packages/README
index 817940e954..5c499e9e50 100644
--- a/awx/lib/site-packages/README
+++ b/awx/lib/site-packages/README
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ d2to1==0.2.11 (d2to1/*)
 distribute==0.7.3 (no files)
 django-auth-ldap==1.1.8 (django_auth_ldap/*)
 django-celery==3.1.10 (djcelery/*)
+django-crum==0.6.1 (crum/*)
 django-extensions==1.3.3 (django_extensions/*)
 django-jsonfield==0.9.12 (jsonfield/*, minor fix in jsonfield/fields.py)
 django-polymorphic==0.5.3 (polymorphic/*)
diff --git a/awx/lib/site-packages/crum/__init__.py b/awx/lib/site-packages/crum/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..fb26142466
--- /dev/null
+++ b/awx/lib/site-packages/crum/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+# Python
+import contextlib
+import logging
+import threading
+
+_thread_locals = threading.local()
+
+_logger = logging.getLogger('crum')
+
+__version__ = '0.6.1'
+
+__all__ = ['get_current_request', 'get_current_user', 'impersonate']
+
+
+@contextlib.contextmanager
+def impersonate(user=None):
+    """Temporarily impersonate the given user for audit trails."""
+    try:
+        current_user = get_current_user(_return_false=True)
+        set_current_user(user)
+        yield user
+    finally:
+        set_current_user(current_user)
+
+
+def get_current_request():
+    """Return the request associated with the current thread."""
+    return getattr(_thread_locals, 'request', None)
+
+
+def set_current_request(request=None):
+    """Update the request associated with the current thread."""
+    _thread_locals.request = request
+    # Clear the current user if also clearing the request.
+    if not request:
+        set_current_user(False)
+
+
+def get_current_user(_return_false=False):
+    """Return the user associated with the current request thread."""
+    from crum.signals import current_user_getter
+    top_priority = -9999
+    top_user = False if _return_false else None
+    results = current_user_getter.send_robust(get_current_user)
+    for receiver, response in results:
+        priority = 0
+        if isinstance(response, Exception):
+            _logger.exception('%r raised exception: %s', receiver, response)
+            continue
+        elif isinstance(response, (tuple, list)) and response:
+            user = response[0]
+            if len(response) > 1:
+                priority = response[1]
+        elif response or response in (None, False):
+            user = response
+        else:
+            _logger.error('%r returned invalid response: %r', receiver,
+                          response)
+            continue
+        if user is not False:
+            if priority > top_priority:
+                top_priority = priority
+                top_user = user
+    return top_user
+
+
+def set_current_user(user=None):
+    """Update the user associated with the current request thread."""
+    from crum.signals import current_user_setter
+    results = current_user_setter.send_robust(set_current_user, user=user)
+    for receiver, response in results:
+        if isinstance(response, Exception):
+            _logger.exception('%r raised exception: %s', receiver, response)
+
+
+class CurrentRequestUserMiddleware(object):
+    """Middleware to capture the request and user from the current thread."""
+
+    def process_request(self, request):
+        set_current_request(request)
+
+    def process_response(self, request, response):
+        set_current_request(None)
+        return response
+
+    def process_exception(self, request, exception):
+        set_current_request(None)
diff --git a/awx/lib/site-packages/crum/signals.py b/awx/lib/site-packages/crum/signals.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6ca41a373f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/awx/lib/site-packages/crum/signals.py
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+# Django
+from django.dispatch import Signal, receiver
+
+__all__ = ['current_user_getter']
+
+
+# Signal used when getting current user.  Receivers should return a tuple of
+# (user, priority).
+current_user_getter = Signal(providing_args=[])
+
+
+# Signal used when setting current user.  Receivers should store the current
+# user as needed.  Return values are ignored.
+current_user_setter = Signal(providing_args=['user'])
+
+
+@receiver(current_user_getter)
+def _get_current_user_from_request(sender, **kwargs):
+    """Signal handler to retrieve current user from request."""
+    from crum import get_current_request
+    return (getattr(get_current_request(), 'user', False), -10)
+
+
+@receiver(current_user_getter)
+def _get_current_user_from_thread_locals(sender, **kwargs):
+    """Signal handler to retrieve current user from thread locals."""
+    from crum import _thread_locals
+    return (getattr(_thread_locals, 'user', False), 10)
+
+
+@receiver(current_user_setter)
+def _set_current_user_on_request(sender, **kwargs):
+    """Signal handler to store current user to request."""
+    from crum import get_current_request
+    request = get_current_request()
+    if request:
+        request.user = kwargs['user']
+
+
+@receiver(current_user_setter)
+def _set_current_user_on_thread_locals(sender, **kwargs):
+    """Signal handler to store current user on thread locals."""
+    from crum import _thread_locals
+    _thread_locals.user = kwargs['user']
diff --git a/awx/main/models/base.py b/awx/main/models/base.py
index b0047713dc..3acf82e820 100644
--- a/awx/main/models/base.py
+++ b/awx/main/models/base.py
@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@ from taggit.managers import TaggableManager
 # Django-Celery
 from djcelery.models import TaskMeta
 
+# Django-CRUM
+from crum import get_current_user
+
 # Ansible Tower
 from awx.main.utils import encrypt_field
 
@@ -284,6 +287,20 @@ class PrimordialModel(CreatedModifiedModel):
                 self.save(update_fields=update_fields)
         return update_fields
 
+    def save(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        update_fields = kwargs.get('update_fields', [])
+        user = get_current_user()
+        if user and not user.pk:
+            user = None
+        if not self.pk:
+            self.created_by = user
+            if 'created_by' not in update_fields:
+                update_fields.append('created_by')
+        self.modified_by = user
+        if 'modified_by' not in update_fields:
+            update_fields.append('modified_by')
+        super(PrimordialModel, self).save(*args, **kwargs)
+
     def clean_description(self):
         # Description should always be empty string, never null.
         return self.description or ''
diff --git a/awx/main/signals.py b/awx/main/signals.py
index a0fdd61c62..0c85a7bd90 100644
--- a/awx/main/signals.py
+++ b/awx/main/signals.py
@@ -12,6 +12,10 @@ from django.conf import settings
 from django.db.models.signals import pre_save, post_save, pre_delete, post_delete, m2m_changed
 from django.dispatch import receiver
 
+# Django-CRUM
+from crum import get_current_request
+from crum.signals import current_user_getter
+
 # AWX
 from awx.main.models import *
 from awx.api.serializers import *
@@ -361,3 +365,15 @@ def activity_stream_associate(sender, instance, **kwargs):
             activity_entry.save()
             getattr(activity_entry, object1).add(obj1)
             getattr(activity_entry, object2).add(obj2_actual)
+
+
+@receiver(current_user_getter)
+def get_current_user_from_drf_request(sender, **kwargs):
+    '''
+    Provider a signal handler to return the current user from the current
+    request when using Django REST Framework. Requires that the APIView set
+    drf_request on the underlying Django Request object.
+    '''
+    request = get_current_request()
+    drf_request = getattr(request, 'drf_request', None)
+    return (getattr(drf_request, 'user', False), 0)
diff --git a/awx/settings/defaults.py b/awx/settings/defaults.py
index cce44e1735..de6b7c562d 100644
--- a/awx/settings/defaults.py
+++ b/awx/settings/defaults.py
@@ -112,7 +112,8 @@ TEMPLATE_CONTEXT_PROCESSORS += (
 MIDDLEWARE_CLASSES += (
     'django.middleware.transaction.TransactionMiddleware',
     # Middleware loaded after this point will be subject to transactions.
-    'awx.main.middleware.ActivityStreamMiddleware'
+    'awx.main.middleware.ActivityStreamMiddleware',
+    'crum.CurrentRequestUserMiddleware',
 )
 
 TEMPLATE_DIRS = (
diff --git a/requirements/dev.txt b/requirements/dev.txt
index 18c42eb86a..9ee9ccb69f 100644
--- a/requirements/dev.txt
+++ b/requirements/dev.txt
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ Django>=1.4
   #boto
   #django-auth-ldap
   #django-celery
+  #django-crum
   #django-extensions
   #django-jsonfield
   #django-split-settings
diff --git a/requirements/dev_local.txt b/requirements/dev_local.txt
index 7474588025..bdad46971b 100644
--- a/requirements/dev_local.txt
+++ b/requirements/dev_local.txt
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ Django-1.5.5.tar.gz
   #boto-2.27.0.tar.gz
   #django-auth-ldap-1.1.8.tar.gz
   #django-celery-3.1.10.tar.gz
+  #django-crum-0.6.1.tar.gz
   #django-extensions-1.3.3.tar.gz
   #django-jsonfield-0.9.12.tar.gz
   #django_polymorphic-0.5.3.tar.gz
diff --git a/requirements/django-crum-0.6.1.tar.gz b/requirements/django-crum-0.6.1.tar.gz
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e8191f83d3
Binary files /dev/null and b/requirements/django-crum-0.6.1.tar.gz differ
diff --git a/requirements/prod.txt b/requirements/prod.txt
index 7ae0f235cf..34cdf96ccd 100644
--- a/requirements/prod.txt
+++ b/requirements/prod.txt
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ Django>=1.4
   #boto
   #django-auth-ldap
   #django-celery
+  #django-crum
   #django-extensions
   #django-jsonfield
   #django-polymorphic
diff --git a/requirements/prod_local.txt b/requirements/prod_local.txt
index 30ac8e3d07..14ad4be11f 100644
--- a/requirements/prod_local.txt
+++ b/requirements/prod_local.txt
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ Django-1.5.5.tar.gz
   #boto-2.27.0.tar.gz
   #django-auth-ldap-1.1.8.tar.gz
   #django-celery-3.1.10.tar.gz
+  #django-crum-0.6.1.tar.gz
   #django-extensions-1.3.3.tar.gz
   #django-jsonfield-0.9.12.tar.gz
   #django_polymorphic-0.5.3.tar.gz