diff --git a/wp-includes/author-template.php b/wp-includes/author-template.php
index f265b3ba24..96b70b363e 100644
--- a/wp-includes/author-template.php
+++ b/wp-includes/author-template.php
@@ -142,8 +142,11 @@ function get_author_link($echo = false, $author_id, $author_nicename) {
 		$file = get_settings('home') . '/';
 		$link = $file . '?author=' . $auth_ID;
 	} else {
-		if ( '' == $author_nicename )
-			$author_nicename = $cache_userdata[$author_id]->user_nicename;
+		if ( '' == $author_nicename ) {
+			$user = get_userdata($author_id);
+			if ( !empty($user->user_nicename) )
+				$author_nicename = $user->user_nicename;
+		}
 		$link = str_replace('%author%', $author_nicename, $link);
 		$link = get_settings('home') . trailingslashit($link);
 	}