diff --git a/osc/commandline.py b/osc/commandline.py
index c2d08e23..d25b96e5 100644
--- a/osc/commandline.py
+++ b/osc/commandline.py
@@ -8787,40 +8787,36 @@ Please submit there instead, or use --nodevelproject to force direct submission.
         else:
             apiurl = self.get_api_url()
 
-        # set user's full name and email if the realname and mailaddr env variables are not set
+        # try to set the env variables for the user's realname and email
+        # (the variables are used by the "vc" script)
+        tag2envs = {'realname': ['VC_REALNAME'],
+                    'email': ['VC_MAILADDR', 'mailaddr']}
+        tag2val = {}
+        missing_tags = []
 
-        vc_id_missing = { 'realname': False, 'email': False }
+        for (tag, envs) in tag2envs.items():
+            env_present = [env for env in envs if env in os.environ]
+            config_present = tag in conf.config['api_host_options'][apiurl]
+            if not env_present and not config_present:
+                missing_tags.append(tag)
+            elif config_present:
+                tag2val[tag] = conf.config['api_host_options'][apiurl][tag]
 
-        if 'VC_REALNAME' in os.environ:
-            pass
-        elif 'realname' in conf.config['api_host_options'][apiurl]:
-            os.environ['VC_REALNAME'] = conf.config['api_host_options'][apiurl]['realname']
-        else:
-            vc_id_missing['realname'] = True
-
-        if 'VC_MAILADDR' in os.environ or 'mailaddr' in os.environ:
-            pass
-        elif 'email' in conf.config['api_host_options'][apiurl]:
-            os.environ['VC_MAILADDR'] = conf.config['api_host_options'][apiurl]['email']
-            os.environ['mailaddr'] = conf.config['api_host_options'][apiurl]['email']
-        else:
-            vc_id_missing['email'] = True
-
-        if True in list(vc_id_missing.values()):
+        if missing_tags:
             user = conf.get_apiurl_usr(apiurl)
-            data = get_user_data(apiurl, user, 'realname', 'email')
-            if data:
-                if vc_id_missing['realname'] and (data[0] != "-"):
-                    os.environ['VC_REALNAME'] = data[0]
-                else:
-                    print('Try env VC_REALNAME=...', file=sys.stderr)
-
-                if vc_id_missing['email'] and (data[1] != "-"):
-                    os.environ['VC_MAILADDR'] = data[1]
-                    os.environ['mailaddr'] = data[1]
-                else:
-                    print('Try env VC_MAILADDR=...', file=sys.stderr)
+            data = get_user_data(apiurl, user, *missing_tags)
+            if data is not None:
+                for tag in missing_tags:
+                    val = data.pop(0)
+                    if val != '-':
+                        tag2val[tag] = val
+                    else:
+                        msg = 'Try env %s=...' % tag2envs[tag][0]
+                        print(msg, file=sys.stderr)
 
+        for (tag, val) in tag2val.items():
+            for env in tag2envs[tag]:
+                os.environ[env] = val
 
         if meego_style:
             if opts.message or opts.just_edit: