diff --git a/school/lms/doctype/cohort_join_request/cohort_join_request.py b/school/lms/doctype/cohort_join_request/cohort_join_request.py
index dde1f60f..95c975f8 100644
--- a/school/lms/doctype/cohort_join_request/cohort_join_request.py
+++ b/school/lms/doctype/cohort_join_request/cohort_join_request.py
@@ -10,25 +10,42 @@ class CohortJoinRequest(Document):
             self.ensure_student()
 
     def ensure_student(self):
+        # case 1 - user is already a member
         q = {
             "doctype": "LMS Batch Membership",
             "cohort": self.cohort,
             "subgroup": self.subgroup,
-            "email": self.email
+            "member": self.email,
+            "member_type": "Student"
         }
         if frappe.db.exists(q):
             return
 
+        # case 2 - user has signed up for this course, possibly not this cohort
         cohort = frappe.get_doc("Cohort", self.cohort)
 
-        data = {
+        q = {
             "doctype": "LMS Batch Membership",
             "course": cohort.course,
-            "cohort": self.cohort,
-            "subgroup": self.subgroup,
             "member": self.email,
-            "member_type": "Student",
-            "role": "Member"
+            "member_type": "Student"
         }
-        doc = frappe.get_doc(data)
-        doc.insert(ignore_permissions=True)
+        name = frappe.db.exists(q)
+        if name:
+            doc = frappe.get_doc("LMS Batch Membership", name)
+            doc.cohort = self.cohort
+            doc.subgroup = self.subgroup
+            doc.save(ignore_permissions=True)
+        else:
+            # case 3 - user has not signed up for this course yet
+            data = {
+                "doctype": "LMS Batch Membership",
+                "course": cohort.course,
+                "cohort": self.cohort,
+                "subgroup": self.subgroup,
+                "member": self.email,
+                "member_type": "Student",
+                "role": "Member"
+            }
+            doc = frappe.get_doc(data)
+            doc.insert(ignore_permissions=True)