diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/book/edit/edit_book.html b/bookwyrm/templates/book/edit/edit_book.html
index 104cef4d..2ce6067f 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/book/edit/edit_book.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/book/edit/edit_book.html
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 {% extends 'layout.html' %}
 {% load i18n %}
 {% load humanize %}
+{% load utilities %}
 
 {% block title %}{% if book %}{% blocktrans with book_title=book.title %}Edit "{{ book_title }}"{% endblocktrans %}{% else %}{% trans "Add Book" %}{% endif %}{% endblock %}
 
@@ -75,6 +76,9 @@
                         <p class="help ml-5 mb-2">
                             <a href="{{ match.local_path }}" target="_blank">{% blocktrans with book_title=match.book_set.first.title %}Author of <em>{{ book_title }}</em>{% endblocktrans %}</a>
                         </p>
+                        <p class="help ml-5">
+                            {{ author.existing_isnis|get_isni_bio:match }}
+                        </p>
                         {% endfor %}
                         <label class="label mt-2">
                             <input type="radio" name="author_match-{{ counter }}" value="{{ author.name }}" required> {% trans "This is a new author" %}
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templatetags/utilities.py b/bookwyrm/templatetags/utilities.py
index d31f0e4d..21791b90 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templatetags/utilities.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/templatetags/utilities.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 """ template filters for really common utilities """
 import os
+from functools import reduce
 from uuid import uuid4
 from django import template
 from django.utils.translation import gettext_lazy as _
@@ -66,3 +67,14 @@ def get_book_cover_thumbnail(book, size="medium", ext="jpg"):
         return cover_thumbnail.url
     except OSError:
         return static("images/no_cover.jpg")
+
+
+@register.filter(name="get_isni_bio")
+def get_isni_bio(existing, author):
+    """Returns the isni bio string if an existing author has an isni listed"""
+    if len(existing) == 0:
+        return ""
+    match = reduce(
+        (lambda a: a if a.hasattr("bio") and author.isni == a.isni else ""), existing
+    )
+    return match["bio"]
diff --git a/bookwyrm/views/books/edit_book.py b/bookwyrm/views/books/edit_book.py
index d690bac1..fabf4234 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/views/books/edit_book.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/views/books/edit_book.py
@@ -75,11 +75,14 @@ class EditBook(View):
                     for a in author_matches
                     if i["isni"] == a.isni
                 ]
+
                 isni_matches = list(filter(lambda x: x not in exists, isni_authors))
+
                 data["author_matches"].append(
                     {
                         "name": author.strip(),
                         "matches": author_matches,
+                        "existing_isnis": exists,
                         "isni_matches": isni_matches,
                     }
                 )