diff --git a/app/controllers/issues_controller.rb b/app/controllers/issues_controller.rb
index b95856a..13de166 100644
--- a/app/controllers/issues_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/issues_controller.rb
@@ -466,10 +466,6 @@ class IssuesController < ApplicationController
 
     @priorities = IssuePriority.active
     @allowed_statuses = @issue.new_statuses_allowed_to(User.current, @issue.new_record?)
-    @available_watchers = @issue.watcher_users
-    if @issue.project.users.count <= 20
-      @available_watchers = (@available_watchers + @issue.project.users.sort).uniq
-    end
   end
 
   def parse_params_for_bulk_issue_attributes(params)
diff --git a/app/helpers/issues_helper.rb b/app/helpers/issues_helper.rb
index 82b8905..885b1c5 100644
--- a/app/helpers/issues_helper.rb
+++ b/app/helpers/issues_helper.rb
@@ -217,6 +217,16 @@ module IssuesHelper
     message
   end
 
+  # Returns an array of users that are proposed as watchers
+  # on the new issue form
+  def users_for_new_issue_watchers(issue)
+    users = issue.watcher_users
+    if issue.project.users.count <= 20
+      users = (users + issue.project.users.sort).uniq
+    end
+    users
+  end
+
   def sidebar_queries
     unless @sidebar_queries
       @sidebar_queries = IssueQuery.visible.
diff --git a/app/views/issues/new.html.erb b/app/views/issues/new.html.erb
index 206df8d..f168c39 100644
--- a/app/views/issues/new.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/issues/new.html.erb
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@
     <% if @issue.safe_attribute? 'watcher_user_ids' -%>
       <p id="watchers_form"><label><%= l(:label_issue_watchers) %></label>
       <span id="watchers_inputs">
-        <%= watchers_checkboxes(@issue, @available_watchers) %>
+        <%= watchers_checkboxes(@issue, users_for_new_issue_watchers(@issue)) %>
       </span>
       <span class="search_for_watchers">
       <%= link_to l(:label_search_for_watchers),