diff --git a/docs/content/reference/mcf.md b/docs/content/reference/mcf.md
index e88e9f3..01454a0 100644
--- a/docs/content/reference/mcf.md
+++ b/docs/content/reference/mcf.md
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ keywords_codelist|Optional|specific code list URL (for advanced use cases, else
 
 ### `contact`
 
-MCFs can have 1..n `contact` sections as required using nesting.  Example:
+MCFs can have 1..n `contact` sections as required using nesting. Role is used as key for any contact, if multiple contacts have the same role, you can add each of them by postfixing the role with an underscore and a unique string, e.g. `author_1`, `author_2`. Example:
 
 ```yaml
 contact:
diff --git a/pygeometa/schemas/iso19139/contact.j2 b/pygeometa/schemas/iso19139/contact.j2
index 60e041a..5298c0a 100644
--- a/pygeometa/schemas/iso19139/contact.j2
+++ b/pygeometa/schemas/iso19139/contact.j2
@@ -52,6 +52,6 @@
     </gmd:CI_Contact>
   </gmd:contactInfo>
   <gmd:role>
-    <gmd:CI_RoleCode codeList="http://www.isotc211.org/2005/resources/Codelist/gmxCodelists.xml#CI_RoleCode" codeSpace="ISOTC211/19115" codeListValue="{{ role }}">{{ role }}</gmd:CI_RoleCode>
+    <gmd:CI_RoleCode codeList="http://www.isotc211.org/2005/resources/Codelist/gmxCodelists.xml#CI_RoleCode" codeSpace="ISOTC211/19115" codeListValue="{{ role.split('_') | first }}">{{ role }}</gmd:CI_RoleCode>
   </gmd:role>
 </gmd:CI_ResponsibleParty>