diff --git a/app/controllers/contributors_controller.rb b/app/controllers/contributors_controller.rb
index 410b95fd37..96a39f4664 100644
--- a/app/controllers/contributors_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/contributors_controller.rb
@@ -114,13 +114,16 @@ def translate_roles(hash:)
   def process_org(hash:)
     return hash unless hash.present? && hash[:org_id].present?
 
-    allow = !Rails.configuration.x.application.restrict_orgs
-    org = org_from_params(params_in: hash,
-                          allow_create: allow)
+    org = org_from_params(params_in: hash, allow_create: true)
+
+    if org.nil?
+      flash[:alert] =
+        _('Contributor saved without affiliation. If you intended to add an affiliation, please check ' \
+          'if the organisation appears in the list in a different form.')
+    end
 
     hash = remove_org_selection_params(params_in: hash)
 
-    return hash if org.blank? && !allow
     return hash unless org.present?
 
     hash[:org_id] = org.id
diff --git a/app/javascript/src/utils/autoComplete.js b/app/javascript/src/utils/autoComplete.js
index 49f8b37d50..ecdb106fc6 100644
--- a/app/javascript/src/utils/autoComplete.js
+++ b/app/javascript/src/utils/autoComplete.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import 'jquery-ui/ui/widgets/autocomplete';
 import getConstant from './constants';
 import { isObject, isString, isArray } from './isType';
+import debounce from '../utils/debounce';
 
 // Updates the ARIA help text that lets the user know how many suggestions
 const updateAriaHelper = (autocomplete, suggestionCount) => {
@@ -94,6 +95,12 @@ const toggleWarning = (autocomplete, displayIt) => {
   }
 };
 
+// Delayed warning display (fires only after typing pauses)
+const debouncedToggleWarning = debounce((autocomplete, displayIt) => {
+  toggleWarning(autocomplete, displayIt);
+}, 1000);
+
+
 // Looks up the value in the crosswalk
 const findInCrosswalk = (selection, crosswalk) => {
   // Default to the name only
@@ -123,7 +130,11 @@ const warnableSelection = (selection) => {
 const handleSelection = (autocomplete, hidden, crosswalk, selection) => {
   const out = findInCrosswalk(selection, crosswalk);
 
-  toggleWarning(autocomplete, warnableSelection(out));
+  // When user types, 'displayIt = false' hides warning initially
+  toggleWarning(autocomplete, false);
+
+  // After user pauses for 1 second, show warning
+  debouncedToggleWarning(autocomplete, warnableSelection(out));
 
   // Set the ID and trigger the onChange event for any view specific
   // JS to trigger events
diff --git a/app/services/org_selection/hash_to_org_service.rb b/app/services/org_selection/hash_to_org_service.rb
index a301d5faaa..6769363307 100644
--- a/app/services/org_selection/hash_to_org_service.rb
+++ b/app/services/org_selection/hash_to_org_service.rb
@@ -63,6 +63,13 @@ def to_identifiers(hash:)
 
       private
 
+      def match_hash_to_ror_org(hash:)
+        return nil unless hash[:ror].present?
+
+        ror_results = OrgSelection::SearchService.search_externally(search_term: hash[:name])
+        ror_results&.find { |r| r[:ror] == hash[:ror] }
+      end
+
       # Lookup the Org by it's :id and return if the name matches the search
       def lookup_org_by_id(hash:)
         org = Org.where(id: hash[:id]).first if hash[:id].present?
@@ -92,14 +99,18 @@ def lookup_org_by_name(hash:)
       def initialize_org(hash:)
         return nil unless hash.present? && hash[:name].present?
 
+        # Attempt to find an ROR match to the hash
+        ror_hash = match_hash_to_ror_org(hash: hash)
+        return nil unless ror_hash
+
         Org.new(
-          name: hash[:name],
-          links: links_from_hash(name: hash[:name], website: hash[:url]),
-          language: language_from_hash(hash: hash),
-          target_url: hash[:url],
+          name: ror_hash[:name],
+          links: links_from_hash(name: ror_hash[:name], website: ror_hash[:url]),
+          language: language_from_hash(hash: ror_hash),
+          target_url: ror_hash[:url],
           institution: true,
           is_other: false,
-          abbreviation: abbreviation_from_hash(hash: hash)
+          abbreviation: abbreviation_from_hash(hash: ror_hash)
         )
       end
 
diff --git a/app/views/contributors/_form.html.erb b/app/views/contributors/_form.html.erb
index 4c9ef30562..b70de31191 100644
--- a/app/views/contributors/_form.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/contributors/_form.html.erb
@@ -56,9 +56,8 @@ roles_tooltip = _("Select each role that applies to the contributor.")
 
 <div class="form-group row" id="contributor-org-controls"><!-- org -->
   <div class="col-md-8">
-    <%= render partial: org_partial,
+    <%= render partial:'shared/org_selectors/combined',
                locals: { form: form,
-                         orgs: orgs,
                          default_org: contributor.org,
                          required: false,
                          label: _("Affiliation") } %>
diff --git a/app/views/shared/org_selectors/_combined.html.erb b/app/views/shared/org_selectors/_combined.html.erb
index 1502d25661..0a589dde9f 100644
--- a/app/views/shared/org_selectors/_combined.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/shared/org_selectors/_combined.html.erb
@@ -47,5 +47,5 @@ placeholder = _("Begin typing to see a list of suggestions.")
                                class: "autocomplete-result" %>
 
 <p class="autocomplete-warning red hide">
-  <%= _("A new entry will be created for the organisation you have named above. Please double check that your organisation does not appear in the list in a slightly different form.").html_safe %>
+  <%= _("Please double check that your organisation does not appear in the list in a slightly different form.").html_safe %>
 </p>
diff --git a/spec/controllers/contributors_controller_spec.rb b/spec/controllers/contributors_controller_spec.rb
index 1545c6a901..71f1b218a2 100644
--- a/spec/controllers/contributors_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/controllers/contributors_controller_spec.rb
@@ -134,6 +134,12 @@
     end
 
     describe '#process_org(hash:)' do
+      before do
+        @request = ActionDispatch::TestRequest.create
+        @response = ActionDispatch::TestResponse.create
+        @controller.request = @request
+        @controller.response = @response
+      end
       it 'returns the hash as is if no :org_id is present' do
         @params_hash[:contributor].delete(:org_id)
         hash = @controller.send(:process_org, hash: @params_hash[:contributor])
@@ -159,6 +165,10 @@
       end
       it 'sets the org_id to the idea of the org' do
         new_org = create(:org)
+        # Clear name, id, and ror to prevent matching any existing org
+        @params_hash[:contributor][:org_name] = nil
+        @params_hash[:contributor][:org_id] = { id: nil, name: nil, ror: nil }.to_json
+
         @controller.stubs(:org_from_params).returns(new_org)
         hash = @controller.send(:process_org, hash: @params_hash[:contributor])
         expect(hash[:org_id]).to eql(new_org.id)
diff --git a/spec/services/org_selection/hash_to_org_service_spec.rb b/spec/services/org_selection/hash_to_org_service_spec.rb
index 62e3794503..e58fb70dc1 100644
--- a/spec/services/org_selection/hash_to_org_service_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/services/org_selection/hash_to_org_service_spec.rb
@@ -44,8 +44,63 @@
       org = create(:org, name: @name)
       expect(described_class.to_org(hash: @hash)).to eql(org)
     end
-    it 'returns a new Org instance' do
-      expect(described_class.to_org(hash: @hash).new_record?).to eql(true)
+    it 'returns a new Org instance when no existing DB matches exist but an ROR match does' do
+      ror_id = Faker::Alphanumeric.alphanumeric(number: 9)
+
+      hash_with_ror = @hash.merge(ror: ror_id)
+
+      # heartbeat
+      stub_request(
+        :get,
+        "#{ExternalApis::RorService.api_base_url}#{ExternalApis::RorService.heartbeat_path}"
+      ).with(headers: ExternalApis::RorService.headers)
+        .to_return(status: 200, body: '', headers: {})
+
+      # search
+      search_uri =
+        "#{ExternalApis::RorService.api_base_url}" \
+        "#{ExternalApis::RorService.search_path}" \
+        "?page=1&query=#{URI.encode_www_form_component(hash_with_ror[:name])}"
+
+      ror_response = {
+        number_of_results: 1,
+        time_taken: 1,
+        items: [
+          {
+            id: ror_id,
+            names: [
+              { value: hash_with_ror[:name], types: ['ror_display'] },
+              { value: hash_with_ror[:abbreviation], types: ['acronym'] }
+            ],
+            links: [{ type: 'website', value: hash_with_ror[:url] }],
+            types: ['Education'],
+            status: 'active',
+            locations: [
+              {
+                geonames_id: 123,
+                geonames_details: {
+                  country_name: 'United States',
+                  country_code: 'US'
+                }
+              }
+            ],
+            external_ids: []
+          }
+        ]
+      }
+
+      stub_request(:get, search_uri)
+        .with(headers: ExternalApis::RorService.headers)
+        .to_return(
+          status: 200,
+          body: ror_response.to_json,
+          headers: { 'Content-Type' => 'application/json' }
+        )
+
+      org = described_class.to_org(hash: hash_with_ror)
+
+      expect(org).not_to be_nil
+      expect(org).to be_new_record
     end
   end
 
@@ -84,6 +139,39 @@
   end
 
   context 'private methods' do
+    describe '#match_hash_to_ror_org' do
+      it 'returns nil if no ROR results are found' do
+        OrgSelection::SearchService.stubs(:search_externally)
+                                   .with(search_term: @hash[:name])
+                                   .returns([])
+
+        result = described_class.send(:match_hash_to_ror_org, hash: @hash)
+        expect(result).to be_nil
+      end
+
+      it 'returns the ROR-matching result when ror is present' do
+        ror_id = Faker::Alphanumeric.alphanumeric(number: 9)
+
+        ror_results = [{
+          ror: ror_id,
+          name: "#{@name} (#{@abbrev})",
+          sort_name: @name,
+          url: @url,
+          language: @lang.abbreviation,
+          fundref: '',
+          abbreviation: @abbrev,
+          score: @hash[:score],
+          weight: @hash[:weight]
+        }]
+
+        OrgSelection::SearchService.stubs(:search_externally).returns(ror_results)
+        hash_with_ror = @hash.merge(ror: ror_id)
+        result = described_class.send(:match_hash_to_ror_org, hash: hash_with_ror)
+
+        expect(result).to eq(ror_results.first)
+      end
+    end
+
     describe '#initialize_org(hash:)' do
       it 'returns nil if the hash is nil' do
         rslt = described_class.send(:initialize_org, hash: nil)
@@ -95,6 +183,21 @@
         expect(rslt).to eql(nil)
       end
       it 'returns a new instance of Org' do
+        fake_ror = {
+          ror: Faker::Alphanumeric.alphanumeric(number: 9),
+          name: "#{@name} (#{@abbrev})",
+          sort_name: @name,
+          url: @url,
+          language: @lang.abbreviation,
+          fundref: '',
+          abbreviation: @abbrev,
+          score: @hash[:score],
+          weight: @hash[:weight]
+        }
+        # Stub the ROR matcher to return the fake ROR hash
+        # As valid ROR hash is needed for new org creation
+        described_class.stubs(:match_hash_to_ror_org).returns(fake_ror)
+
         rslt = described_class.send(:initialize_org, hash: @hash)
         nm = "#{@name} (#{@abbrev})"
         lnks = JSON.parse({ org: [{ link: @url, text: nm }] }.to_json)