diff --git a/app/controllers/people_controller.rb b/app/controllers/people_controller.rb
index 4abf12a75..a83e34119 100644
--- a/app/controllers/people_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/people_controller.rb
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ class PeopleController < ApplicationController
         if diaspora_id?(search_query)
           @people =  Person.where(:diaspora_handle => search_query.downcase)
           Webfinger.in_background(search_query) if @people.empty?
+          @background_query = search_query.downcase
         end
         @people = @people.paginate(:page => params[:page], :per_page => 15)
         @hashes = hashes_for_people(@people, @aspects)
@@ -42,6 +43,20 @@ class PeopleController < ApplicationController
     end
   end
 
+  def refresh_search
+    @aspect = :search
+    @people =  Person.where(:diaspora_handle => search_query.downcase)
+    @answer_html = ""
+    unless @people.empty?
+      @hashes = hashes_for_people(@people, @aspects)
+
+      self.formats = self.formats + [:html]
+      @answer_html = render_to_string :partial => 'people/person', :locals => @hashes.first
+    end
+    render :json => { :search_count => @people.count, :search_html => @answer_html }.to_json
+  end
+
+
   def tag_index
     profiles = Profile.tagged_with(params[:name]).where(:searchable => true).select('profiles.id, profiles.person_id')
     @people = Person.where(:id => profiles.map{|p| p.person_id}).paginate(:page => params[:page], :per_page => 15)
diff --git a/app/views/people/index.html.haml b/app/views/people/index.html.haml
index e6e4eb048..277c0629c 100644
--- a/app/views/people/index.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/people/index.html.haml
@@ -18,9 +18,14 @@
 .span-15.append-1
   #people_stream.stream
     - if @hashes.empty?
-      %p
-        =t('.no_one_found')
-
+      - if @background_query.present?
+        %p
+          =t('.searching')
+        :javascript
+          $(document).ready(function() { List.startSearchDelay('#{@background_query}') } );
+      - else
+        %p
+          =t('.no_one_found')
     - else
       - for hash in @hashes
         = render :partial => 'people/person', :locals => hash
diff --git a/config/locales/diaspora/en.yml b/config/locales/diaspora/en.yml
index 5395aff1f..dc8661697 100644
--- a/config/locales/diaspora/en.yml
+++ b/config/locales/diaspora/en.yml
@@ -536,6 +536,7 @@ en:
       no_results: "Hey! You need to search for something."
       couldnt_find_them_send_invite: "Couldn't find them?  Send an invite!"
       no_one_found: "...and no one was found."
+      searching: "searching, please be patient..."
       looking_for: "Looking for posts tagged %{tag_link}?"
     webfinger:
       fail: "Sorry, we couldn't find %{handle}."
diff --git a/config/locales/javascript/javascript.en.yml b/config/locales/javascript/javascript.en.yml
index f0cba1913..a04f3e186 100644
--- a/config/locales/javascript/javascript.en.yml
+++ b/config/locales/javascript/javascript.en.yml
@@ -29,8 +29,8 @@ en:
     my_stream: "Stream"
 
     videos:
-        watch: "Watch this video on <%= provider %>"
-        unknown: "Unknown video type"
+      watch: "Watch this video on <%= provider %>"
+      unknown: "Unknown video type"
     search_for: "Search for <%= name %>"
     publisher:
       at_least_one_aspect: "You must publish to at least one aspect"
@@ -73,6 +73,8 @@ en:
       looking_good: "OMG, you look awesome!"
     tags:
       wasnt_that_interesting: "OK, I suppose #<%= tagName %> wasn't all that interesting..."
+    people:
+      not_found: "and no one was found..."
 
     stream:
       hide: "Hide"
diff --git a/config/routes.rb b/config/routes.rb
index cdeff6936..44e6aa3b7 100644
--- a/config/routes.rb
+++ b/config/routes.rb
@@ -124,6 +124,7 @@ Diaspora::Application.routes.draw do
 
   get 'community_spotlight' => "contacts#spotlight", :as => 'community_spotlight'
 
+  get 'people/refresh_search' => "people#refresh_search"
   resources :people, :except => [:edit, :update] do
     resources :status_messages
     resources :photos
diff --git a/public/javascripts/contact-list.js b/public/javascripts/contact-list.js
index 17472e762..9321dc4b0 100644
--- a/public/javascripts/contact-list.js
+++ b/public/javascripts/contact-list.js
@@ -32,7 +32,26 @@ var List = {
           };
         }
     });
+  },
+  runDelayedSearch: function( searchTerm ) {
+      $.ajax({
+        dataType: 'json',
+        url: '/people/refresh_search',
+        data: { q: searchTerm },
+        success: List.handleSearchRefresh
+      });
+  },
+  handleSearchRefresh: function( data ) {
+    if ( data.search_count > 0 ) {
+      $("#people_stream.stream").html( data.search_html );
+    } else {
+      $("#people_stream.stream").html( "<p>" + Diaspora.I18n.t("people.not_found") + "</p>" );
+    }
+  },
+  startSearchDelay: function ( theSearch ) {
+    setTimeout( "List.runDelayedSearch('" + theSearch + "')", 10000);
   }
+
 };
 
 $(document).ready(function() {
diff --git a/public/javascripts/pages/contacts-index.js b/public/javascripts/pages/contacts-index.js
index 0e915097a..ac2e37eeb 100644
--- a/public/javascripts/pages/contacts-index.js
+++ b/public/javascripts/pages/contacts-index.js
@@ -5,4 +5,5 @@ Diaspora.Pages.ContactsIndex = function() {
     self.infiniteScroll = self.instantiate("InfiniteScroll");
     $('.conversation_button').twipsy({position: 'below'});
   });
+
 };
diff --git a/spec/controllers/jasmine_fixtures/people_spec.rb b/spec/controllers/jasmine_fixtures/people_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8216656ff
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/controllers/jasmine_fixtures/people_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+#   Copyright (c) 2010-2011, Diaspora Inc.  This file is
+#   licensed under the Affero General Public License version 3 or later.  See
+#   the COPYRIGHT file.
+
+require 'spec_helper'
+
+describe PeopleController do
+  describe '#index' do
+    before do
+      sign_in :user, bob
+    end
+
+    it "generates a jasmine fixture with no query", :fixture => true do
+      get :index
+      save_fixture(html_for("body"), "empty_people_search")
+    end
+    it "generates a jasmine fixture trying an external search", :fixture => true do
+      get :index, :q => "sample@diaspor.us"
+      save_fixture(html_for("body"), "pending_external_people_search")
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/spec/controllers/people_controller_spec.rb b/spec/controllers/people_controller_spec.rb
index ea1f832e3..d195a1442 100644
--- a/spec/controllers/people_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/controllers/people_controller_spec.rb
@@ -52,6 +52,11 @@ describe PeopleController do
           get :index, :q => "Eugene@Example.ORG"
           assigns[:people][0].id.should == @unsearchable_eugene.id
         end
+
+        it 'sets the background query task' do
+          get :index, :q => "Eugene@Example.ORG"
+          assigns[:background_query].should == "eugene@example.org"
+        end
       end
 
       context 'query is a tag' do
@@ -77,6 +82,11 @@ describe PeopleController do
           assigns[:hashes].should_not be_nil
         end
 
+        it 'does not set the background query task' do
+          get :index, :q => "Korth"
+          assigns[:background_query].should_not be_present
+        end
+
         it "assigns people" do
           eugene2 = Factory(:person,
                             :profile => Factory.build(:profile, :first_name => "Eugene",
@@ -351,6 +361,34 @@ describe PeopleController do
     end
   end
 
+
+
+  describe '#refresh_search ' do
+    before(:each)do
+      @eugene = Factory(:person,
+                      :profile => Factory.build(:profile, :first_name => "Eugene", :last_name => "w"))
+      @korth = Factory(:person,
+                     :profile => Factory.build(:profile, :first_name => "Evan", :last_name => "Korth"))
+    end
+
+    describe 'via json' do
+      it 'returns a zero count when a search fails' do
+        get :refresh_search, :q => "weweweKorth", :format => 'json'
+        response.body.should == {:search_count=>0, :search_html=>""}.to_json
+      end
+
+      it 'returns with a zero count unless a fully composed name is sent' do
+        get :refresh_search, :q => "Korth"
+        response.body.should == {:search_count=>0, :search_html=>""}.to_json
+      end
+      it 'returns with a found name' do
+        get :refresh_search, :q => @korth.diaspora_handle
+        JSON.parse( response.body )["search_count"].should == 1
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
+
   describe '#contacts' do
     it 'assigns the contacts of a person' do
       contact = alice.contact_for(bob.person)
diff --git a/spec/javascripts/search-spec.js b/spec/javascripts/search-spec.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7a6f9751f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/javascripts/search-spec.js
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+/*   Copyright (c) 2010-2011, Diaspora Inc.  This file is
+*   licensed under the Affero General Public License version 3 or later.  See
+*   the COPYRIGHT file.
+*/
+
+describe("List", function() {
+
+  describe("runDelayedSearch", function() {
+    beforeEach( function(){
+    });
+
+    it('gets called on initialize', function(){
+      spyOn( List, 'startSearchDelay');
+      spec.loadFixture('pending_external_people_search');
+      expect(List.startSearchDelay).toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe("runDelayedSearch", function() {
+    beforeEach( function(){
+      spec.loadFixture('empty_people_search');
+      List.initialize();
+    });
+
+    it('inserts contact html', function(){
+      List.handleSearchRefresh( { count:1,search_html: '<div class='testing_insert_div'>hello</div>' } );
+      expect($(".testing_insert_div").text().toEqual( "hello" ));
+
+    });
+  });
+});