diff --git a/Changelog.md b/Changelog.md
index 1aac93634..9287182bd 100644
--- a/Changelog.md
+++ b/Changelog.md
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 ## Features
 * Add tags to tumblr posts [#8244](https://github.com/diaspora/diaspora/pull/8244)
 * Add blocks to the archive export [#8263](https://github.com/diaspora/diaspora/pull/8263)
+* Allow points and dashes in the username [#8266](https://github.com/diaspora/diaspora/pull/8266)
 
 # 0.7.15.0
 
diff --git a/app/models/user.rb b/app/models/user.rb
index bfc97325b..14eb4562c 100644
--- a/app/models/user.rb
+++ b/app/models/user.rb
@@ -36,10 +36,8 @@ class User < ApplicationRecord
   before_validation :set_current_language, :on => :create
   before_validation :set_default_color_theme, on: :create
 
-  validates :username, :presence => true, :uniqueness => true
-  validates_format_of :username, :with => /\A[A-Za-z0-9_]+\z/
-  validates_length_of :username, :maximum => 32
-  validates_exclusion_of :username, :in => AppConfig.settings.username_blacklist
+  validates :username, presence: true, uniqueness: true, format: {with: /\A[A-Za-z0-9_.\-]+\z/},
+                       length: {maximum: 32}, exclusion: {in: AppConfig.settings.username_blacklist}
   validates_inclusion_of :language, :in => AVAILABLE_LANGUAGE_CODES
   validates :color_theme, inclusion: {in: AVAILABLE_COLOR_THEMES}, allow_blank: true
   validates_format_of :unconfirmed_email, :with  => Devise.email_regexp, :allow_blank => true
diff --git a/app/views/registrations/_form.haml b/app/views/registrations/_form.haml
index 9cd6ce0f7..b9f99cfa5 100644
--- a/app/views/registrations/_form.haml
+++ b/app/views/registrations/_form.haml
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
                    placeholder: t("registrations.new.username"),
                    title:       t("registrations.new.enter_username"),
                    required:    true,
-                   pattern:     "[A-Za-z0-9_]+",
+                   pattern:     "[A-Za-z0-9_.\-]+",
                    aria:        {labelledby: "usernameLabel"}
 
     - if mobile
diff --git a/config/routes.rb b/config/routes.rb
index 8a4f45ebe..bd624d1f4 100644
--- a/config/routes.rb
+++ b/config/routes.rb
@@ -186,7 +186,11 @@ Rails.application.routes.draw do
       post 'by_handle' => :retrieve_remote, :as => 'person_by_handle'
     end
   end
-  get '/u/:username' => 'people#show', :as => 'user_profile', :constraints => { :username => /[^\/]+/ }
+
+  # Note: The contraint for this route's username parameter cannot be removed.
+  # This constraint turns off the format parameter, so that an username
+  # doctor.example would not try to render the user `doctor` in `example` format.
+  get "/u/:username" => "people#show", :as => "user_profile", :constraints => {username: %r{[^/]+}}
 
   # External
 
diff --git a/spec/models/user_spec.rb b/spec/models/user_spec.rb
index 560432927..f457c9b28 100644
--- a/spec/models/user_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/user_spec.rb
@@ -267,11 +267,6 @@ describe User, :type => :model do
         expect(alice).not_to be_valid
       end
 
-      it 'should not contain periods' do
-        alice.username = "kittens."
-        expect(alice).not_to be_valid
-      end
-
       it "can be 32 characters long" do
         alice.username = "hexagoooooooooooooooooooooooooon"
         expect(alice).to be_valid