diff --git a/app/models/status_message.rb b/app/models/status_message.rb
index c9aa22515..7b4004911 100644
--- a/app/models/status_message.rb
+++ b/app/models/status_message.rb
@@ -35,9 +35,14 @@ class StatusMessage < Post
   #scopes
   scope :where_person_is_mentioned, lambda{|person| joins(:mentions).where(:mentions => {:person_id => person.id})}
 
-  def self.tag_stream(user, tag_ids, max_time, order)
+  def self.user_tag_stream(user, tag_ids)
     owned_or_visible_by_user(user).
-      joins(:tags).where(:tags => {:id => tag_ids})
+      tag_stream(tag_ids)
+  end
+
+  def self.public_tag_stream(tag_ids)
+    all_public.
+      tag_stream(tag_ids)
   end
 
   def text(opts = {})
@@ -165,11 +170,16 @@ class StatusMessage < Post
   end
 
   protected
-
   def presence_of_content
     if text_and_photos_blank?
       errors[:base] << 'Status message requires a message or at least one photo'
     end
   end
+
+  private
+  def self.tag_stream(tag_ids)
+    joins(:tags).where(:tags => {:id => tag_ids})
+  end
+
 end
 
diff --git a/lib/stream/followed_tag.rb b/lib/stream/followed_tag.rb
index b2c473152..ef71ba424 100644
--- a/lib/stream/followed_tag.rb
+++ b/lib/stream/followed_tag.rb
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ class Stream::FollowedTag < Stream::Base
   # @return [ActiveRecord::Association<Post>] AR association of posts
   def posts
     return [] if tag_string.empty?
-    @posts ||= StatusMessage.tag_stream(user, tag_ids, max_time, order)
+    @posts ||= StatusMessage.user_tag_stream(user, tag_ids)
   end
 
   def contacts_title
diff --git a/lib/stream/multi.rb b/lib/stream/multi.rb
index b02570c8c..5087cc3b2 100644
--- a/lib/stream/multi.rb
+++ b/lib/stream/multi.rb
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ class Stream::Multi < Stream::Base
   end
 
   def followed_tags_post_ids
-    @followed_tags_ids ||= ids(StatusMessage.tag_stream(user, tag_ids, max_time, order).for_a_stream(max_time, order))
+    @followed_tags_ids ||= ids(StatusMessage.public_tag_stream(tag_ids).for_a_stream(max_time, order))
   end
 
   def mentioned_post_ids
diff --git a/spec/models/status_message_spec.rb b/spec/models/status_message_spec.rb
index 92c591f32..698257816 100644
--- a/spec/models/status_message_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/status_message_spec.rb
@@ -30,6 +30,38 @@ describe StatusMessage do
        StatusMessage.where_person_is_mentioned(@bo).count.should == 2
       end
     end
+
+    context "tag_streams" do
+      before do
+        @sm1 = Factory.create(:status_message, :text => "#hashtag" , :public => true)
+        @sm2 = Factory.create(:status_message, :text => "#hashtag" )
+        @sm3 = Factory.create(:status_message, :text => "hashtags are #awesome", :public => true )
+        @sm4 = Factory.create(:status_message, :text => "hashtags are #awesome" )
+
+        @tag_id = ActsAsTaggableOn::Tag.where(:name => "hashtag").first.id
+      end
+
+      describe '.tag_steam' do
+        it 'returns status messages tagged with the tag' do
+          StatusMessage.send(:tag_stream, [@tag_id]).should == [@sm1, @sm2]
+        end
+      end
+
+      describe '.public_tag_stream' do
+        it 'returns public status messages tagged with the tag' do
+          StatusMessage.public_tag_stream([@tag_id]).should == [@sm1]
+        end
+      end
+
+      describe '.user_tag_stream' do
+        it 'returns tag stream thats owned or visibile by' do
+          StatusMessage.should_receive(:owned_or_visible_by_user).with(bob).and_return(StatusMessage)
+          StatusMessage.should_receive(:tag_stream).with([@tag_id])
+
+          StatusMessage.user_tag_stream(bob, [@tag_id])
+        end
+      end
+    end
   end
 
   describe '.before_create' do