diff --git a/app/helpers/markdownify_helper.rb b/app/helpers/markdownify_helper.rb
index 89f09e521..13cb7c5cb 100644
--- a/app/helpers/markdownify_helper.rb
+++ b/app/helpers/markdownify_helper.rb
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ module MarkdownifyHelper
     renderer = Diaspora::Markdownify::HTML.new(render_options)
     markdown = Redcarpet::Markdown.new(renderer, markdown_options)
 
-    message = markdown.render(message)
+    message = markdown.render(message).html_safe
 
     if target.respond_to?(:format_mentions)
       message = target.format_mentions(message)
diff --git a/lib/diaspora/markdownify.rb b/lib/diaspora/markdownify.rb
index a5bed38e9..c57d8d495 100644
--- a/lib/diaspora/markdownify.rb
+++ b/lib/diaspora/markdownify.rb
@@ -100,6 +100,9 @@ module Diaspora
       end
 
       def paragraph(text)
+        #hax again... why is markdownify passing us nil?
+        text ||=''
+
         if @newlines
           br = linebreak
 
@@ -109,7 +112,7 @@ module Diaspora
             x =~ /\n{2}/ ? x : (x = x.strip; x << br)
           end
         end
-        return text
+        return "<p>#{text}</p>"
       end
 
       def preprocess(full_document)
diff --git a/lib/diaspora/taggable.rb b/lib/diaspora/taggable.rb
index 73f9d4b54..966851088 100644
--- a/lib/diaspora/taggable.rb
+++ b/lib/diaspora/taggable.rb
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ module Diaspora
     def self.format_tags(text, opts={})
       return text if opts[:plain_text]
       text = ERB::Util.h(text) unless opts[:no_escape]
-      regex = /(^|\s)#(#{VALID_TAG_BODY})/
+      regex = /(^|\s|>)#(#{VALID_TAG_BODY})/
       form_message = text.to_str.gsub(regex) do |matched_string|
         "#{$~[1]}<a href=\"/tags/#{$~[2]}\" class=\"tag\">##{$~[2]}</a>"
       end
diff --git a/spec/helpers/markdownify_helper_spec.rb b/spec/helpers/markdownify_helper_spec.rb
index 8be02519f..ab0fbdc9d 100644
--- a/spec/helpers/markdownify_helper_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/helpers/markdownify_helper_spec.rb
@@ -21,35 +21,35 @@ describe MarkdownifyHelper do
     
     describe "autolinks" do
       it "should not allow basic XSS/HTML" do
-        markdownify("<script>alert('XSS is evil')</script>").should == "&lt;script&gt;alert('XSS is evil')&lt;/script&gt;"
+        markdownify("<script>alert('XSS is evil')</script>").should == "<p>&lt;script&gt;alert('XSS is evil')&lt;/script&gt;</p>"
       end
 
       it "should recognize basic http links (1/3)" do
         proto="http"
         url="bugs.joindiaspora.com/issues/332"
         full_url = "#{proto}://#{url}"
-        markdownify(full_url).should == %Q{<a target="_blank" href="#{full_url}">#{url}</a>}
+        markdownify(full_url).should == %Q{<p><a target="_blank" href="#{full_url}">#{url}</a></p>}
       end
 
       it "should recognize basic http links (2/3)" do
         proto="http"
         url="webmail.example.com?~()!*/"
         full_url = "#{proto}://#{url}"
-        markdownify(full_url).should == %Q{<a target="_blank" href="#{full_url}">#{url}</a>}
+        markdownify(full_url).should == %Q{<p><a target="_blank" href="#{full_url}">#{url}</a></p>}
       end
 
       it "should recognize basic http links (3/3)" do
         proto="http"
         url="127.0.0.1:3000/users/sign_in"
         full_url = "#{proto}://#{url}"
-        markdownify(full_url).should == %Q{<a target="_blank" href="#{full_url}">#{url}</a>}
+        markdownify(full_url).should == %Q{<p><a target="_blank" href="#{full_url}">#{url}</a></p>}
       end
 
       it "should recognize secure https links" do
         proto="https"
         url="127.0.0.1:3000/users/sign_in"
         full_url = "#{proto}://#{url}"
-        markdownify(full_url).should == %Q{<a target="_blank" href="#{full_url}">#{url}</a>}
+        markdownify(full_url).should == %Q{<p><a target="_blank" href="#{full_url}">#{url}</a></p>}
       end
 
       it "doesn't muck up code text" do
@@ -171,76 +171,76 @@ describe MarkdownifyHelper do
         proto="ftp"
         url="ftp.uni-kl.de/CCC/26C3/mp4/26c3-3540-en-a_hackers_utopia.mp4"
         # I did not watch that one, but the title sounds nice :P
-        markdownify(proto+"://"+url).should == "<a target=\"_blank\" href=\""+proto+"://"+url+"\">"+url+"</a>"
+        markdownify(proto+"://"+url).should == "<p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\""+proto+"://"+url+"\">"+url+"</a></p>"
       end
 
       it "should recognize www links" do
         url="www.joindiaspora.com"
-        markdownify(url).should == %Q{<a target="_blank" href="http://#{url}">#{url}</a>}
+        markdownify(url).should == %Q{<p><a target="_blank" href="http://#{url}">#{url}</a></p>}
       end
     end
 
     describe "specialchars" do
       it "replaces &lt;3 with &hearts;" do
         message = "i <3 you"
-        markdownify(message).should == "i &hearts; you"
+        markdownify(message).should == "<p>i &hearts; you</p>"
       end
 
       it "replaces various things with (their) HTML entities" do
         message = "... <-> -> <- (tm) (r) (c)"
-        markdownify(message).should == "&hellip; &#8596; &rarr; &larr; &trade; &reg; &copy;"
+        markdownify(message).should == "<p>&hellip; &#8596; &rarr; &larr; &trade; &reg; &copy;</p>"
       end
 
       it "skips doing it if you say so" do
         message = "... -> <-"
-        markdownify(message, :specialchars => false).should == "... -&gt; &lt;-"
+        markdownify(message, :specialchars => false).should == "<p>... -&gt; &lt;-</p>"
       end
     end
 
     describe "weak emphasis" do
       it "should be recognized (1/2)" do
         message = "*some text* some text *some text* some text"
-        markdownify(message).should == "<em>some text</em> some text <em>some text</em> some text"
+        markdownify(message).should == "<p><em>some text</em> some text <em>some text</em> some text</p>"
       end
 
       it "should be recognized (2/2)" do
         message = "_some text_ some text _some text_ some text"
-        markdownify(message).should == "<em>some text</em> some text <em>some text</em> some text"
+        markdownify(message).should == "<p><em>some text</em> some text <em>some text</em> some text</p>"
       end
     end
 
     describe "strong emphasis" do
       it "should be recognized (1/2)" do
         message = "**some text** some text **some text** some text"
-        markdownify(message).should == "<strong>some text</strong> some text <strong>some text</strong> some text"
+        markdownify(message).should == "<p><strong>some text</strong> some text <strong>some text</strong> some text</p>"
       end
 
       it "should be recognized (2/2)" do
         message = "__some text__ some text __some text__ some text"
-        markdownify(message).should == "<strong>some text</strong> some text <strong>some text</strong> some text"
+        markdownify(message).should == "<p><strong>some text</strong> some text <strong>some text</strong> some text</p>"
       end
     end
 
     describe "nested weak and strong emphasis" do
       it "should be rendered correctly" do
         message = "__this is _some_ text__"
-        markdownify(message).should == "<strong>this is <em>some</em> text</strong>"
+        markdownify(message).should == "<p><strong>this is <em>some</em> text</strong></p>"
         message = "*this is **some** text*"
-        markdownify(message).should == "<em>this is <strong>some</strong> text</em>"
+        markdownify(message).should == "<p><em>this is <strong>some</strong> text</em></p>"
         message = "___some text___"
-        markdownify(message).should == "<em><strong>some text</strong></em>"
+        markdownify(message).should == "<p><em><strong>some text</strong></em></p>"
       end
     end
 
     describe "links" do
       it "should be recognized without title attribute" do
         message = "[link text](http://someurl.com) [link text](http://someurl.com)"
-        markdownify(message).should == '<a target="_blank" href="http://someurl.com">link text</a> <a target="_blank" href="http://someurl.com">link text</a>'
+        markdownify(message).should == '<p><a target="_blank" href="http://someurl.com">link text</a> <a target="_blank" href="http://someurl.com">link text</a></p>'
       end
 
       it "should be recognized with title attribute" do
         message = '[link text](http://someurl.com "some title") [link text](http://someurl.com "some title")'
-        markdownify(message).should == '<a target="_blank" href="http://someurl.com" title="some title">link text</a> <a target="_blank" href="http://someurl.com" title="some title">link text</a>'
+        markdownify(message).should == '<p><a target="_blank" href="http://someurl.com" title="some title">link text</a> <a target="_blank" href="http://someurl.com" title="some title">link text</a></p>'
       end
 
       it "should have a robust link parsing" do
@@ -249,18 +249,18 @@ describe MarkdownifyHelper do
         link.should =~ %r{href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Text_%28literary_theory%29"}
         
         message = "[  links]( google.com)"
-        markdownify(message).should == %Q{<a target="_blank" href="http://google.com">links</a>}
+        markdownify(message).should == %Q{<p><a target="_blank" href="http://google.com">links</a></p>}
 
         message = "[_http_](http://google.com/search?q=with_multiple__underscores*and**asterisks )"
-        markdownify(message).should == %Q{<a target="_blank" href="http://google.com/search?q=with_multiple__underscores*and**asterisks"><em>http</em></a>}
+        markdownify(message).should == %Q{<p><a target="_blank" href="http://google.com/search?q=with_multiple__underscores*and**asterisks"><em>http</em></a></p>}
         message = %{[___FTP___]( ftp://ftp.uni-kl.de/CCC/26C3/mp4/26c3-3540-en-a_hackers_utopia.mp4 'File Transfer Protocol')}
-        markdownify(message).should == %{<a target="_blank" href="ftp://ftp.uni-kl.de/CCC/26C3/mp4/26c3-3540-en-a_hackers_utopia.mp4" title="File Transfer Protocol"><em><strong>FTP</strong></em></a>}
+        markdownify(message).should == %{<p><a target="_blank" href="ftp://ftp.uni-kl.de/CCC/26C3/mp4/26c3-3540-en-a_hackers_utopia.mp4" title="File Transfer Protocol"><em><strong>FTP</strong></em></a></p>}
 
         message = %{[**any protocol**](foo://bar.example.org/yes_it*makes*no_sense)}
-        markdownify(message).should == %{<a target="_blank" href="foo://bar.example.org/yes_it*makes*no_sense"><strong>any protocol</strong></a>}
+        markdownify(message).should == %{<p><a target="_blank" href="foo://bar.example.org/yes_it*makes*no_sense"><strong>any protocol</strong></a></p>}
 
         message = "This [ *text* ]( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Text_(literary_theory) ) with many [ links]( google.com) tests [_http_](http://google.com/search?q=with_multiple__underscores*and**asterisks ), [___FTP___]( ftp://ftp.uni-kl.de/CCC/26C3/mp4/26c3-3540-en-a_hackers_utopia.mp4 'File Transfer Protocol'), [**any protocol**](foo://bar.example.org/yes_it*makes*no_sense)"
-        markdownify(message).should == 'This <a target="_blank" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Text_%28literary_theory%29"><em>text</em></a> with many <a target="_blank" href="http://google.com">links</a> tests <a target="_blank" href="http://google.com/search?q=with_multiple__underscores*and**asterisks"><em>http</em></a>, <a target="_blank" href="ftp://ftp.uni-kl.de/CCC/26C3/mp4/26c3-3540-en-a_hackers_utopia.mp4" title="File Transfer Protocol"><em><strong>FTP</strong></em></a>, <a target="_blank" href="foo://bar.example.org/yes_it*makes*no_sense"><strong>any protocol</strong></a>'
+        markdownify(message).should == '<p>This <a target="_blank" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Text_%28literary_theory%29"><em>text</em></a> with many <a target="_blank" href="http://google.com">links</a> tests <a target="_blank" href="http://google.com/search?q=with_multiple__underscores*and**asterisks"><em>http</em></a>, <a target="_blank" href="ftp://ftp.uni-kl.de/CCC/26C3/mp4/26c3-3540-en-a_hackers_utopia.mp4" title="File Transfer Protocol"><em><strong>FTP</strong></em></a>, <a target="_blank" href="foo://bar.example.org/yes_it*makes*no_sense"><strong>any protocol</strong></a></p>'
       end
 
     end
@@ -268,32 +268,32 @@ describe MarkdownifyHelper do
     describe "nested emphasis and links tags" do
       it "should be rendered correctly" do
         message = '[**some *link* text**](someurl.com "some title")'
-        markdownify(message).should == '<a target="_blank" href="http://someurl.com" title="some title"><strong>some <em>link</em> text</strong></a>'
+        markdownify(message).should == '<p><a target="_blank" href="http://someurl.com" title="some title"><strong>some <em>link</em> text</strong></a></p>'
       end
     end
 
     it "should allow escaping" do
       message = '*some text* \*some text* \**some text* _some text_ \_some text_ \__some text_'
-      markdownify(message).should == "<em>some text</em> *some text* *<em>some text</em> <em>some text</em> _some text_ _<em>some text</em>"
+      markdownify(message).should == "<p><em>some text</em> *some text* *<em>some text</em> <em>some text</em> _some text_ _<em>some text</em></p>"
     end
 
     describe "newlines" do
       it 'skips inserting newlines if you pass the newlines option' do
         message = "These\nare\n\some\nnew\lines"
         res = markdownify(message, :newlines => false)
-        res.should == "#{message}"
+        res.should == "<p>#{message}</p>"
       end
 
       it 'generates breaklines' do
         message = "These\nare\nsome\nnew\nlines"
         res = markdownify(message)
-        res.should == "These<br /\>are<br /\>some<br /\>new<br /\>lines"
+        res.should == "<p>These<br /\>are<br /\>some<br /\>new<br /\>lines</p>"
       end
 
       it 'should render newlines and basic http links correctly' do
         message = "Some text, then a line break and a link\nhttp://joindiaspora.com\nsome more text"
         res = markdownify(message)
-        res.should == 'Some text, then a line break and a link<br /><a target="_blank" href="http://joindiaspora.com">joindiaspora.com</a><br />some more text'
+        res.should == '<p>Some text, then a line break and a link<br /><a target="_blank" href="http://joindiaspora.com">joindiaspora.com</a><br />some more text</p>'
       end
     end
 
@@ -331,7 +331,7 @@ describe MarkdownifyHelper do
 
     context 'performance' do
       before do
-        @message = "HHello,Hello_, I _am a strong robot.*Hello, I am *a strong robot.Hello, I am a strong robot.Hello, I am a strong robot.Hello, I am a strong robot.Hello, I am a **strong robot.Hello, I am _a _strong *robot**.Hello*, I am a strong "
+        @message = "</p>HHello,Hello_, I _am a strong robot.*Hello, I am *a strong robot.Hello, I am a strong robot.Hello, I am a strong robot.Hello, I am a strong robot.Hello, I am a **strong robot.Hello, I am _a _strong *robot**.Hello*, I am a strong</p>"
       end
 
       it 'is sub millisecond' do