diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/contact-list.js b/app/assets/javascripts/contact-list.js
index 2c56167ba..3dfa85dc5 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/contact-list.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/contact-list.js
@@ -15,9 +15,15 @@ var List = {
       });
 
     streamEl.html(string);
-    $('.aspect_membership_dropdown').each(function(){
-      new app.views.AspectMembership({el: this});
-    });
+
+    if (data.contacts) {
+      var contacts = new app.collections.Contacts(data.contacts);
+      $(".aspect_membership_dropdown.placeholder").each(function() {
+        var personId = $(this).data("personId");
+        var view = new app.views.AspectMembership({person: contacts.findWhere({"person_id": personId}).person});
+        $(this).html(view.render().$el);
+      });
+    }
   },
 
   startSearchDelay: function (theSearch) {
diff --git a/app/controllers/people_controller.rb b/app/controllers/people_controller.rb
index 5029ccc62..25b397ea7 100644
--- a/app/controllers/people_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/people_controller.rb
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ class PeopleController < ApplicationController
       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
+    render json: {search_html: @answer_html, contacts: gon.preloads[:contacts]}.to_json
   end
 
   # renders the persons user profile page
diff --git a/features/desktop/search.feature b/features/desktop/search.feature
index 8b436018f..03e8fc343 100644
--- a/features/desktop/search.feature
+++ b/features/desktop/search.feature
@@ -26,6 +26,13 @@ Scenario: search for a inexistent user and go to the search page
 
   Then I should see "Users matching Trinity" within "#search_title"
 
+Scenario: search for a user in background
+  When I sign in as "bob@bob.bob"
+  And I search for "user@pod.tld"
+  And a person with ID "user@pod.tld" has been discovered
+  Then I should see "user@pod.tld" within ".stream .info.diaspora_handle"
+  And I should see a ".aspect_dropdown" within ".stream"
+
 Scenario: search for a not searchable user
   When I sign in as "carol@example.com"
   And I go to the edit profile page
diff --git a/features/step_definitions/user_steps.rb b/features/step_definitions/user_steps.rb
index af59a406c..ed1abe5f1 100644
--- a/features/step_definitions/user_steps.rb
+++ b/features/step_definitions/user_steps.rb
@@ -229,3 +229,7 @@ end
 Then /^I should get a zipped file$/ do
   expect(page.response_headers["Content-Type"]).to eq("application/zip")
 end
+
+And /^a person with ID "([^\"]*)" has been discovered$/ do |diaspora_id|
+  FactoryGirl.create(:person, diaspora_handle: diaspora_id)
+end
diff --git a/features/support/poor_mans_webmock.rb b/features/support/poor_mans_webmock.rb
index ce2bf4d9f..061441a8f 100644
--- a/features/support/poor_mans_webmock.rb
+++ b/features/support/poor_mans_webmock.rb
@@ -26,4 +26,10 @@ module Workers
       # don't post to services in cucumber
     end
   end
+
+  class FetchWebfinger < Base
+    def perform(*_args)
+      # don't do real discovery in cucumber
+    end
+  end
 end
diff --git a/spec/controllers/people_controller_spec.rb b/spec/controllers/people_controller_spec.rb
index 8672b7547..d2ab1ecc2 100644
--- a/spec/controllers/people_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/controllers/people_controller_spec.rb
@@ -472,19 +472,20 @@ describe PeopleController, :type => :controller do
                      :profile => FactoryGirl.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'
-        expect(response.body).to eq({:search_count=>0, :search_html=>""}.to_json)
+    describe "via json" do
+      it "returns no data when a search fails" do
+        get :refresh_search, q: "weweweKorth", format: "json"
+        expect(response.body).to eq({search_html: "", contacts: nil}.to_json)
       end
 
-      it 'returns with a zero count unless a fully composed name is sent' do
-        get :refresh_search, :q => "Korth"
-        expect(response.body).to eq({:search_count=>0, :search_html=>""}.to_json)
+      it "returns no data unless a fully composed name is sent" do
+        get :refresh_search, q: "Korth"
+        expect(response.body).to eq({search_html: "", contacts: nil}.to_json)
       end
-      it 'returns with a found name' do
-        get :refresh_search, :q => @korth.diaspora_handle
-        expect(JSON.parse( response.body )["search_count"]).to eq(1)
+
+      it "returns with a found name" do
+        get :refresh_search, q: @korth.diaspora_handle
+        expect(JSON.parse(response.body)["contacts"].size).to eq(1)
       end
     end
   end