diff --git a/config/assets.yml b/config/assets.yml
index 592896930..5212580a3 100644
--- a/config/assets.yml
+++ b/config/assets.yml
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ javascripts:
     - public/javascripts/vendor/jquery.idle-timer.js
     - public/javascripts/jquery.infinitescroll-custom.js
     - public/javascripts/jquery.autocomplete-custom.js
+    - public/javascripts/vendor/jquery.textchange.min.js
     - public/javascripts/keycodes.js
     - public/javascripts/fileuploader-custom.js
 
@@ -93,7 +94,6 @@ javascripts:
     - public/javascripts/friend-finder.js
   home:
     - public/javascripts/publisher.js
-    - public/javascripts/vendor/jquery.textchange.min.js
     - public/javascripts/aspect-edit-pane.js
     - public/javascripts/fileuploader-custom.js
   people:
diff --git a/features/step_definitions/trumpeter_steps.rb b/features/step_definitions/trumpeter_steps.rb
index 3464df209..89c1e57ba 100644
--- a/features/step_definitions/trumpeter_steps.rb
+++ b/features/step_definitions/trumpeter_steps.rb
@@ -6,6 +6,17 @@ When /^I write "([^"]*)"$/ do |text|
   fill_in :text, :with => text
 end
 
+Then /I mention "([^"]*)"$/ do |text|
+  fill_in_autocomplete('textarea.text', '@a')
+  sleep(5)
+  find("li.active").click
+end
+
+def fill_in_autocomplete(selector, value)
+  page.execute_script %Q{$('#{selector}').val('#{value}').keyup()}
+end
+
+
 def aspects_dropdown
   find(".dropdown-toggle")
 end
diff --git a/features/trumpeter.feature b/features/trumpeter.feature
index d60399688..68701d41c 100644
--- a/features/trumpeter.feature
+++ b/features/trumpeter.feature
@@ -20,3 +20,12 @@ Feature: Creating a new post
     When I go to "/stream"
     Then I should see "This is super skrunkle" as the first post in my stream
     Then "This is super skrunkle" should be a limited post in my stream
+
+   Scenario: Mention a contact
+     Given a user named "Alice Smith" with email "alice@alice.alice"
+     And a user with email "bob@bob.bob" is connected with "alice@alice.alice"
+     And I mention "alice@alice.alice"
+     And I press "Share"
+     And I go to "/stream"
+     Then I follow "Alice Smith"
+
diff --git a/public/javascripts/app/forms/post_form.js b/public/javascripts/app/forms/post_form.js
index afc5198c9..d2bc494c9 100644
--- a/public/javascripts/app/forms/post_form.js
+++ b/public/javascripts/app/forms/post_form.js
@@ -7,13 +7,30 @@ app.forms.Post = app.forms.Base.extend({
   },
 
   formAttrs : {
-    "textarea.text" : "text",
+    "textarea#text_with_markup" : "text",
     "input.aspect_ids" : "aspect_ids",
     'input.service:checked' : 'services'
   },
 
-  initialize : function(){
+  initialize : function() {
     this.aspectsDropdown = new app.views.AspectsDropdown();
     this.servicesSelector = new app.views.ServicesSelector();
+  },
+
+  postRenderTemplate : function() {
+    this.prepAndBindMentions()
+  },
+
+  prepAndBindMentions : function(){
+    Mentions.initialize(this.$("textarea.text"));
+    Mentions.fetchContacts();
+
+    this.$("textarea.text").bind("textchange", $.proxy(this.updateTextWithMarkup, this))
+  },
+
+  updateTextWithMarkup : function() {
+    this.$("form textarea.text").mentionsInput('val', function(markup){
+      $('#text_with_markup').val(markup);
+    });
   }
 });
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/public/javascripts/app/models/status_message.js b/public/javascripts/app/models/status_message.js
index e9a6f3204..6359af399 100644
--- a/public/javascripts/app/models/status_message.js
+++ b/public/javascripts/app/models/status_message.js
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ app.models.StatusMessage = app.models.Post.extend({
     }
 
     function mungeServices (values) {
+      if(!values) { return; }
       return values.length > 1 ?  values :  [values]
     }
   }
diff --git a/public/javascripts/app/templates/post-form.handlebars b/public/javascripts/app/templates/post-form.handlebars
index f41fe137a..6b8a32d95 100644
--- a/public/javascripts/app/templates/post-form.handlebars
+++ b/public/javascripts/app/templates/post-form.handlebars
@@ -1,12 +1,16 @@
 <div class='row'>
     <div class='span12'>
         <form class="new-post well">
-            <label>text<textarea class="text"/></label>
-            <div class="service_selector"/>
-            <div class="aspect_selector"/>
+            <label>
+                text
+                <textarea class="text span8"/>
+                <textarea id="text_with_markup" style="display:none;"/>
+            </label>
+            <div class="service_selector"></div>
+            <div class="aspect_selector"></div>
             <br/>
 
-            <input type="submit" class="btn-primary" value="Share"></input>
+            <input type="submit" class="btn-primary" value="Share" />
         </form>
     </div>
 </div>
diff --git a/public/javascripts/mentions.js b/public/javascripts/mentions.js
index 449a57f07..b6e230437 100644
--- a/public/javascripts/mentions.js
+++ b/public/javascripts/mentions.js
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 var Mentions = {
   initialize: function(mentionsInput) {
-    mentionsInput.mentionsInput(Mentions.options);
+    return mentionsInput.mentionsInput(Mentions.options);
   },
 
   fetchContacts : function(){
-    Mentions.contacts || $.getJSON($(".selected_contacts_link").attr("href"), function(data) {
+    Mentions.contacts || $.getJSON("/contacts", function(data) {
       Mentions.contacts = data;
     });
   },
diff --git a/spec/javascripts/app/forms/post_form_spec.js b/spec/javascripts/app/forms/post_form_spec.js
index 16d3aa31d..d9b6ef7af 100644
--- a/spec/javascripts/app/forms/post_form_spec.js
+++ b/spec/javascripts/app/forms/post_form_spec.js
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ describe("app.forms.Post", function(){
 
     describe("submitting a valid form", function(){
       beforeEach(function(){
-        this.view.$("form .text").val("Oh My")
+        this.view.$("form #text_with_markup").val("Oh My")
         this.view.$("form .aspect_ids").val("public")
 
         /* appending checkboxes */