diff --git a/app/controllers/publics_controller.rb b/app/controllers/publics_controller.rb
index e7ab1ea1b..0d6df2933 100644
--- a/app/controllers/publics_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/publics_controller.rb
@@ -22,14 +22,15 @@ class PublicsController < ApplicationController
   end
   
   def receive
+    render :nothing => true
     begin
       @user = Person.first(:id => params[:id]).owner
     rescue NoMethodError => e
       Rails.logger.error("Received post #{params[:xml]} for nonexistent person #{params[:id}")
+      return
     end
     Rails.logger.debug "PublicsController has received: #{params[:xml]}"
     @user.receive params[:xml] if params[:xml]
-    render :nothing => true
   end
   
 end