diff --git a/app/models/profile.rb b/app/models/profile.rb
index 72a597b7f..6ede9a15c 100644
--- a/app/models/profile.rb
+++ b/app/models/profile.rb
@@ -23,8 +23,8 @@ class Profile < ActiveRecord::Base
 
   validates_length_of :first_name, :maximum => 32
   validates_length_of :last_name,  :maximum => 32
-  validates_format_of :first_name, :with => /\A[^;]+\z/
-  validates_format_of :last_name, :with => /\A[^;]+\z/
+  validates_format_of :first_name, :with => /\A[^;]+\z/, :allow_nil => true
+  validates_format_of :last_name, :with => /\A[^;]+\z/, :allow_nil => true
 
   attr_accessible :first_name, :last_name, :image_url, :image_url_medium,
     :image_url_small, :birthday, :gender, :bio, :searchable, :date
diff --git a/features/posts.feature b/features/posts.feature
index bcb4c6094..4df8fc220 100644
--- a/features/posts.feature
+++ b/features/posts.feature
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ Feature: posting
     I want to tell the world I am eating a yogurt
     
     Scenario: post to all aspects
+      Given that I am a rock star
+      And I have no open aspects saved
       Given I am signed in
         And I have an aspect called "Family"
         And I am on the home page
@@ -12,33 +14,39 @@ Feature: posting
       When I fill in "status_message_fake_message" with "I am eating a yogurt"
         And I press "Share"
         
-        And I am on the home page
+        And I follow "Home"
       Then I should see "I am eating a yogurt" within ".stream_element"
 
     Scenario: delete a post
+      Given that I am a rock star
+      And I have no open aspects saved
       Given I am signed in
         And I have an aspect called "Family"
         And I am on the home page
         And I expand the publisher
       When I fill in "status_message_fake_message" with "I am eating a yogurt"
         And I press "Share"
-        And I am on the home page
+        And I follow "Home"
         And I hover over the post
         And I preemptively confirm the alert
         And I press the first ".delete" within ".stream_element"
-        And I am on the home page
+        And I follow "Home"
         Then I should not see "I am eating a yogurt"
 
       
     Scenario Outline: post to one aspect
-      Given I have no open aspects saved
+      Given that I am a rock star
+      And I have no open aspects saved
       Given I am signed in
         And I have an aspect called "PostTo"
         And I have an aspect called "DidntPostTo"
         And I am on the home page
       When I follow "PostTo"
+        And I wait for the ajax to finish
+        And I expand the publisher
         And I fill in "status_message_fake_message" with "I am eating a yogurt"
         And I press "Share" 
+        And I follow "Home"
         And I follow "<aspect>"
       Then I should <see> "I am eating a yogurt"
       
diff --git a/features/step_definitions/user_steps.rb b/features/step_definitions/user_steps.rb
index eb5adb46a..b2973362b 100644
--- a/features/step_definitions/user_steps.rb
+++ b/features/step_definitions/user_steps.rb
@@ -4,6 +4,10 @@ Given /^a user with username "([^\"]*)" and password "([^\"]*)"$/ do |username,
   @me.aspects.create(:name => "Besties")
 end
 
+Given /^that I am a rock star$/ do
+  Given('a user with username "awesome" and password "totallyawesome"')
+end
+
 Given /^a user with email "([^\"]*)"$/ do |email|
   user = Factory(:user, :email => email, :password => 'password',
           :password_confirmation => 'password', :getting_started => false)