diff --git a/app/helpers/people_helper.rb b/app/helpers/people_helper.rb
index 906bf5d88..f215f4575 100644
--- a/app/helpers/people_helper.rb
+++ b/app/helpers/people_helper.rb
@@ -27,18 +27,14 @@ module PeopleHelper
       I18n.l bday, :format => I18n.t('date.formats.birthday_with_year')
     end
   end
-  
+
   def person_link(person, opts={})
     opts[:class] ||= ""
     opts[:class] << " self" if defined?(user_signed_in?) && user_signed_in? && current_user.person == person
     remote_or_hovercard_link = "/people/#{person.id}".html_safe
-    if person.local?
-      "<a data-hovercard='#{remote_or_hovercard_link}' href='/u/#{person.diaspora_handle.split('@')[0]}' class='#{opts[:class]}'>#{h(person.name)}</a>".html_safe
-    else
-      "<a href='#{remote_or_hovercard_link}' data-hovercard='#{remote_or_hovercard_link}' class='#{opts[:class]}' >#{h(person.name)}</a>".html_safe
-    end
+    "<a data-hovercard='#{remote_or_hovercard_link}' #{person_href(person)} class='#{opts[:class]}'>#{h(person.name)}</a>".html_safe
   end
-    
+
   def person_image_tag(person, size=nil)
     size ||= :thumb_small
     "<img alt=\"#{h(person.name)}\" class=\"avatar\" data-person_id=\"#{person.id}\" src=\"#{person.profile.image_url(size)}\" title=\"#{h(person.name)} (#{h(person.diaspora_handle)})\">".html_safe
@@ -49,16 +45,20 @@ module PeopleHelper
     if opts[:to] == :photos
       link_to person_image_tag(person, opts[:size]), person_photos_path(person)
     else
-      if person.local?
-        "<a href='/u/#{person.diaspora_handle.split('@')[0]}' class='#{opts[:class]}'>
-        #{person_image_tag(person, opts[:size])}
-        </a>".html_safe
-      else
-        "<a href='/people/#{person.id}'>
-        #{person_image_tag(person, opts[:size])}
-        </a>".html_safe
-      end
+      "<a #{person_href(person)} class='#{opts[:class]}'>
+      #{person_image_tag(person, opts[:size])}
+      </a>".html_safe
     end
   end
 
+  def person_href(person)
+    if person.local?
+      username = person.diaspora_handle.split('@')[0]
+      unless username.include?('.')
+        return "href='/u/#{person.diaspora_handle.split('@')[0]}'"
+      end
+    end
+    return "href='/people/#{person.id}'"
+  end
+
 end
diff --git a/spec/helpers/people_helper_spec.rb b/spec/helpers/people_helper_spec.rb
index 320dcddc5..0fb8e166c 100644
--- a/spec/helpers/people_helper_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/helpers/people_helper_spec.rb
@@ -58,6 +58,29 @@ describe PeopleHelper do
       person_link(@person).should_not include("<h1>")
     end
   end
-  
+
+  describe '#person_href' do
+    before do
+      @user = Factory(:user)
+    end
+    it "links by id if there is a period in the user's username" do
+      @user.username = "invalid.username"
+      @user.save(:validate => false).should == true
+      person = @user.person
+      person.diaspora_handle = "#{@user.username}@#{AppConfig[:pod_uri].authority}"
+      person.save!
+
+      person_href(@user.person).should include("href='/people/#{@user.person.id}'")
+    end
+
+    it 'links by username for a local user' do
+      person_href(@user.person).should include(@user.username)
+    end
+    it 'links by id for a remote person' do
+      person = Factory(:person)
+      person_href(person).should include("/people/#{person.id}")
+    end
+  end
+
 end