diff --git a/db/migrate/0000_create_schema.rb b/db/migrate/0000_create_schema.rb
index 65a14130a..ff1469b6e 100644
--- a/db/migrate/0000_create_schema.rb
+++ b/db/migrate/0000_create_schema.rb
@@ -105,8 +105,8 @@ class CreateSchema < ActiveRecord::Migration
 
     create_table :profiles do |t|
       t.string :diaspora_handle
-      t.string :first_name
-      t.string :last_name
+      t.string :first_name, :limit => 127
+      t.string :last_name, :limit => 127
       t.string :image_url
       t.string :image_url_small
       t.string :image_url_medium
diff --git a/db/migrate/20110105051803_create_import_tables.rb b/db/migrate/20110105051803_create_import_tables.rb
index c3f374e2a..cb936b920 100644
--- a/db/migrate/20110105051803_create_import_tables.rb
+++ b/db/migrate/20110105051803_create_import_tables.rb
@@ -95,8 +95,8 @@ class CreateImportTables < ActiveRecord::Migration
     add_index :mongo_invitations, :sender_mongo_id
     create_table :mongo_notifications do |t|
       t.string :mongo_id
-      t.string :target_type
-      t.string :target_mongo_id
+      t.string :target_type, :limit => 127
+      t.string :target_mongo_id, :limit => 127
       t.string :recipient_mongo_id
       t.string :actor_mongo_id
       t.string :action
@@ -114,8 +114,8 @@ class CreateImportTables < ActiveRecord::Migration
 
     create_table :mongo_profiles do |t|
       t.string :diaspora_handle
-      t.string :first_name
-      t.string :last_name
+      t.string :first_name, :limit => 127
+      t.string :last_name, :limit => 127
       t.string :image_url
       t.string :image_url_small
       t.string :image_url_medium
@@ -134,8 +134,8 @@ class CreateImportTables < ActiveRecord::Migration
 
     create_table :mongo_requests do |t|
       t.string :mongo_id
-      t.string :sender_mongo_id
-      t.string :recipient_mongo_id
+      t.string :sender_mongo_id, :limit => 127
+      t.string :recipient_mongo_id, :limit => 127
       t.string :aspect_mongo_id
       t.timestamps
     end
diff --git a/db/migrate/20110123210746_alter_string_colums.rb b/db/migrate/20110123210746_alter_string_colums.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..895c98438
--- /dev/null
+++ b/db/migrate/20110123210746_alter_string_colums.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+class AlterStringColumns < ActiveRecord::Migration
+    # This alters the tables to avoid a mysql bug
+    # See http://bugs.joindiaspora.com/issues/835
+    def self.up
+        remove_index :profiles, :column => [:first_name, :searchable]
+        remove_index :profiles, :column => [:last_name, :searchable]
+        remove_index :profiles, :column => [:first_name, :last_name, :searchable]
+        change_column(:profiles, :first_name, :string, :limit => 127)
+        change_column(:profiles, :last_name, :string, :limit => 127)
+        add_index :profiles, [:first_name, :searchable]
+        add_index :profiles, [:last_name, :searchable]
+        add_index :profiles, [:first_name, :last_name, :searchable]
+
+        remove_index :mongo_notifications, :column => [:target_type, :target_mongo_id]
+        change_column(:mongo_notifications, :target_type, :string, :limit => 127)
+        change_column(:mongo_notifications, :target_mongo_id, :string, :limit => 127)
+        add_index :mongo_notifications, [:target_type, :target_mongo_id]
+
+        remove_index :mongo_profiles, :column => [:first_name, :searchable]
+        remove_index :mongo_profiles, :column => [:last_name, :searchable]
+        remove_index :mongo_profiles, :column => [:first_name, :last_name, :searchable]
+        change_column(:mongo_profiles, :first_name, :string, :limit => 127)
+        change_column(:mongo_profiles, :last_name, :string, :limit => 127)
+        add_index :mongo_profiles, [:first_name, :searchable]
+        add_index :mongo_profiles, [:last_name, :searchable]
+        add_index :mongo_profiles, [:first_name, :last_name, :searchable]
+
+        remove_index :mongo_requests, :column => :sender_mongo_id
+        remove_index :mongo_requests, :column => :recipient_mongo_id
+        remove_index :mongo_requests, :column => [:sender_mongo_id, :recipient_mongo_id]
+        change_column(:mongo_requests, :sender_mongo_id, :string, :limit => 127)
+        change_column(:mongo_requests, :recipient_mongo_id, :string, :limit => 127)
+        add_index :mongo_requests, :sender_mongo_id
+        add_index :mongo_requests, :recipient_mongo_id
+        add_index :mongo_requests, [:sender_mongo_id, :recipient_mongo_id], :unique => true
+    end
+end
diff --git a/db/migrate/20110126232040_add_unique_index_on_invitation_service_and_invitation_identifier_to_users.rb b/db/migrate/20110126232040_add_unique_index_on_invitation_service_and_invitation_identifier_to_users.rb
index b96b2a02a..8445447b2 100644
--- a/db/migrate/20110126232040_add_unique_index_on_invitation_service_and_invitation_identifier_to_users.rb
+++ b/db/migrate/20110126232040_add_unique_index_on_invitation_service_and_invitation_identifier_to_users.rb
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 class AddUniqueIndexOnInvitationServiceAndInvitationIdentifierToUsers < ActiveRecord::Migration
   def self.up
+    change_column(:users, :invitation_service, :string, :limit => 127)
+    change_column(:users, :invitation_identifier, :string, :limit => 127)
     add_index(:users, [:invitation_service, :invitation_identifier], :unique => true)
   end
 
diff --git a/db/migrate/20110127000953_make_fields_not_null.rb b/db/migrate/20110127000953_make_fields_not_null.rb
index 343764f65..6a4fe84e5 100644
--- a/db/migrate/20110127000953_make_fields_not_null.rb
+++ b/db/migrate/20110127000953_make_fields_not_null.rb
@@ -20,11 +20,13 @@ class MakeFieldsNotNull < ActiveRecord::Migration
   end
 
   def self.up
+    remove_index(:profiles, :person_id)
     non_nullable_fields.each_pair do |table, columns|
       columns.each do |column|
         change_column_null(table, column, false)
       end
     end
+    add_index :profiles, :person_id
   end
 
   def self.down