diff --git a/app/controllers/people_controller.rb b/app/controllers/people_controller.rb
index 1a8f68cb9..5877cff59 100644
--- a/app/controllers/people_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/people_controller.rb
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ class PeopleController < ApplicationController
         respond_to do |format|
           format.all { respond_with @person, :locals => {:post_type => :all} }
           format.json {
-            render :json => @person.to_json
+            render :json => @person.to_json(:includes => params[:includes])
           }
         end
       end
diff --git a/app/models/person.rb b/app/models/person.rb
index e67a5071f..68d18a011 100644
--- a/app/models/person.rb
+++ b/app/models/person.rb
@@ -219,15 +219,17 @@ class Person < ActiveRecord::Base
     self.posts.where(:type => "Photo").exists?
   end
 
-  def as_json(opts={})
+  def as_json( opts = {} )
+    opts ||= {}
     json = {
       :id => self.id,
       :name => self.name,
       :avatar => self.profile.image_url(:thumb_medium),
       :handle => self.diaspora_handle,
       :url => "/people/#{self.id}",
-      :hashtags => self.profile.tags.map{|t| "##{t.name}"}
     }
+    json.merge!(:tags => self.profile.tags.map{|t| "##{t.name}"}) if opts[:includes] == "tags"
+    json
   end
 
   protected
diff --git a/public/javascripts/widgets/hovercard.js b/public/javascripts/widgets/hovercard.js
index 02a0f9e6a..4b7774c88 100644
--- a/public/javascripts/widgets/hovercard.js
+++ b/public/javascripts/widgets/hovercard.js
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
     this.start = function() {
       self.personCache = new this.Cache();
       self.dropdownCache = new this.Cache();
- 
+
       var card = $("#hovercard");
       self.hoverCard = {
         tip: $("#hovercard_container"),
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@
       self.hoverCard.tip.hide();
       self.hoverCard.tip.prependTo(self.target.parent());
 
-      self.personCache.get(self.target.attr("href") + ".json", function(person) {
+      self.personCache.get(self.target.attr("href") + ".json?includes=tags", function(person) {
         self.populateHovercard(person);
       });
     };
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@
       self.hoverCard.dropdown.attr("data-person-id", person.id);
 
       self.hoverCard.hashtags.html("");
-      $.each(person.hashtags, function(index, hashtag) {
+      $.each(person.tags, function(index, hashtag) {
         self.hoverCard.hashtags.append(
           $("<a/>", {
             href: "/tags/" + hashtag.substring(1)
diff --git a/spec/controllers/people_controller_spec.rb b/spec/controllers/people_controller_spec.rb
index 2339897fd..fa7e4d4ef 100644
--- a/spec/controllers/people_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/controllers/people_controller_spec.rb
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ describe PeopleController do
       get :index, :q => "eugene@example.org"
       assigns[:people].should =~ [eugene2]
     end
-    
+
     it "does not redirect to person page if there is exactly one match" do
       get :index, :q => "Korth"
       response.should_not redirect_to @korth
@@ -169,6 +169,12 @@ describe PeopleController do
         get :show, :id => @user.person.id
         response.should be_success
       end
+
+      it 'passes through the includes option for json requests' do
+        json = @user.person.as_json
+        Person.any_instance.should_receive(:as_json).with(:includes => "horses").and_return(json)
+        get :show, :format => :json, :id => @user.person.id, :includes => "horses"
+      end
     end
 
     context "with no user signed in" do
diff --git a/spec/models/person_spec.rb b/spec/models/person_spec.rb
index af2907cb0..94cce73f4 100644
--- a/spec/models/person_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/person_spec.rb
@@ -364,7 +364,18 @@ describe Person do
   end
 
   describe '#as_json' do
-    it 'returns a hash representation of a person'
-    it 'return tags if asked'
+    it 'returns a hash representation of a person' do
+      @person.as_json.should == {
+        :id => @person.id,
+        :name => @person.name,
+        :avatar => @person.profile.image_url(:thumb_medium),
+        :handle => @person.diaspora_handle,
+        :url => "/people/#{@person.id}",
+      }
+    end
+    it 'return tags if asked' do
+      @person.as_json(:includes => :tags).
+        should == @person.as_json.merge(:tags =>  @person.profile.tags.map{|t| "##{t.name}"})
+    end
   end
 end