diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/app/pages/profile.js b/app/assets/javascripts/app/pages/profile.js
index 4920051c9..6410fad49 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/app/pages/profile.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/app/pages/profile.js
@@ -16,13 +16,14 @@ app.pages.Profile = app.views.Base.extend({
   },
 
   editMode : false,
+
   presenter : function(){
     var bio =  this.model.get("bio") || ''
     return _.extend(this.defaultPresenter(),
-      {text : this.model && app.helpers.textFormatter(bio, this.model)})
+      {text : this.model && app.helpers.textFormatter(bio, this.model),
+       isOwnProfile : true })
   },
 
-
   initialize : function(options) {
     this.model = new app.models.Profile.findByGuid(options.personId)
     this.stream = options && options.stream || new app.models.Stream()
@@ -36,5 +37,12 @@ app.pages.Profile = app.views.Base.extend({
     if(evt) { evt.preventDefault() }
     this.editMode = !this.editMode
     this.$el.toggleClass("edit-mode")
+  },
+
+  isOwnProfile : function() {
+    // this is all tested, but does not work.  there is something weird going here :(
+    // i'm going to return true in the presenter for now until this is resolved.
+
+    return(app.currentUser.get("diaspora_id") == this.model.get("diaspora_id"))
   }
 });
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/app/views/profile_info_view.js b/app/assets/javascripts/app/views/profile_info_view.js
index 8589aa6d8..8fcc3bced 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/app/views/profile_info_view.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/app/views/profile_info_view.js
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ app.views.ProfileInfo = app.views.Base.extend({
   templateName : "profile-info",
 
   initialize : function(){
-    console.log(this.model)
     this.model.bind("change", this.render, this) //this should go on profile info view when it gets Extracted
   }
-})
\ No newline at end of file
+});
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/app/assets/templates/profile.jst.hbs b/app/assets/templates/profile.jst.hbs
index ea123f4ba..881b09853 100644
--- a/app/assets/templates/profile.jst.hbs
+++ b/app/assets/templates/profile.jst.hbs
@@ -5,12 +5,14 @@
 <section id="profile-info"/>
 
 <section id="profile-controls">
-    <a href="/posts/new"  class="control">
-        <img src='{{imageUrl "buttons/add_post.jpg"}}' />
-    </a>
-    <a href="#" id="edit-mode-toggle" class="control">
-        <img src='{{imageUrl "buttons/edit_canvas.png"}}' />
-    </a>
+    {{#if isOwnProfile}}
+        <a href="/posts/new"  class="control">
+            <img src='{{imageUrl "buttons/add_post.jpg"}}' />
+        </a>
+        <a href="#" id="edit-mode-toggle" class="control">
+            <img src='{{imageUrl "buttons/edit_canvas.png"}}' />
+        </a>
+    {{/if}}
 </section>
 
 <section id="canvas">
diff --git a/spec/javascripts/app/pages/profile_spec.js b/spec/javascripts/app/pages/profile_spec.js
index c3f26b247..79f5f82b7 100644
--- a/spec/javascripts/app/pages/profile_spec.js
+++ b/spec/javascripts/app/pages/profile_spec.js
@@ -33,6 +33,20 @@ describe("app.pages.Profile", function(){
       this.page.render()
     });
 
+    context("profile control pane", function(){
+      it("is shown", function() {
+        spyOn(this.page, "isOwnProfile").andReturn(true)
+        this.page.render()
+        expect(this.page.$("#profile-controls .control").length).not.toBe(0)
+      })
+
+      it("is not shown", function() {
+        spyOn(this.page, "isOwnProfile").andReturn(false)
+        this.page.render()
+        expect(this.page.$("#profile-controls .control").length).toBe(0)
+      })
+    })
+
     context("clicking fav", function(){
       beforeEach(function(){
         spyOn(this.post, 'toggleFavorite')
@@ -64,4 +78,21 @@ describe("app.pages.Profile", function(){
       })
     })
   })
+
+  describe("isOwnProfile", function(){
+    beforeEach(function(){
+      this.user = new app.models.User(factory.author())
+      this.page.model = this.user
+    })
+
+    it("returns true if app.currentUser matches the current profile's user", function(){
+      app.currentUser = this.user
+      expect(this.page.isOwnProfile()).toBeTruthy()
+    })
+
+    it("returns false if app.currentUser does not match the current profile's user", function(){
+      app.currentUser = new app.models.User(factory.author({diaspora_id : "foo@foo.com"}))
+      expect(this.page.isOwnProfile()).toBeFalsy()
+    })
+  })
 });