diff --git a/app/models/photo.rb b/app/models/photo.rb
index d60bd3645..bce9d469d 100644
--- a/app/models/photo.rb
+++ b/app/models/photo.rb
@@ -29,9 +29,9 @@ class Photo < Post
 
   validates_with PhotoAlbumValidator
 
-  before_destroy :ensure_user_picture
+  attr_accessible :caption
 
-  attr_protected :person
+  before_destroy :ensure_user_picture
 
   def self.instantiate(params = {})
     image_file = params.delete(:user_file)
diff --git a/app/models/post.rb b/app/models/post.rb
index 5b49dacd5..298d25b5f 100644
--- a/app/models/post.rb
+++ b/app/models/post.rb
@@ -32,11 +32,12 @@ class Post
   before_destroy :propogate_retraction
   after_destroy :destroy_comments
 
+  attr_accessible :user_refs
   def self.instantiate params
     new_post = self.new params.to_hash
     new_post.person = params[:person]
     new_post.public = params[:public]
-    new_post.save
+    new_post.diaspora_handle = new_post.person.diaspora_handle
     new_post
   end
 
diff --git a/app/models/status_message.rb b/app/models/status_message.rb
index a0f8ca002..d67bba6fb 100644
--- a/app/models/status_message.rb
+++ b/app/models/status_message.rb
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ class StatusMessage < Post
   key :message, String
   validates_presence_of :message
 
+  attr_accessible :message
+
   def to_activity
         <<-XML
   <entry>
diff --git a/app/models/user.rb b/app/models/user.rb
index 1f1333e56..bb465e78a 100644
--- a/app/models/user.rb
+++ b/app/models/user.rb
@@ -145,6 +145,7 @@ class User
     aspect_ids = validate_aspect_permissions(aspect_ids)
 
     post = build_post(class_name, options)
+
     post.socket_to_uid(id, :aspect_ids => aspect_ids) if post.respond_to?(:socket_to_uid)
     push_to_aspects(post, aspect_ids)
     
@@ -201,9 +202,11 @@ class User
 
     model_class = class_name.to_s.camelize.constantize
     post = model_class.instantiate(options)
-    post.save
-    self.raw_visible_posts << post
-    self.save
+    if post.save
+      raise 'MongoMapper failed to catch a failed save' unless post.id
+      self.raw_visible_posts << post
+      self.save
+    end
     post
   end
 
diff --git a/spec/controllers/status_message_controller_spec.rb b/spec/controllers/status_message_controller_spec.rb
index 100d60ebe..059fe5fb4 100644
--- a/spec/controllers/status_message_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/controllers/status_message_controller_spec.rb
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ describe StatusMessagesController do
       it "doesn't overwrite id" do
         old_status_message = user.post(:status_message, :message => "hello", :to => aspect.id)
         status_message_hash[:status_message][:id] = old_status_message.id
-        post :create, status_message_hash
+        lambda {post :create, status_message_hash}.should raise_error /failed save/
         old_status_message.reload.message.should == 'hello'
       end
     end