diff --git a/app/controllers/people_controller.rb b/app/controllers/people_controller.rb
index a83e34119..6b3ff5f2c 100644
--- a/app/controllers/people_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/people_controller.rb
@@ -34,8 +34,10 @@ class PeopleController < ApplicationController
         #only do it if it is an email address
         if diaspora_id?(search_query)
           @people =  Person.where(:diaspora_handle => search_query.downcase)
-          Webfinger.in_background(search_query) if @people.empty?
-          @background_query = search_query.downcase
+          if @people.empty?
+            Webfinger.in_background(search_query) 
+            @background_query = search_query.downcase
+          end
         end
         @people = @people.paginate(:page => params[:page], :per_page => 15)
         @hashes = hashes_for_people(@people, @aspects)
diff --git a/app/views/people/index.html.haml b/app/views/people/index.html.haml
index 277c0629c..456df1b54 100644
--- a/app/views/people/index.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/people/index.html.haml
@@ -8,6 +8,9 @@
 - content_for :head do
   = include_javascripts :people
   = javascript_include_tag 'contact-list'
+  - if @background_query.present?
+    :javascript
+        $(document).ready(function() { List.startSearchDelay('#{@background_query}') } );
 
 .span-24.last
   = search_header
@@ -19,13 +22,12 @@
   #people_stream.stream
     - if @hashes.empty?
       - if @background_query.present?
-        %p
-          =t('.searching')
-        :javascript
-          $(document).ready(function() { List.startSearchDelay('#{@background_query}') } );
+        %p 
+          = t('.searching')
+          = image_tag '/images/static-loader.png', :class => 'loader'
       - else
         %p
-          =t('.no_one_found')
+          = t('.no_one_found')
     - else
       - for hash in @hashes
         = render :partial => 'people/person', :locals => hash
diff --git a/spec/controllers/people_controller_spec.rb b/spec/controllers/people_controller_spec.rb
index d195a1442..73ae0a554 100644
--- a/spec/controllers/people_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/controllers/people_controller_spec.rb
@@ -53,9 +53,14 @@ describe PeopleController do
           assigns[:people][0].id.should == @unsearchable_eugene.id
         end
 
-        it 'sets the background query task' do
+        it 'does not the background query task if the user is found' do
           get :index, :q => "Eugene@Example.ORG"
-          assigns[:background_query].should == "eugene@example.org"
+          assigns[:background_query].should == nil
+        end
+
+        it 'sets background query task if the user is not found' do
+          get :index, :q => "Eugene@Example1.ORG"
+          assigns[:background_query].should == "eugene@example1.org"
         end
       end