diff --git a/app/controllers/profiles_controller.rb b/app/controllers/profiles_controller.rb
index 25aa1f3bb..a7b10d7c6 100644
--- a/app/controllers/profiles_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/profiles_controller.rb
@@ -20,7 +20,15 @@ class ProfilesController < ApplicationController
   def update
     # upload and set new profile photo
     params[:profile] ||= {}
-    params[:tags] << params[:profile][:tag_string] unless params[:profile][:tag_string].nil?
+    unless params[:profile][:tag_string].nil?
+      params[:profile][:tag_string].split( " " ).each do |extra_tag|
+        extra_tag.strip!
+        unless extra_tag == ""
+          extra_tag = "##{extra_tag}" unless extra_tag.start_with?( "#" )
+          params[:tags] += " #{extra_tag}"
+        end
+      end
+    end
     params[:profile][:tag_string] = (params[:tags]) ? params[:tags].gsub(',',' ') : ""
     params[:profile][:searchable] ||= false
     params[:profile][:photo] = Photo.where(:author_id => current_user.person.id,
diff --git a/spec/controllers/profiles_controller_spec.rb b/spec/controllers/profiles_controller_spec.rb
index 4d760e3f8..4f40af60c 100644
--- a/spec/controllers/profiles_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/controllers/profiles_controller_spec.rb
@@ -59,6 +59,15 @@ describe ProfilesController do
       @user.person(true).profile.tag_list.to_set.should == ['apples', 'oranges', 'pears'].to_set
     end
 
+    it 'sets plaintext tags without #' do
+      params = { :id => @user.person.id,
+                 :tags => ',#apples,#oranges,',
+                 :profile => {:tag_string => 'bananas'} }
+      
+      put :update, params
+      @user.person(true).profile.tag_list.to_set.should == ['apples', 'oranges', 'bananas'].to_set
+    end
+
     context 'with a profile photo set' do
       before do
         @params = { :id => @user.person.id,