diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/app/pages/profile.js b/app/assets/javascripts/app/pages/profile.js
index 6d07d5271..a19499848 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/app/pages/profile.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/app/pages/profile.js
@@ -14,13 +14,23 @@ app.pages.Profile = app.views.Base.extend({
   tooltipSelector: '.profile_button div, .sharing_message_container',
 
   initialize: function(opts) {
-    if( app.hasPreload('person') )
+    if( app.hasPreload('person') ) {
       this.model = new app.models.Person(app.parsePreload('person'));
+    } else if(opts && opts.person_id) {
+      this.model = new app.models.Person({guid: opts.person_id});
+      this.model.fetch();
+    } else {
+      throw new Error("unable to load person");
+    }
+
     if( app.hasPreload('photos') )
       this.photos = app.parsePreload('photos');  // we don't interact with it, so no model
     if( app.hasPreload('contacts') )
       this.contacts = app.parsePreload('contacts');  // we don't interact with it, so no model
 
+    this.streamCollection = _.has(opts, 'streamCollection') ? opts.streamCollection : null;
+    this.streamViewClass = _.has(opts, 'streamView') ? opts.streamView : null;
+
     this.model.on('change', this.render, this);
 
     // bind to global events
@@ -31,6 +41,7 @@ app.pages.Profile = app.views.Base.extend({
   },
 
   sidebarView: function() {
+    if( !this.model.has('profile') ) return false;
     return new app.views.ProfileSidebar({
       model: this.model,
       photos: this.photos,
@@ -39,10 +50,12 @@ app.pages.Profile = app.views.Base.extend({
   },
 
   headerView: function() {
+    if( !this.model.has('profile') ) return false;
     return new app.views.ProfileHeader({model: this.model});
   },
 
   streamView: function() {
+    if( !this.model.has('profile') ) return false;
     if( this.model.isBlocked() ) {
       $('#main_stream').empty().html(
         '<div class="dull">'+
@@ -51,9 +64,16 @@ app.pages.Profile = app.views.Base.extend({
       return false;
     }
 
-    app.stream = new app.models.Stream(null, {basePath: Routes.person_stream_path(app.page.model.get('guid'))});
+    // a collection is set, this means we want to view photos
+    var route = this.streamCollection ? 'person_photos_path' : 'person_stream_path';
+    var view = this.streamViewClass ? this.streamViewClass : app.views.Stream;
+
+    app.stream = new app.models.Stream(null, {
+      basePath: Routes[route](app.page.model.get('guid')),
+      collection: this.streamCollection
+    });
     app.stream.fetch();
-    return new app.views.Stream({model: app.stream});
+    return new view({model: app.stream});
   },
 
   blockPerson: function(evt) {
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/app/router.js b/app/assets/javascripts/app/router.js
index 89e0fa8ac..55943e94e 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/app/router.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/app/router.js
@@ -77,10 +77,15 @@ app.Router = Backbone.Router.extend({
     this._hideInactiveStreamLists();
   },
 
-  photos : function() {
-    app.photos = new app.models.Stream([], {collection: app.collections.Photos});
-    app.page = new app.views.Photos({model : app.photos});
-    $("#main_stream").html(app.page.render().el);
+  photos : function(guid) {
+    this.renderPage(function() {
+      return new app.pages.Profile({
+        person_id: guid,
+        el: $('body > .container'),
+        streamCollection: app.collections.Photos,
+        streamView: app.views.Photos
+      });
+    });
   },
 
   followed_tags : function(name) {