diff --git a/app/models/contact.rb b/app/models/contact.rb
index e1f78d5fe..e7d747ee9 100644
--- a/app/models/contact.rb
+++ b/app/models/contact.rb
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ class Contact < ActiveRecord::Base
   has_many :posts, :through => :post_visibilities
 
   validate :not_contact_for_self
+
   validates_uniqueness_of :person_id, :scope => :user_id
 
   def dispatch_request
@@ -46,12 +47,8 @@ class Contact < ActiveRecord::Base
       :aspect_memberships => {:aspect_id => incoming_aspect_ids}).where(people[:id].not_eq(self.user.person.id)).select('DISTINCT people.*')
   end
 
-  def sharing?
-    self.persisted? && (self.mutual? || self.aspect_memberships.size == 0)
-  end
-
-  def receiving?
-    self.aspect_memberships.size > 0
+  def mutual?
+    self.sharing && self.receiving
   end
 
   private
diff --git a/app/models/request.rb b/app/models/request.rb
index 1308a8252..775d79361 100644
--- a/app/models/request.rb
+++ b/app/models/request.rb
@@ -62,11 +62,8 @@ class Request
 
     contact = user.contacts.find_or_initialize_by_person_id(self.sender.id)
 
-    if contact.receiving?
-      contact.update_attributes(:mutual => true)
-    else
-      contact.save
-    end
+    contact.sharing = true
+    contact.save
 
     self
   end
diff --git a/app/views/aspects/_aspect_listings.haml b/app/views/aspects/_aspect_listings.haml
index cda632f92..7e0d91bb7 100644
--- a/app/views/aspects/_aspect_listings.haml
+++ b/app/views/aspects/_aspect_listings.haml
@@ -11,3 +11,4 @@
 %ul
   - for aspect in aspects
     = render 'aspects/aspect', :aspect => aspect, :contacts => aspect.contacts
+
diff --git a/db/migrate/20110405171412_contact_remove_pending_add_mutual.rb b/db/migrate/20110405171412_contact_remove_pending_add_sharing_and_receiving.rb
similarity index 74%
rename from db/migrate/20110405171412_contact_remove_pending_add_mutual.rb
rename to db/migrate/20110405171412_contact_remove_pending_add_sharing_and_receiving.rb
index 8c06a2124..a3cc57b59 100644
--- a/db/migrate/20110405171412_contact_remove_pending_add_mutual.rb
+++ b/db/migrate/20110405171412_contact_remove_pending_add_sharing_and_receiving.rb
@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
-class ContactRemovePendingAddMutual < ActiveRecord::Migration
+class ContactRemovePendingAddSharingAndReceiving < ActiveRecord::Migration
   def self.up
-    add_column :contacts, :mutual, :boolean, :default => false, :null => false
+    add_column :contacts, :sharing, :boolean, :default => false, :null => false
+    add_column :contacts, :receiving, :boolean, :default => false, :null => false
 
     execute( <<SQL
       UPDATE contacts
-        SET contacts.mutual = true
+        SET contacts.sharing = true, contacts.receiving = true
           WHERE contacts.pending = false
 SQL
 )
@@ -43,11 +44,12 @@ SQL
     execute( <<SQL
       UPDATE contacts
         SET contacts.pending = false
-          WHERE contacts.mutual = true
+          WHERE contacts.receiving = true AND contacts.sharing = true
 SQL
 )
 
-    remove_column :contacts, :mutual
+    remove_column :contacts, :sharing
+    remove_column :contacts, :receiving
 
     remove_foreign_key :aspect_memberships, :aspects
     add_foreign_key :aspect_memberships, :aspects
diff --git a/db/schema.rb b/db/schema.rb
index 6b8dcb155..0a4f91b04 100644
--- a/db/schema.rb
+++ b/db/schema.rb
@@ -73,7 +73,8 @@ ActiveRecord::Schema.define(:version => 20110421120744) do
     t.datetime "created_at"
     t.datetime "updated_at"
     t.string   "mongo_id"
-    t.boolean  "mutual",     :default => false, :null => false
+    t.boolean  "sharing",    :default => false, :null => false
+    t.boolean  "receiving",  :default => false, :null => false
   end
 
   add_index "contacts", ["mongo_id"], :name => "index_contacts_on_mongo_id"
diff --git a/lib/diaspora/user/connecting.rb b/lib/diaspora/user/connecting.rb
index 250291b24..0b65d8c68 100644
--- a/lib/diaspora/user/connecting.rb
+++ b/lib/diaspora/user/connecting.rb
@@ -9,11 +9,9 @@ module Diaspora
         contact = self.contacts.find_or_initialize_by_person_id(person.id)
         unless contact.receiving?
           contact.dispatch_request
-
-          if contact.sharing?
-            contact.mutual = true
-          end
+          contact.receiving = true
         end
+
         contact.aspects << aspect
         contact.save
 
@@ -27,10 +25,10 @@ module Diaspora
       def remove_contact(contact, opts={:force => false})
         posts = contact.posts.all
 
-        if !contact.mutual || opts[:force]
+        if !contact.mutual? || opts[:force]
           contact.destroy
         else
-          contact.update_attributes(:mutual => false)
+          contact.update_attributes(:sharing => false)
         end
 
         posts.each do |p|
diff --git a/spec/helper_methods.rb b/spec/helper_methods.rb
index 2f992628d..fe36f82eb 100644
--- a/spec/helper_methods.rb
+++ b/spec/helper_methods.rb
@@ -5,11 +5,13 @@ module HelperMethods
   def connect_users(user1, aspect1, user2, aspect2)
     user1.contacts.create!(:person => user2.person,
                            :aspects => [aspect1],
-                           :mutual => true)
+                           :sharing => true,
+                           :receiving => true)
 
     user2.contacts.create!(:person => user1.person,
                            :aspects => [aspect2],
-                           :mutual => true)
+                           :sharing => true,
+                           :receiving => true)
   end
 
   def stub_success(address = 'abc@example.com', opts = {})
diff --git a/spec/models/contact_spec.rb b/spec/models/contact_spec.rb
index 796c1684c..1b776391d 100644
--- a/spec/models/contact_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/contact_spec.rb
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ describe Contact do
     end
   end
 
-  describe 'validations' do
+  context 'validations' do
     let(:contact){Contact.new}
 
     it 'requires a user' do
@@ -44,6 +44,20 @@ describe Contact do
       contact.person = person
       contact.should_not be_valid
     end
+
+    it 'validates that sharing and aspect membership count are consistant' do
+      pending
+      person = Factory(:person)
+
+      contact2 = alice.contacts.create(:person=>person)
+      contact2.should be_valid
+
+      contact2.aspect_memberships.create(:aspect => alice.aspects.first)
+      contact2.should_not be_sharing
+      contact2.should_not be_valid
+
+
+    end
   end
 
   describe '#contacts' do
@@ -99,7 +113,6 @@ describe Contact do
         @contact.contacts.should == []
       end
     end
-
   end
 
   context 'requesting' do
@@ -132,38 +145,4 @@ describe Contact do
       end
     end
   end
-
-  context 'sharing/receiving status' do
-    before do
-      alice.share_with(eve.person, alice.aspects.first)
-
-      @follower = eve.contact_for(alice.person)
-      @following = alice.contact_for(eve.person)
-    end
-
-    describe '#sharing?' do
-      it 'returns true if contact has no aspect visibilities' do
-        @follower.should be_sharing
-      end
-
-      it 'returns false if contact has aspect visibilities' do
-        @following.should_not be_sharing
-      end
-
-      it 'returns false if contact is not persisted' do
-        Contact.new.should_not be_sharing
-      end
-    end
-
-    describe '#receiving?' do
-      it 'returns false if contact has no aspect visibilities' do
-        @follower.should_not be_receiving
-      end
-
-      it 'returns true if contact has aspect visibilities' do
-        @following.should be_receiving
-      end
-    end
-  end
-
 end
diff --git a/spec/models/request_spec.rb b/spec/models/request_spec.rb
index 974d5a617..b0fd2a5d5 100644
--- a/spec/models/request_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/request_spec.rb
@@ -86,6 +86,12 @@ describe Request do
       }.from(false).to(true)
 
     end
+
+    it 'sets sharing' do
+      Request.diaspora_initialize(:from => eve.person, :to => alice.person,
+                                  :into => eve.aspects.first).receive(alice, eve.person)
+      alice.contact_for(eve.person).should be_sharing
+    end
   end
 
   context 'xml' do
diff --git a/spec/models/user/connecting_spec.rb b/spec/models/user/connecting_spec.rb
index 4ff3d86a4..181982e88 100644
--- a/spec/models/user/connecting_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/user/connecting_spec.rb
@@ -28,9 +28,9 @@ describe Diaspora::UserModules::Connecting do
       end
 
       it 'removes a contacts mutual flag' do
-        bob.contacts.find_by_person_id(alice.person.id).mutual.should be_true
+        bob.contacts.find_by_person_id(alice.person.id).should be_mutual
         bob.remove_contact(bob.contact_for(alice.person))
-        bob.contacts(true).find_by_person_id(alice.person.id).mutual.should be_false
+        bob.contacts(true).find_by_person_id(alice.person.id).should_not be_mutual
       end
     end
 
@@ -83,8 +83,8 @@ describe Diaspora::UserModules::Connecting do
 
     it 'does set mutual on share-back request' do
       eve.share_with(alice.person, eve.aspects.first)
-
       alice.share_with(eve.person, alice.aspects.first)
+
       alice.contacts.find_by_person_id(eve.person.id).should be_mutual
     end
     
@@ -116,16 +116,21 @@ describe Diaspora::UserModules::Connecting do
         alice.share_with(eve.person, alice.aspects.first)
       end
 
-      it 'does not dispatch a request on adding to aspect aspect' do
+      it 'does not dispatch a request if contact already marked as receiving' do
         a2 = alice.aspects.create(:name => "two")
 
-        contact = alice.contacts.create(:person => eve.person, :aspects => [eve.aspects.first])
+        contact = alice.contacts.create(:person => eve.person, :receiving => true)
         alice.contacts.stub!(:find_or_initialize_by_person_id).and_return(contact)
 
         contact.should_not_receive(:dispatch_request)
         alice.share_with(eve.person, a2)
       end
     end
+    
+    it 'sets receiving' do
+      alice.share_with(eve.person, alice.aspects.first)
+      alice.contact_for(eve.person).should be_receiving
+    end
 
     it "should mark the corresponding notification as 'read'" do
       notification = Factory.create(:notification, :target => eve.person)