diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/app/models/profile.js b/app/assets/javascripts/app/models/profile.js
index 43d04c8c4..c0134017d 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/app/models/profile.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/app/models/profile.js
@@ -3,16 +3,18 @@ app.models.Profile = Backbone.Model.extend({
 }, {
 
   preloadOrFetch : function(id){
-    if(app.hasPreload("person")) {
-      return new app.models.Profile(app.parsePreload("person"))
-    } else {
-      return this.findByGuid(id)
-    }
+    return app.hasPreload("person") ? this.preload() : this.findByGuid(id)
+  },
+
+  preload : function(){
+    var person = new app.models.Profile(app.parsePreload("person"))
+    person.deferred = $.when(true)
+    return person
   },
 
   findByGuid : function(personId){
     var person =  new app.models.Profile({ id : personId})
-    person.fetch()
+    person.deferred = person.fetch()
     return person
   }
 });
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/app/models/stream.js b/app/assets/javascripts/app/models/stream.js
index 382dd58c5..e642171e0 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/app/models/stream.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/app/models/stream.js
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ app.models.Stream = Backbone.Collection.extend({
 
   preload : function(){
     this.items.reset(app.parsePreload("stream"))
+    this.deferred = $.when(true)
     this.trigger("fetched")
   }
 });
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/app/views/canvas_view.js b/app/assets/javascripts/app/views/canvas_view.js
index 10a676289..8320f009c 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/app/views/canvas_view.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/app/views/canvas_view.js
@@ -10,23 +10,25 @@ app.views.Canvas = app.views.InfScroll.extend({
   },
 
   renderTemplate : function() {
-    if(this.stream.items.isEmpty()){
-      var message
-        , person = app.page.model
-      if(person.get("is_own_profile")){
-        message = "Make something to start the magic."
+    this.stream.deferred.done(_.bind(function(){
+      if(this.stream.items.isEmpty()){
+        var message
+          , person = app.page.model
+        if(person.get("is_own_profile")){
+          message = "Make something to start the magic."
+        } else {
+          var name = person.get("name") || ""
+          message = name + " hasn't posted anything yet."
+        }
+
+        this.$el.html("<p class='no-post-message'>" + message + "</p>")
       } else {
-        var name = person.get("name") || ""
-        message = name + " hasn't posted anything yet."
+        this.renderInitialPosts()
       }
 
-      this.$el.html("<p class='no-post-message'>" + message + "</p>")
-    } else {
-      this.renderInitialPosts()
-    }
-
-    //needs to be deferred so it happens after html rendering finishes
-    _.defer(_.bind(this.mason, this))
+      //needs to be deferred so it happens after html rendering finishes
+      _.defer(_.bind(this.mason, this))
+    }, this))
   },
 
   addPostView : function(post) {
diff --git a/spec/javascripts/app/pages/profile_spec.js b/spec/javascripts/app/pages/profile_spec.js
index c30970900..4621ff58e 100644
--- a/spec/javascripts/app/pages/profile_spec.js
+++ b/spec/javascripts/app/pages/profile_spec.js
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ describe("app.pages.Profile", function(){
   beforeEach(function(){
     this.guid = 'abcdefg123'
     this.profile = factory.profile({personId: this.guid})
+    spyOn(app.collections.Posts.prototype, "fetch").andReturn(new $.Deferred)
     app.page = this.page = new app.pages.Profile({model : this.profile });
     this.stream = this.page.stream
   });
@@ -34,6 +35,7 @@ describe("app.pages.Profile", function(){
     context("with no posts", function(){
       beforeEach(function(){
         this.profile.set({"name" : "Alice Waters", person_id : "889"})
+        this.stream.deferred.resolve()
       })
 
       it("has a message that there are no posts", function(){
@@ -52,6 +54,7 @@ describe("app.pages.Profile", function(){
       beforeEach(function(){
         this.post = factory.post()
         this.stream.add(this.post)
+        this.stream.deferred.resolve()
         this.page.toggleEdit()
         expect(this.page.editMode).toBeTruthy()
         this.page.render()