diff --git a/lib/diaspora_federation/federation/receiver/public.rb b/lib/diaspora_federation/federation/receiver/public.rb
index c4d1a8b..7711088 100644
--- a/lib/diaspora_federation/federation/receiver/public.rb
+++ b/lib/diaspora_federation/federation/receiver/public.rb
@@ -7,11 +7,18 @@ module DiasporaFederation
 
         def validate
           super
-          raise NotPublic if entity_can_be_public_but_it_is_not?
+          validate_public_flag
         end
 
-        def entity_can_be_public_but_it_is_not?
-          entity.respond_to?(:public) && !entity.public
+        def validate_public_flag
+          return if !entity.respond_to?(:public) || entity.public
+
+          if entity.is_a?(Entities::Profile) &&
+            %i[bio birthday gender location].all? {|prop| entity.public_send(prop).nil? }
+            return
+          end
+
+          raise NotPublic, "received entity #{entity} should be public!"
         end
       end
     end
diff --git a/spec/lib/diaspora_federation/federation/receiver/public_spec.rb b/spec/lib/diaspora_federation/federation/receiver/public_spec.rb
index 04f2108..6ea3e6f 100644
--- a/spec/lib/diaspora_federation/federation/receiver/public_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/diaspora_federation/federation/receiver/public_spec.rb
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ module DiasporaFederation
           described_class.new(magic_env).receive
         end
 
-        it "does not allow non-public entities" do
+        it "doesn't allow non-public entities" do
           private_post = Fabricate(:status_message_entity, public: false)
           magic_env = Salmon::MagicEnvelope.new(private_post, private_post.author)
 
@@ -133,6 +133,24 @@ module DiasporaFederation
 
           described_class.new(magic_env).receive
         end
+
+        it "allows profiles flagged as private if they don't contain private information" do
+          profile = Fabricate(:profile_entity, public: false, bio: nil, birthday: nil, gender: nil, location: nil)
+          magic_env = Salmon::MagicEnvelope.new(profile, profile.author)
+
+          expect_callback(:receive_entity, profile, profile.author, nil)
+
+          described_class.new(magic_env).receive
+        end
+
+        it "doesn't allow profiles flagged as private if they contain private information" do
+          profile = Fabricate(:profile_entity, public: false)
+          magic_env = Salmon::MagicEnvelope.new(profile, profile.author)
+
+          expect {
+            described_class.new(magic_env).receive
+          }.to raise_error Federation::Receiver::NotPublic
+        end
       end
 
       context "with text" do