diff --git a/app/models/person.rb b/app/models/person.rb
index e7745c3b9ba12276169c5d2a628ce8a66cb047bf..211d3fcf0ebdea7f559bec408931d5e8e28bc385 100644
--- a/app/models/person.rb
+++ b/app/models/person.rb
@@ -97,9 +97,9 @@ class Person
     # Raise an error if identifier is not a valid email (generous regexp)
     raise "Identifier is invalid" if !(identifier =~ /\A.*\@.*\..*\Z/)
 
-    query = identifier.gsub('acct:', '').to_s
-    local_person = Person.find_by_diaspora_handle(:diaspora_handle => query)
-
+    query = /#{Regexp.escape(identifier.gsub('acct:', '').to_s)}/i
+    local_person = Person.first(:diaspora_handle => query)
+    
     if local_person
       Rails.logger.info("Do not need to webfinger, found a local person #{local_person.real_name}")
       local_person