diff --git a/include/acl_selectors.php b/include/acl_selectors.php
index 9bbd6bcb47..d0952421ea 100644
--- a/include/acl_selectors.php
+++ b/include/acl_selectors.php
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ function contact_select($selname, $selclass, $preselected = false, $size = 4, $p
 	$sql_extra = '';
 
 	if($privmail || $celeb) {
-		$sql_extra = sprintf(" AND `rel` = %d ", intval(REL_BUD));
+		$sql_extra .= sprintf(" AND `rel` = %d ", intval(REL_BUD));
 	}
 
 	if($privmail)
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ function contact_select($selname, $selclass, $preselected = false, $size = 4, $p
 		$o .= "<select name=\"{$selname}[]\" id=\"$selclass\" class=\"$selclass\" multiple=\"multiple\" size=\"$size\" >\r\n";
 
 	$r = q("SELECT `id`, `name`, `url`, `network` FROM `contact` 
-		WHERE `uid` = %d AND `self` = 0 AND `blocked` = 0 AND `pending` = 0 
+		WHERE `uid` = %d AND `self` = 0 AND `blocked` = 0 AND `pending` = 0 AND `notify` != ''
 		$sql_extra
 		ORDER BY `name` ASC ",
 		intval(local_user())
diff --git a/include/notifier.php b/include/notifier.php
index 405688ab11..f22917e4ff 100644
--- a/include/notifier.php
+++ b/include/notifier.php
@@ -257,7 +257,7 @@
 				$deliver_status = dfrn_deliver($owner,$contact,$atom);
 				break;
 			default:
-				if($followup) {
+				if($followup && $contact['notify']) {
 					slapper($owner,$contact['notify'],$slap);
 				}
 				else {
@@ -268,7 +268,9 @@
 					if(count($slaps) && $notify_hub) {
 						logger('notifier: slapdelivery: ' . $contact['name']);
 						foreach($slaps as $slappy) {
-							slapper($owner,$contact['notify'],$slappy);
+							if($contact['notify']) {
+								slapper($owner,$contact['notify'],$slappy);
+							}
 						}
 					}
 				}
@@ -289,7 +291,9 @@
 		foreach($url_recipients as $url) {
 			logger('notifier: urldelivery: ' . $url);
 			foreach($slaps as $slappy) {
-				slapper($owner,$url,$slappy);
+				if($url) {
+					slapper($owner,$url,$slappy);
+				}
 			}
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/mod/follow.php b/mod/follow.php
index d839a04d4a..dfc3945028 100644
--- a/mod/follow.php
+++ b/mod/follow.php
@@ -50,6 +50,14 @@ function follow_post(&$a) {
 
 	if($hcard) {
 		$vcard = scrape_vcard($hcard);
+
+		// Google doesn't use absolute url in profile photos
+
+		if((x($vcard,'photo')) && substr($vcard['photo'],0,1) == '/') {
+			$h = parse_url($hcard);
+			if($h)
+				$vcard['photo'] = $h['scheme'] . '://' . $h['host'] . $vcard['photo'];
+		}
 	}
 
 	if(! $profile)
@@ -61,10 +69,16 @@ function follow_post(&$a) {
 		if(x($vcard,'nick'))
 			$vcard['fn'] = $vcard['nick'];
 
-	if(! ((x($vcard['fn'])) && ($poll) && ($notify) && ($profile))) {
+	logger('follow: poll=' . $poll . ' notify=' . $notify . ' profile=' . $profile . ' vcard=' . print_r($vcard,true));
+	
+	if(! ((x($vcard['fn'])) && ($poll) && ($profile))) {
 		notice( t('The profile address specified does not provide adequate information.') . EOL);
 		goaway($_SESSION['return_url']);
-	} 
+	}
+
+	if(! $notify) {
+		notice( t('Limited profile. This person will be unable to receive direct/personal notifications from you.') . EOL);
+	}
 
 	if(! x($vcard,'photo'))
 		$vcard['photo'] = $a->get_baseurl() . '/images/default-profile.jpg' ; 
@@ -77,6 +91,7 @@ function follow_post(&$a) {
 		intval(local_user()),
 		dbesc($poll)
 	);			
+
 	if(count($r)) {
 		// update contact
 		if($r[0]['rel'] == REL_VIP) {
@@ -104,10 +119,12 @@ function follow_post(&$a) {
 			intval(REL_FAN)
 		);
 	}
+
 	$r = q("SELECT * FROM `contact` WHERE `url` = '%s' AND `uid` = %d LIMIT 1",
 		dbesc($profile),
 		intval(local_user())
 	);
+
 	if(! count($r)) {
 		notice( t('Unable to retrieve contact information.') . EOL);
 		goaway($_SESSION['return_url']);