diff --git a/activities/services/search.py b/activities/services/search.py
index ddb30c7..621474f 100644
--- a/activities/services/search.py
+++ b/activities/services/search.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ class SearchService:
             return set()
 
         # Try to fetch the user by handle
-        handle = self.query.lstrip("@").lower()
+        handle = self.query.lstrip("@")
         results: set[Identity] = set()
         if "@" in handle:
             username, domain = handle.split("@", 1)
diff --git a/users/models/identity.py b/users/models/identity.py
index 9388b90..ae9b588 100644
--- a/users/models/identity.py
+++ b/users/models/identity.py
@@ -535,6 +535,9 @@ class Identity(StatorModel):
         try:
             data = response.json()
         except ValueError:
+            # Some servers return these with a 200 status code!
+            if b"not found" in response.content.lower():
+                return None, None
             raise ValueError(
                 "JSON parse error fetching webfinger",
                 response.content,