diff --git a/person.py b/person.py
index 2b9c4cadd..b0ba335a6 100644
--- a/person.py
+++ b/person.py
@@ -1207,6 +1207,7 @@ def getActorJson(hostDomain: str, handle: str, http: bool, gnunet: bool,
     if debug:
         print('getActorJson for ' + handle)
     originalActor = handle
+    requiresWebfinger = True
 
     # try to determine the users path
     detectedUsersPath = _detectUsersPath(handle)
@@ -1214,6 +1215,8 @@ def getActorJson(hostDomain: str, handle: str, http: bool, gnunet: bool,
        detectedUsersPath in handle or \
        handle.startswith('http') or \
        handle.startswith('hyper'):
+        if detectedUsersPath == '/c/':
+            requiresWebfinger = False
         # format: https://domain/@nick
         originalHandle = handle
         if not hasUsersPath(originalHandle):
@@ -1252,6 +1255,10 @@ def getActorJson(hostDomain: str, handle: str, http: bool, gnunet: bool,
             return None, None
         if handle.startswith('@'):
             handle = handle[1:]
+        elif handle.startswith('!'):
+            # handle for a group
+            handle = handle[1:]
+            requiresWebfinger = False
         if '@' not in handle:
             if not quiet:
                 print('getActorJsonSyntax: --actor nickname@domain')
@@ -1281,32 +1288,38 @@ def getActorJson(hostDomain: str, handle: str, http: bool, gnunet: bool,
         nickname = domain
 
     handle = nickname + '@' + domain
-    wfRequest = webfingerHandle(session, handle,
-                                httpPrefix, cachedWebfingers,
-                                None, __version__, debug)
-    if not wfRequest:
-        if not quiet:
-            print('getActorJson Unable to webfinger ' + handle)
-        return None, None
-    if not isinstance(wfRequest, dict):
-        if not quiet:
-            print('getActorJson Webfinger for ' + handle +
-                  ' did not return a dict. ' + str(wfRequest))
-        return None, None
-
-    if not quiet:
-        pprint(wfRequest)
-
-    personUrl = None
-    if wfRequest.get('errors'):
-        if not quiet or debug:
-            print('getActorJson wfRequest error: ' + str(wfRequest['errors']))
-        if hasUsersPath(handle):
-            personUrl = originalActor
-        else:
-            if debug:
-                print('No users path in ' + handle)
+    if requiresWebfinger:
+        # person actor requires webfinger
+        wfRequest = webfingerHandle(session, handle,
+                                    httpPrefix, cachedWebfingers,
+                                    None, __version__, debug)
+        if not wfRequest:
+            if not quiet:
+                print('getActorJson Unable to webfinger ' + handle)
             return None, None
+        if not isinstance(wfRequest, dict):
+            if not quiet:
+                print('getActorJson Webfinger for ' + handle +
+                      ' did not return a dict. ' + str(wfRequest))
+            return None, None
+
+        if not quiet:
+            pprint(wfRequest)
+
+        personUrl = None
+        if wfRequest.get('errors'):
+            if not quiet or debug:
+                print('getActorJson wfRequest error: ' +
+                      str(wfRequest['errors']))
+            if hasUsersPath(handle):
+                personUrl = originalActor
+            else:
+                if debug:
+                    print('No users path in ' + handle)
+                return None, None
+    else:
+        # group actor only needs a json http GET
+        personUrl = originalActor
 
     profileStr = 'https://www.w3.org/ns/activitystreams'
     headersList = (