diff --git a/daemon.py b/daemon.py
index a8f447584..025e2c812 100644
--- a/daemon.py
+++ b/daemon.py
@@ -488,7 +488,9 @@ class PubServer(BaseHTTPRequestHandler):
                 createSession(self.server.domain,self.server.port,self.server.useTor)
 
         # treat shared inbox paths consistently
-        if self.path=='/sharedInbox' or self.path=='/users/inbox':
+        if self.path=='/sharedInbox' or \
+           self.path=='/users/inbox' or \
+           self.path=='/users/'+self.server.domain:
             self.path='/inbox'
 
         # is this a html request?
diff --git a/epicyon.py b/epicyon.py
index dbe3679e6..93b15002a 100644
--- a/epicyon.py
+++ b/epicyon.py
@@ -817,17 +817,9 @@ if args.actor:
         port=443
     session = createSession(domain,port,useTor)
     if nickname!='inbox':
-        wfRequest = webfingerHandle(session,nickname+'@'+domain,httpPrefix,wfCache, \
-                                    domain,__version__)
-    else:
-        wfRequest={
-            'aliases': [httpPrefix+'://'+domain+'/@inbox',
-                        httpPrefix+'://'+domain+'/users/inbox'],
-            'links': [{'href': httpPrefix+'://'+domain+'/users/inbox',
-                       'rel': 'self',
-                       'type': 'application/activity+json'}],
-            'subject': 'acct:inbox@'+domain
-        }
+        nickname=domain
+    wfRequest = webfingerHandle(session,nickname+'@'+domain,httpPrefix,wfCache, \
+                                domain,__version__)
 
     if not wfRequest:
         print('Unable to webfinger '+nickname+'@'+domain)
@@ -858,7 +850,7 @@ if args.addaccount:
         if not args.domain or not getConfigParam(baseDir,'domain'):
             print('Use the --domain option to set the domain name')
             sys.exit()
-    if not validNickname(nickname):
+    if not validNickname(domain,nickname):
         print(nickname+' is a reserved name. Use something different.')
         sys.exit()        
     if not args.password:
diff --git a/follow.py b/follow.py
index 4289427b5..0a7f51776 100644
--- a/follow.py
+++ b/follow.py
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ def getFollowingFeed(baseDir: str,domain: str,port: int,path: str, \
         nickname=path.replace('/@','',1).replace('/'+followFile,'')
     if not nickname:
         return None
-    if not validNickname(nickname):
+    if not validNickname(domain,nickname):
         return None
 
     if port:
diff --git a/person.py b/person.py
index af2c728cc..a46374bd4 100644
--- a/person.py
+++ b/person.py
@@ -248,7 +248,7 @@ def registerAccount(baseDir: str,httpPrefix: str,domain: str,port: int, \
     """
     if accountExists(baseDir,nickname,domain):
         return False
-    if not validNickname(nickname):
+    if not validNickname(domain,nickname):
         print('REGISTER: Nickname '+nickname+' is invalid')
         return False
     if len(password)<8:
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@ def createPerson(baseDir: str,nickname: str,domain: str,port: int, \
                  httpPrefix: str, saveToFile: bool,password=None) -> (str,str,{},{}):
     """Returns the private key, public key, actor and webfinger endpoint
     """
-    if not validNickname(nickname):
+    if not validNickname(domain,nickname):
        return None,None,None,None
 
     # If a config.json file doesn't exist then don't decrement
@@ -321,7 +321,8 @@ def personLookup(domain: str,path: str,baseDir: str) -> {}:
     # is this a shared inbox lookup?
     isSharedInbox=False
     if path=='/inbox' or path=='/users/inbox' or path=='/sharedInbox':
-        path='/users/inbox'
+        # shared inbox actor on @domain@domain
+        path='/users/'+domain
         isSharedInbox=True
     else:
         notPersonLookup=['/inbox','/outbox','/outboxarchive', \
@@ -337,7 +338,7 @@ def personLookup(domain: str,path: str,baseDir: str) -> {}:
         nickname=path.replace('/@','',1)
     if not nickname:
         return None
-    if not isSharedInbox and not validNickname(nickname):
+    if not isSharedInbox and not validNickname(domain,nickname):
         return None
     if ':' in domain:
         domain=domain.split(':')[0]
@@ -391,7 +392,7 @@ def personBoxJson(baseDir: str,domain: str,port: int,path: str, \
         nickname=path.replace('/@','',1).replace('/'+boxname,'')
     if not nickname:
         return None
-    if not validNickname(nickname):
+    if not validNickname(domain,nickname):
         return None
     if boxname=='inbox':
         return createInbox(baseDir,nickname,domain,port,httpPrefix, \
@@ -438,7 +439,7 @@ def personInboxJson(baseDir: str,domain: str,port: int,path: str, \
         nickname=path.replace('/@','',1).replace('/inbox','')
     if not nickname:
         return None
-    if not validNickname(nickname):
+    if not validNickname(domain,nickname):
         return None
     return createInbox(baseDir,nickname,domain,port,httpPrefix, \
                        noOfItems,headerOnly,ocapAlways,pageNumber)
diff --git a/posts.py b/posts.py
index 7bf51f38e..ca7896346 100644
--- a/posts.py
+++ b/posts.py
@@ -792,7 +792,10 @@ def getMentionedPeople(baseDir: str,httpPrefix: str, \
                 if not ('.' in externalDomain or externalDomain=='localhost'):
                     continue
             mentionedNickname=handle.split('@')[0]
-            if not validNickname(mentionedNickname):
+            mentionedDomain=handle.split('@')[1].strip('\n')
+            if ':' in mentionedDomain:
+                mentionedDomain=mentionedDomain.split(':')[0]
+            if not validNickname(mentionedDomain,mentionedNickname):
                 continue
             actor=httpPrefix+'://'+handle.split('@')[1]+'/users/'+mentionedNickname
             mentions.append(actor)
@@ -1167,6 +1170,8 @@ def sendSignedJson(postJsonObject: {},session,baseDir: str, \
 
     sharedInbox=False
     if toNickname=='inbox':
+        # shared inbox actor on @domain@domain
+        toNickname=toDomain
         sharedInbox=True
 
     if toPort:
@@ -1174,37 +1179,18 @@ def sendSignedJson(postJsonObject: {},session,baseDir: str, \
             if ':' not in toDomain:
                 toDomain=toDomain+':'+str(toPort)        
 
-    if not sharedInbox:
-        handle=httpPrefix+'://'+toDomain+'/@'+toNickname
-    else:
-        handle=httpPrefix+'://'+toDomain+'/'+toNickname
-        sharedInboxUrl=handle
+    handle=httpPrefix+'://'+toDomain+'/@'+toNickname
         
     if debug:
         print('DEBUG: handle - '+handle+' toPort '+str(toPort))
 
-    if not sharedInbox:        
-        # lookup the inbox for the To handle
-        wfRequest=webfingerHandle(session,handle,httpPrefix,cachedWebfingers, \
-                                  domain,projectVersion)
-        if not wfRequest:
-            if debug:
-                print('DEBUG: webfinger for '+handle+' failed')
-            return 1
-    else:
-        wfRequest={
-            "aliases": [
-                httpPrefix+'://'+toDomain+'/users/inbox'
-            ],
-            "links": [
-                {
-                    "href": httpPrefix+'://'+toDomain+'/users/inbox',
-                    "rel": "self",
-                    "type": "application/activity+json"
-                }
-            ],
-            "subject": 'acct:inbox@'+toDomain
-        }        
+    # lookup the inbox for the To handle
+    wfRequest=webfingerHandle(session,handle,httpPrefix,cachedWebfingers, \
+                              domain,projectVersion)
+    if not wfRequest:
+        if debug:
+            print('DEBUG: webfinger for '+handle+' failed')
+        return 1
 
     if not clientToServer:
         postToBox='inbox'
diff --git a/shares.py b/shares.py
index a60f0e120..9a2117411 100644
--- a/shares.py
+++ b/shares.py
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ def getSharesFeedForPerson(baseDir: str, \
         nickname=path.replace('/@','',1).replace('/shares','')
     if not nickname:
         return None
-    if not validNickname(nickname):
+    if not validNickname(domain,nickname):
         return None
 
     if port:
diff --git a/utils.py b/utils.py
index a98141511..d4ec8ca54 100644
--- a/utils.py
+++ b/utils.py
@@ -265,11 +265,13 @@ def deletePost(baseDir: str,httpPrefix: str,nickname: str,domain: str,postFilena
     # finally, remove the post itself
     os.remove(postFilename)    
 
-def validNickname(nickname: str) -> bool:
+def validNickname(domain: str,nickname: str) -> bool:
     forbiddenChars=['.',' ','/','?',':',';','@']
     for c in forbiddenChars:
         if c in nickname:
             return False
+    if nickname==domain:
+        return False
     reservedNames=['inbox','outbox','following','followers','capabilities']
     if nickname in reservedNames:
         return False