diff --git a/data.c b/data.c
index 4e5696e..bc85171 100644
--- a/data.c
+++ b/data.c
@@ -232,6 +232,26 @@ d_char *user_list(void)
 }
 
 
+int user_open_by_md5(snac *snac, const char *md5)
+/* iterates all users searching by md5 */
+{
+    xs *ulist  = user_list();
+    xs_list *p = ulist;
+    xs_str *v;
+
+    while (xs_list_iter(&p, &v)) {
+        user_open(snac, v);
+
+        if (strcmp(snac->md5, md5) == 0)
+            return 1;
+
+        user_free(snac);
+    }
+
+    return 0;
+}
+
+
 double mtime_nl(const char *fn, int *n_link)
 /* returns the mtime and number of links of a file or directory, or 0.0 */
 {
diff --git a/mastoapi.c b/mastoapi.c
index d1ae463..7860046 100644
--- a/mastoapi.c
+++ b/mastoapi.c
@@ -722,12 +722,8 @@ int mastoapi_get_handler(const xs_dict *req, const char *q_path,
             xs *out   = NULL;
             xs *actor = NULL;
 
-            /* if uid it's the md5 of this actor, transform into a real uid */
-            if (strcmp(uid, snac1.md5) == 0)
-                uid = xs_dict_get(snac1.config, "uid");
-
             /* is it a local user? */
-            if (user_open(&snac2, uid)) {
+            if (user_open(&snac2, uid) || user_open_by_md5(&snac2, uid)) {
                 if (opt == NULL) {
                     /* account information */
                     actor = msg_actor(&snac2);
diff --git a/snac.h b/snac.h
index 2ab4402..c46b85c 100644
--- a/snac.h
+++ b/snac.h
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ typedef struct _snac {
 int user_open(snac *snac, const char *uid);
 void user_free(snac *snac);
 d_char *user_list(void);
+int user_open_by_md5(snac *snac, const char *md5);
 
 void snac_debug(snac *snac, int level, d_char *str);
 #define snac_log(snac, str) snac_debug(snac, 0, str)