diff --git a/src/Entity/Actor.php b/src/Entity/Actor.php
index bc7a693377..103e33fb2f 100644
--- a/src/Entity/Actor.php
+++ b/src/Entity/Actor.php
@@ -323,16 +323,17 @@ class Actor extends Entity
     {
         // Will throw exception on invalid input.
         $nickname = Nickname::normalize($nickname, check_already_used: false);
-        return Cache::get(
-            'relative-nickname-' . $nickname . '-' . $this->getId(),
-            fn () => DB::dql(
-                              'select a from actor a where '
-                                           . 'a.id in (select followed from follow f join actor a on f.followed = a.id where and f.follower = :actor_id and a.nickname = :nickname) or'
-                                           . 'a.id in (select follower from follow f join actor a on f.follower = a.id where and f.followed = :actor_id and a.nickname = :nickname) or'
-                                           . 'a.nickname = :nickname'
-                                           . 'limit 1',
-                              ['nickname' => $nickname, 'actor_id' => $this->getId()],
-                          ),
+        return Cache::get('relative-nickname-' . $nickname . '-' . $this->getId(),
+                          fn () => DB::dql(<<<EOF
+select a from actor a where 
+a.id in (select fa.followed from follow fa join actor aa with fa.followed = aa.id where fa.follower = :actor_id and aa.nickname = :nickname) or 
+a.id in (select fb.follower from follow fb join actor ab with fb.follower = ab.id where fb.followed = :actor_id and ab.nickname = :nickname) or 
+a.nickname = :nickname
+EOF
+                                  ,
+                                  ['nickname' => $nickname, 'actor_id' => $this->getId()],
+                                  ['limit' => 1]
+                              )[0] ?? null
         );
     }
 
diff --git a/src/Util/Common.php b/src/Util/Common.php
index aa3ee0bce5..8a8cdd8619 100644
--- a/src/Util/Common.php
+++ b/src/Util/Common.php
@@ -289,7 +289,7 @@ abstract class Common
 
         // (if false, we use '?' in 'https?' to say the 's' is optional)
         $regex = $ensure_secure ? '/^https$/' : '/^https?$/';
-        return filter_var($url, \FILTER_VALIDATE_URL)
+        return filter_var($url, \FILTER_VALIDATE_URL) !== false
             && preg_match($regex, parse_url($url, \PHP_URL_SCHEME));
     }
 
diff --git a/src/Util/Formatting.php b/src/Util/Formatting.php
index 7ce3c4b813..da2e6a0937 100644
--- a/src/Util/Formatting.php
+++ b/src/Util/Formatting.php
@@ -307,10 +307,11 @@ abstract class Formatting
 
             $matches = self::findMentionsRaw($text, '@');
 
+            //dd($matches);
             foreach ($matches as $match) {
                 try {
                     $nickname = Nickname::normalize($match[0], check_already_used: false);
-                } catch (NicknameException $e) {
+                } catch (NicknameException) {
                     // Bogus match? Drop it.
                     continue;
                 }
@@ -388,7 +389,7 @@ abstract class Formatting
 
             $group_matches = self::findMentionsRaw($text, '!');
             foreach ($group_matches as $group_match) {
-                $nickname = Nickname::normalize($group_match[0], check_already_used: false);
+                $nickname = Nickname::normalize($group_match[0], check_already_used: false, check_is_allowed: false);
                 $group    = Group::getFromNickname($nickname, $actor);
 
                 if (!$group instanceof Group) {
@@ -410,7 +411,7 @@ abstract class Formatting
 
             Event::handle('EndFindMentions', [$actor, $text, &$mentions]);
         }
-
+        //dd($text,$mentions);
         return $mentions;
     }
 
@@ -440,6 +441,7 @@ abstract class Formatting
             $atmatches,
             \PREG_OFFSET_CAPTURE,
         );
+        //dd('/' . Nickname::BEFORE_MENTIONS . preg_quote($preMention, '/') . '(' . Nickname::DISPLAY_FMT . ')\b(?!\@)/', $atmatches);
 
         return array_merge($tmatches[1], $atmatches[1]);
     }
diff --git a/src/Util/Nickname.php b/src/Util/Nickname.php
index b46b53164c..70748b67dd 100644
--- a/src/Util/Nickname.php
+++ b/src/Util/Nickname.php
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ class Nickname
      * FIXME: Make this so you can have multiple whitespace but not multiple
      * parenthesis or something. '(((@n_n@)))' might as well be a smiley.
      */
-    public const BEFORE_MENTIONS = '(?:^|[\s\.\,\:\;\[\(]+)';
+    public const BEFORE_MENTIONS = '(?:^|[\s\.\,\:\;\[\(\>]+)';
 
     public const CHECK_LOCAL_USER  = 1;
     public const CHECK_LOCAL_GROUP = 2;