diff --git a/modules/TheFreeNetwork/TheFreeNetworkModule.php b/modules/TheFreeNetwork/TheFreeNetworkModule.php
index 9706bddd85..d8c1873c60 100644
--- a/modules/TheFreeNetwork/TheFreeNetworkModule.php
+++ b/modules/TheFreeNetwork/TheFreeNetworkModule.php
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ class TheFreeNetworkModule extends Module
             $profile_id = $this->lookup($uri, $class, true);
         }
 
-        return is_null($profile_id);
+        return false;
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/plugins/ActivityPub/classes/Activitypub_profile.php b/plugins/ActivityPub/classes/Activitypub_profile.php
index 9c16209632..d576d13e69 100644
--- a/plugins/ActivityPub/classes/Activitypub_profile.php
+++ b/plugins/ActivityPub/classes/Activitypub_profile.php
@@ -148,7 +148,8 @@ class Activitypub_profile extends Managed_DataObject
     public function do_insert()
     {
         // Does any other protocol have this remote entity we're about to add ?
-        if (!Event::handle('StartTFNLookup', [$this->uri, get_class($this), &$profile_id])) {
+        Event::handle('StartTFNLookup', [$this->uri, get_class($this), &$profile_id]);
+        if (!is_null($profile_id)) {
             // Yes! Avoid creating a new profile
             $this->profile_id = $profile_id;
             $this->created = $this->modified = common_sql_now();
diff --git a/plugins/OStatus/classes/Ostatus_profile.php b/plugins/OStatus/classes/Ostatus_profile.php
index d414c4b437..14ad1cb82c 100644
--- a/plugins/OStatus/classes/Ostatus_profile.php
+++ b/plugins/OStatus/classes/Ostatus_profile.php
@@ -1209,7 +1209,8 @@ class Ostatus_profile extends Managed_DataObject
         if ($object->type == ActivityObject::PERSON) {
 
             // Does any other protocol have this remote entity we're about to add ?
-            if (!Event::handle('StartTFNLookup', [$oprofile->uri, get_called_class(), &$profile_id])) {
+            Event::handle('StartTFNLookup', [$oprofile->uri, get_called_class(), &$profile_id]);
+            if (!is_null($profile_id)) {
                 $tfn = true; // been here!
 
                 // Yes! Avoid creating a new profile