diff --git a/activity.go b/activity.go
index 17c03c6..ccbe5fd 100644
--- a/activity.go
+++ b/activity.go
@@ -912,7 +912,7 @@ func rubadubdub(user *WhatAbout, req junk.Junk) {
 	j["published"] = time.Now().UTC().Format(time.RFC3339)
 	j["object"] = req
 
-	deliverate(0, user.Name, actor, j.ToBytes())
+	deliverate(0, user.ID, actor, j.ToBytes())
 }
 
 func itakeitallback(user *WhatAbout, xid string) {
@@ -931,7 +931,7 @@ func itakeitallback(user *WhatAbout, xid string) {
 	j["object"] = f
 	j["published"] = time.Now().UTC().Format(time.RFC3339)
 
-	deliverate(0, user.Name, xid, j.ToBytes())
+	deliverate(0, user.ID, xid, j.ToBytes())
 }
 
 func subsub(user *WhatAbout, xid string) {
@@ -952,7 +952,7 @@ func subsub(user *WhatAbout, xid string) {
 	j.Write(&buf)
 	msg := buf.Bytes()
 
-	deliverate(0, user.Name, xid, msg)
+	deliverate(0, user.ID, xid, msg)
 }
 
 // returns activity, object
@@ -1191,7 +1191,7 @@ func honkworldwide(user *WhatAbout, honk *Honk) {
 		}
 	}
 	for a := range rcpts {
-		go deliverate(0, user.Name, a, msg)
+		go deliverate(0, user.ID, a, msg)
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/database.go b/database.go
index 6086e87..c9006b8 100644
--- a/database.go
+++ b/database.go
@@ -31,43 +31,55 @@ import (
 	"humungus.tedunangst.com/r/webs/login"
 )
 
-var someusers = cache.New(cache.Options{Filler: func(name string) (*WhatAbout, bool) {
-	row := stmtWhatAbout.QueryRow(name)
+func userfromrow(row *sql.Row) (*WhatAbout, error) {
 	user := new(WhatAbout)
-	var options string
-	err := row.Scan(&user.ID, &user.Name, &user.Display, &user.About, &user.Key, &options)
+	var seckey, options string
+	err := row.Scan(&user.ID, &user.Name, &user.Display, &user.About, &user.Key, &seckey, &options)
+	if err == nil {
+		user.SecKey, _, err = httpsig.DecodeKey(seckey)
+	}
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	if user.ID > 0 {
+		user.URL = fmt.Sprintf("https://%s/%s/%s", serverName, userSep, user.Name)
+		user.SkinnyCSS = strings.Contains(options, " skinny ")
+	} else {
+		user.URL = fmt.Sprintf("https://%s/%s", serverName, user.Name)
+	}
+	return user, nil
+}
+
+var somenamedusers = cache.New(cache.Options{Filler: func(name string) (*WhatAbout, bool) {
+	row := stmtUserByName.QueryRow(name)
+	user, err := userfromrow(row)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, false
 	}
-	user.URL = fmt.Sprintf("https://%s/%s/%s", serverName, userSep, user.Name)
-	user.SkinnyCSS = strings.Contains(options, " skinny ")
 	return user, true
 }})
 
-var oldserveruser *WhatAbout
+var somenumberedusers = cache.New(cache.Options{Filler: func(userid int64) (*WhatAbout, bool) {
+	row := stmtUserByNumber.QueryRow(userid)
+	user, err := userfromrow(row)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, false
+	}
+	return user, true
+}})
 
 func getserveruser() *WhatAbout {
-	if oldserveruser == nil {
-		db := opendatabase()
-		row := db.QueryRow("select userid, username, displayname, about, pubkey, seckey from users where userid = ?", serverUID)
-		user := new(WhatAbout)
-		var seckey string
-		err := row.Scan(&user.ID, &user.Name, &user.Display, &user.About, &user.Key, &seckey)
-		if err == nil {
-			user.SecKey, _, err = httpsig.DecodeKey(seckey)
-		}
-		if err != nil {
-			log.Panicf("trouble getting server user: %s", err)
-		}
-		user.URL = fmt.Sprintf("https://%s/server", serverName)
-		oldserveruser = user
+	var user *WhatAbout
+	ok := somenumberedusers.Get(serverUID, &user)
+	if !ok {
+		log.Panicf("lost server user")
 	}
-	return oldserveruser
+	return user
 }
 
 func butwhatabout(name string) (*WhatAbout, error) {
 	var user *WhatAbout
-	ok := someusers.Get(name, &user)
+	ok := somenamedusers.Get(name, &user)
 	if !ok {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("no user: %s", name)
 	}
@@ -655,7 +667,7 @@ func cleanupdb(arg string) {
 var stmtHonkers, stmtDubbers, stmtSaveHonker, stmtUpdateFlavor, stmtUpdateHonker *sql.Stmt
 var stmtAnyXonk, stmtOneXonk, stmtPublicHonks, stmtUserHonks, stmtHonksByCombo, stmtHonksByConvoy *sql.Stmt
 var stmtHonksByOntology, stmtHonksForUser, stmtHonksForMe, stmtSaveDub, stmtHonksByXonker *sql.Stmt
-var stmtHonksBySearch, stmtHonksByHonker, stmtSaveHonk, stmtWhatAbout *sql.Stmt
+var stmtHonksBySearch, stmtHonksByHonker, stmtSaveHonk, stmtUserByName, stmtUserByNumber *sql.Stmt
 var stmtEventHonks, stmtOneBonk, stmtFindZonk, stmtFindXonk, stmtSaveDonk *sql.Stmt
 var stmtFindFile, stmtGetFileData, stmtSaveFileData, stmtSaveFile *sql.Stmt
 var stmtAddDoover, stmtGetDoovers, stmtLoadDoover, stmtZapDoover, stmtOneHonker *sql.Stmt
@@ -717,11 +729,12 @@ func prepareStatements(db *sql.DB) {
 	stmtGetFileData = preparetodie(blobdb, "select media, content from filedata where xid = ?")
 	stmtFindXonk = preparetodie(db, "select honkid from honks where userid = ? and xid = ?")
 	stmtFindFile = preparetodie(db, "select fileid, xid from filemeta where url = ? and local = 1")
-	stmtWhatAbout = preparetodie(db, "select userid, username, displayname, about, pubkey, options from users where username = ? and userid > 0")
+	stmtUserByName = preparetodie(db, "select userid, username, displayname, about, pubkey, seckey, options from users where username = ? and userid > 0")
+	stmtUserByNumber = preparetodie(db, "select userid, username, displayname, about, pubkey, seckey, options from users where userid = ?")
 	stmtSaveDub = preparetodie(db, "insert into honkers (userid, name, xid, flavor) values (?, ?, ?, ?)")
-	stmtAddDoover = preparetodie(db, "insert into doovers (dt, tries, username, rcpt, msg) values (?, ?, ?, ?, ?)")
+	stmtAddDoover = preparetodie(db, "insert into doovers (dt, tries, userid, rcpt, msg) values (?, ?, ?, ?, ?)")
 	stmtGetDoovers = preparetodie(db, "select dooverid, dt from doovers")
-	stmtLoadDoover = preparetodie(db, "select tries, username, rcpt, msg from doovers where dooverid = ?")
+	stmtLoadDoover = preparetodie(db, "select tries, userid, rcpt, msg from doovers where dooverid = ?")
 	stmtZapDoover = preparetodie(db, "delete from doovers where dooverid = ?")
 	stmtThumbBiters = preparetodie(db, "select userid, name, wherefore from zonkers")
 	stmtFindZonk = preparetodie(db, "select zonkerid from zonkers where userid = ? and name = ? and wherefore = 'zonk'")
diff --git a/deliverator.go b/deliverator.go
index afe87bc..d9efb7e 100644
--- a/deliverator.go
+++ b/deliverator.go
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ type Doover struct {
 	When time.Time
 }
 
-func sayitagain(goarounds int, username string, rcpt string, msg []byte) {
+func sayitagain(goarounds int64, userid int64, rcpt string, msg []byte) {
 	var drift time.Duration
 	switch goarounds {
 	case 1:
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ func sayitagain(goarounds int, username string, rcpt string, msg []byte) {
 	}
 	drift += time.Duration(notrand.Int63n(int64(drift / 10)))
 	when := time.Now().UTC().Add(drift)
-	_, err := stmtAddDoover.Exec(when.Format(dbtimeformat), goarounds, username, rcpt, msg)
+	_, err := stmtAddDoover.Exec(when.Format(dbtimeformat), goarounds, userid, rcpt, msg)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Printf("error saving doover: %s", err)
 	}
@@ -81,11 +81,16 @@ func truckcomesin() {
 	garagelock.Unlock()
 }
 
-func deliverate(goarounds int, username string, rcpt string, msg []byte) {
+func deliverate(goarounds int64, userid int64, rcpt string, msg []byte) {
 	truckgoesout()
 	defer truckcomesin()
 
-	keyname, key := ziggy(username)
+	var ki *KeyInfo
+	ok := ziggies.Get(userid, &ki)
+	if !ok {
+		log.Printf("lost key for delivery")
+		return
+	}
 	var inbox string
 	// already did the box indirection
 	if rcpt[0] == '%' {
@@ -95,15 +100,15 @@ func deliverate(goarounds int, username string, rcpt string, msg []byte) {
 		ok := boxofboxes.Get(rcpt, &box)
 		if !ok {
 			log.Printf("failed getting inbox for %s", rcpt)
-			sayitagain(goarounds+1, username, rcpt, msg)
+			sayitagain(goarounds+1, userid, rcpt, msg)
 			return
 		}
 		inbox = box.In
 	}
-	err := PostMsg(keyname, key, inbox, msg)
+	err := PostMsg(ki.keyname, ki.seckey, inbox, msg)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Printf("failed to post json to %s: %s", inbox, err)
-		sayitagain(goarounds+1, username, rcpt, msg)
+		sayitagain(goarounds+1, userid, rcpt, msg)
 		return
 	}
 }
@@ -151,11 +156,11 @@ func redeliverator() {
 		nexttime := now.Add(24 * time.Hour)
 		for _, d := range doovers {
 			if d.When.Before(now) {
-				var goarounds int
-				var username, rcpt string
+				var goarounds, userid int64
+				var rcpt string
 				var msg []byte
 				row := stmtLoadDoover.QueryRow(d.ID)
-				err := row.Scan(&goarounds, &username, &rcpt, &msg)
+				err := row.Scan(&goarounds, &userid, &rcpt, &msg)
 				if err != nil {
 					log.Printf("error scanning doover: %s", err)
 					continue
@@ -166,7 +171,7 @@ func redeliverator() {
 					continue
 				}
 				log.Printf("redeliverating %s try %d", rcpt, goarounds)
-				deliverate(goarounds, username, rcpt, msg)
+				deliverate(goarounds, userid, rcpt, msg)
 			} else if d.When.Before(nexttime) {
 				nexttime = d.When
 			}
diff --git a/fun.go b/fun.go
index cb0f1b4..d956cfc 100644
--- a/fun.go
+++ b/fun.go
@@ -581,37 +581,31 @@ func oneofakind(a []string) []string {
 	return a[:j]
 }
 
-var ziggies = make(map[string]*rsa.PrivateKey)
-var zaggies = make(map[string]*rsa.PublicKey)
-var ziggylock sync.Mutex
-
-func ziggy(username string) (keyname string, key *rsa.PrivateKey) {
-	ziggylock.Lock()
-	key = ziggies[username]
-	ziggylock.Unlock()
-	if key == nil {
-		db := opendatabase()
-		row := db.QueryRow("select seckey from users where username = ?", username)
-		var data string
-		row.Scan(&data)
-		var err error
-		key, _, err = httpsig.DecodeKey(data)
-		if err != nil {
-			log.Printf("error decoding %s seckey: %s", username, err)
-			return
-		}
-		ziggylock.Lock()
-		ziggies[username] = key
-		ziggylock.Unlock()
+var ziggies = cache.New(cache.Options{Filler: func(userid int64) (*KeyInfo, bool) {
+	var user *WhatAbout
+	ok := somenumberedusers.Get(userid, &user)
+	if !ok {
+		return nil, false
 	}
-	keyname = fmt.Sprintf("https://%s/%s/%s#key", serverName, userSep, username)
-	return
+	ki := new(KeyInfo)
+	ki.keyname = user.URL + "#key"
+	ki.seckey = user.SecKey
+	return ki, true
+}})
+
+func ziggy(userid int64) *KeyInfo {
+	var ki *KeyInfo
+	ziggies.Get(userid, &ki)
+	return ki
 }
 
+var zaggies = make(map[string]*rsa.PublicKey)
+var zaggylock sync.Mutex
+
 func zaggy(keyname string) (key *rsa.PublicKey) {
-	ziggylock.Lock()
+	zaggylock.Lock()
 	key = zaggies[keyname]
-	ziggylock.Unlock()
+	zaggylock.Unlock()
 	if key != nil {
 		return
 	}
@@ -655,9 +649,9 @@ func zaggy(keyname string) (key *rsa.PublicKey) {
 			return
 		}
 	}
-	ziggylock.Lock()
+	zaggylock.Lock()
 	zaggies[keyname] = key
-	ziggylock.Unlock()
+	zaggylock.Unlock()
 	return
 }
 
@@ -666,9 +660,9 @@ func makeitworksomehowwithoutregardforkeycontinuity(keyname string, r *http.Requ
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Printf("error deleting key: %s", err)
 	}
-	ziggylock.Lock()
+	zaggylock.Lock()
 	delete(zaggies, keyname)
-	ziggylock.Unlock()
+	zaggylock.Unlock()
 	return httpsig.VerifyRequest(r, payload, zaggy)
 }
 
diff --git a/honk.go b/honk.go
index 4f1c0bb..19ba382 100644
--- a/honk.go
+++ b/honk.go
@@ -37,6 +37,11 @@ type WhatAbout struct {
 	SecKey    *rsa.PrivateKey
 }
 
+type KeyInfo struct {
+	keyname string
+	seckey  *rsa.PrivateKey
+}
+
 const serverUID int64 = -2
 
 type Honk struct {
diff --git a/schema.sql b/schema.sql
index 7732d9f..c84f71b 100644
--- a/schema.sql
+++ b/schema.sql
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ create table filemeta (fileid integer primary key, xid text, name text, descript
 create table honkers (honkerid integer primary key, userid integer, name text, xid text, flavor text, combos text);
 create table xonkers (xonkerid integer primary key, name text, info text, flavor text);
 create table zonkers (zonkerid integer primary key, userid integer, name text, wherefore text);
-create table doovers(dooverid integer primary key, dt text, tries integer, username text, rcpt text, msg blob);
+create table doovers(dooverid integer primary key, dt text, tries integer, userid integer, rcpt text, msg blob);
 create table onts (ontology text, honkid integer);
 create table honkmeta (honkid integer, genus text, json text);
 create table hfcs (hfcsid integer primary key, userid integer, json text);
diff --git a/upgradedb.go b/upgradedb.go
index 98c281c..7336b7d 100644
--- a/upgradedb.go
+++ b/upgradedb.go
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ import (
 	"time"
 )
 
-var myVersion = 28
+var myVersion = 29
 
 func doordie(db *sql.DB, s string, args ...interface{}) {
 	_, err := db.Exec(s, args...)
@@ -307,6 +307,11 @@ func upgradedb() {
 		doordie(db, "update config set value = 28 where key = 'dbversion'")
 		fallthrough
 	case 28:
+		doordie(db, "drop table doovers")
+		doordie(db, "create table doovers(dooverid integer primary key, dt text, tries integer, userid integer, rcpt text, msg blob)")
+		doordie(db, "update config set value = 29 where key = 'dbversion'")
+		fallthrough
+	case 29:
 
 	default:
 		log.Fatalf("can't upgrade unknown version %d", dbversion)
diff --git a/web.go b/web.go
index 51e5c4f..9256623 100644
--- a/web.go
+++ b/web.go
@@ -245,8 +245,11 @@ func ping(user *WhatAbout, who string) {
 	j["id"] = user.URL + "/ping/" + xfiltrate()
 	j["actor"] = user.URL
 	j["to"] = who
-	keyname, key := ziggy(user.Name)
-	err := PostJunk(keyname, key, box.In, j)
+	ki := ziggy(user.ID)
+	if ki == nil {
+		return
+	}
+	err := PostJunk(ki.keyname, ki.seckey, box.In, j)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Printf("can't send ping: %s", err)
 		return
@@ -268,8 +271,11 @@ func pong(user *WhatAbout, who string, obj string) {
 	j["actor"] = user.URL
 	j["to"] = who
 	j["object"] = obj
-	keyname, key := ziggy(user.Name)
-	err := PostJunk(keyname, key, box.In, j)
+	ki := ziggy(user.ID)
+	if ki == nil {
+		return
+	}
+	err := PostJunk(ki.keyname, ki.seckey, box.In, j)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Printf("can't send pong: %s", err)
 		return
@@ -860,7 +866,8 @@ func saveuser(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Printf("error bouting what: %s", err)
 	}
-	someusers.Clear(u.Username)
+	somenamedusers.Clear(u.Username)
+	somenumberedusers.Clear(u.UserID)
 
 	http.Redirect(w, r, "/account", http.StatusSeeOther)
 }
@@ -1805,7 +1812,6 @@ func serve() {
 			savedassetparams[s] = getassetparam(s)
 		}
 	}
-	getserveruser()
 
 	mux := mux.NewRouter()
 	mux.Use(login.Checker)