diff --git a/plugins/Note.py b/plugins/Note.py
index 321d56051..7b90924a1 100644
--- a/plugins/Note.py
+++ b/plugins/Note.py
@@ -219,7 +219,8 @@ class Note(callbacks.Privmsg):
         # Make sure the sender isn't being ignored.
         senderName = ircdb.users.getUser(fromId).name
         for name in names:
-            if senderName in self.userValue('ignores', name):
+            ignores = self.userValue('ignores', name)
+            if ignores and senderName in ignores:
                 badnames.append(name)
         if badnames:
             irc.error('%s %s ignoring notes from you.' % \
diff --git a/test/test_Note.py b/test/test_Note.py
index 01d1b0a2c..1b4d75e21 100644
--- a/test/test_Note.py
+++ b/test/test_Note.py
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ class NoteTestCase(PluginTestCase, PluginDocumentation):
         # setup a user
         self.prefix = 'foo!bar@baz'
         self.assertNotError('register inkedmn bar')
+        self.assertNotError('addhostmask inkedmn test2!bar@baz')
 
     def testSendnote(self):
         #print repr(ircdb.users.getUser(self.prefix))
@@ -51,6 +52,11 @@ class NoteTestCase(PluginTestCase, PluginDocumentation):
         self.assertError('note send alsdkjfasldk foo')
         self.assertNotError('note send inkedmn test2')
         _ = self.getMsg(' ')
+        # verify that sending a note to a user via their nick instead of their
+        # ircdb user name works
+        self.prefix = 'test2!bar@baz'
+        self.assertNotError('note send test2 foo')
+        _ = self.getMsg(' ')
 
     def testNote(self):
         self.assertNotError('note send inkedmn test')