diff --git a/src/components/SocialActionRow.tsx b/src/components/SocialActionRow.tsx
index 765c2984..c7f1d41c 100644
--- a/src/components/SocialActionRow.tsx
+++ b/src/components/SocialActionRow.tsx
@@ -15,8 +15,16 @@ export function SocialActionRow(props: {
 
     const getContacts = cache(async () => {
         try {
-            const contacts = await state.mutiny_wallet?.get_contacts_sorted();
-            return contacts || [];
+            const contacts: TagItem[] =
+                (await state.mutiny_wallet?.get_contacts_sorted()) || [];
+
+            // contact must have a npub, ln_address, or lnurl
+            return contacts.filter(
+                (contact) =>
+                    contact.npub !== undefined ||
+                    contact.ln_address !== undefined ||
+                    contact.lnurl !== undefined
+            );
         } catch (e) {
             console.error(e);
             return [];
@@ -69,7 +77,7 @@ export function SocialActionRow(props: {
                             name={contact.name}
                             image_url={contact.primal_image_url}
                             onClick={() => {
-                                if (profileDeleted()) {
+                                if (profileDeleted() || !contact.npub) {
                                     sendToContact(contact);
                                 } else {
                                     navigate(`/chat/${contact.id}`);
diff --git a/src/routes/Search.tsx b/src/routes/Search.tsx
index 58544d69..7810cfdf 100644
--- a/src/routes/Search.tsx
+++ b/src/routes/Search.tsx
@@ -246,7 +246,31 @@ function ActualSearch(props: { initialValue?: string }) {
                 throw new Error("no contact returned");
             }
 
-            sendToContact(tagItem);
+            // if the new contact has an npub, send to chat
+            // otherwise, send to send page
+            if (tagItem.npub) {
+                sendToContact(tagItem);
+            } else if (tagItem.ln_address) {
+                actions.handleIncomingString(
+                    tagItem.ln_address,
+                    () => {},
+                    () => {
+                        navigate("/send");
+                    }
+                );
+            } else if (tagItem.lnurl) {
+                actions.handleIncomingString(
+                    tagItem.lnurl,
+                    () => {},
+                    () => {
+                        navigate("/send");
+                    }
+                );
+            } else {
+                console.error(
+                    "No npub, ln_address, or lnurl found, this should never happen"
+                );
+            }
         } catch (e) {
             console.error(e);
         }