diff --git a/src/globals.rs b/src/globals.rs
index 67c026cd..b6534d75 100644
--- a/src/globals.rs
+++ b/src/globals.rs
@@ -57,7 +57,6 @@ pub struct Globals {
     pub desired_events: RwLock<HashMap<Id, Vec<Url>>>,
 
     /// All nostr people records currently loaded into memory, keyed by pubkey
-    //pub people: RwLock<HashMap<PublicKey, DbPerson>>,
     pub people: RwLock<People>,
 
     /// All nostr relay records we have
diff --git a/src/overlord/mod.rs b/src/overlord/mod.rs
index 130bb25d..1e2c1fb8 100644
--- a/src/overlord/mod.rs
+++ b/src/overlord/mod.rs
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ impl Overlord {
                 .get_followed_pubkeys()
                 .await
                 .iter()
-                .map(|p| PublicKeyHex::from(*p))
+                .map(|p| p.to_owned())
                 .collect();
 
             let (num_relays_per_person, max_relays) = {
@@ -593,7 +593,7 @@ impl Overlord {
             .write()
             .await
             .upsert_valid_nip05(
-                (*pubkey).into(),
+                &(*pubkey).into(),
                 dns_id.clone(),
                 Unixtime::now().unwrap().0 as u64,
             )
@@ -604,7 +604,7 @@ impl Overlord {
             .people
             .write()
             .await
-            .follow((*pubkey).into())
+            .follow(&(*pubkey).into())
             .await?;
 
         info!("Followed {}", &dns_id);
@@ -639,7 +639,7 @@ impl Overlord {
     async fn follow_bech32(bech32: String, relay: String) -> Result<(), Error> {
         let pk = PublicKey::try_from_bech32_string(&bech32)?;
         let pkhex: PublicKeyHex = pk.into();
-        GLOBALS.people.write().await.follow(pkhex.clone()).await?;
+        GLOBALS.people.write().await.follow(&pkhex).await?;
 
         debug!("Followed {}", &pkhex);
 
@@ -667,7 +667,7 @@ impl Overlord {
     async fn follow_hexkey(hexkey: String, relay: String) -> Result<(), Error> {
         let pk = PublicKey::try_from_hex_string(&hexkey)?;
         let pkhex: PublicKeyHex = pk.into();
-        GLOBALS.people.write().await.follow(pkhex.clone()).await?;
+        GLOBALS.people.write().await.follow(&pkhex).await?;
 
         debug!("Followed {}", &pkhex);
 
diff --git a/src/people/mod.rs b/src/people/mod.rs
index bf89d521..3b2c278f 100644
--- a/src/people/mod.rs
+++ b/src/people/mod.rs
@@ -1,14 +1,14 @@
 use crate::db::DbPerson;
 use crate::error::Error;
 use crate::globals::GLOBALS;
-use nostr_types::{Metadata, PublicKey, PublicKeyHex, Unixtime};
+use nostr_types::{Metadata, PublicKeyHex, Unixtime};
 use std::cmp::Ordering;
 use std::collections::{HashMap, HashSet};
 use tokio::task;
 
 pub struct People {
-    people: HashMap<PublicKey, DbPerson>,
-    deferred_load: HashSet<PublicKey>,
+    people: HashMap<PublicKeyHex, DbPerson>,
+    deferred_load: HashSet<PublicKeyHex>,
 }
 
 impl People {
@@ -19,31 +19,29 @@ impl People {
         }
     }
 
-    pub async fn get_followed_pubkeys(&self) -> Vec<PublicKey> {
-        let mut output: Vec<PublicKey> = Vec::new();
+    pub async fn get_followed_pubkeys(&self) -> Vec<PublicKeyHex> {
+        let mut output: Vec<PublicKeyHex> = Vec::new();
         for (_, person) in self.people.iter() {
-            if let Ok(pubkey) = PublicKey::try_from_hex_string(&person.pubkey.0) {
-                output.push(pubkey);
-            }
+            output.push(person.pubkey.clone());
         }
         output
     }
 
-    pub async fn create_if_missing(&mut self, pubkey: PublicKey) -> Result<(), Error> {
-        if self.people.contains_key(&pubkey) {
+    pub async fn create_if_missing(&mut self, pubkeyhex: &PublicKeyHex) -> Result<(), Error> {
+        if self.people.contains_key(pubkeyhex) {
             return Ok(());
         }
 
         // Try loading from the database
-        let maybe_dbperson = Self::fetch_one(pubkey.into()).await?;
+        let maybe_dbperson = Self::fetch_one(pubkeyhex).await?;
 
         if let Some(dbperson) = maybe_dbperson {
             // Insert into the map
-            self.people.insert(pubkey, dbperson);
+            self.people.insert(pubkeyhex.to_owned(), dbperson);
         } else {
             // Create new
             let dbperson = DbPerson {
-                pubkey: pubkey.into(),
+                pubkey: pubkeyhex.to_owned(),
                 name: None,
                 about: None,
                 picture: None,
@@ -54,7 +52,7 @@ impl People {
                 followed: 0,
             };
             // Insert into the map
-            self.people.insert(pubkey, dbperson.clone());
+            self.people.insert(pubkeyhex.to_owned(), dbperson.clone());
             // Insert into the database
             Self::insert(dbperson).await?;
         }
@@ -64,15 +62,15 @@ impl People {
 
     pub async fn update_metadata(
         &mut self,
-        pubkey: PublicKey,
+        pubkeyhex: &PublicKeyHex,
         metadata: Metadata,
         asof: Unixtime,
     ) -> Result<(), Error> {
         // Sync in from database first
-        self.create_if_missing(pubkey).await?;
+        self.create_if_missing(pubkeyhex).await?;
 
         // Update the map
-        let person = self.people.get_mut(&pubkey).unwrap();
+        let person = self.people.get_mut(pubkeyhex).unwrap();
         if let Some(metadata_at) = person.metadata_at {
             if asof.0 <= metadata_at {
                 // Old metadata. Ignore it
@@ -91,7 +89,7 @@ impl People {
 
         // Update the database
         let person = person.clone();
-        let pubkeyhex: PublicKeyHex = person.pubkey.clone();
+        let pubkeyhex2 = pubkeyhex.to_owned();
         task::spawn_blocking(move || {
             let maybe_db = GLOBALS.db.blocking_lock();
             let db = maybe_db.as_ref().unwrap();
@@ -105,7 +103,7 @@ impl People {
                 &person.picture,
                 &person.dns_id,
                 &person.metadata_at,
-                &pubkeyhex.0,
+                &pubkeyhex2.0,
             ))?;
             Ok::<(), Error>(())
         })
@@ -154,21 +152,19 @@ impl People {
         .await?;
 
         for person in output? {
-            if let Ok(pubkey) = PublicKey::try_from_hex_string(&person.pubkey.0) {
-                self.people.insert(pubkey, person);
-            }
+            self.people.insert(person.pubkey.clone(), person);
         }
 
         Ok(())
     }
 
-    pub fn get(&mut self, pubkey: PublicKey) -> Option<DbPerson> {
-        if self.people.contains_key(&pubkey) {
-            self.people.get(&pubkey).cloned()
+    pub fn get(&mut self, pubkeyhex: &PublicKeyHex) -> Option<DbPerson> {
+        if self.people.contains_key(pubkeyhex) {
+            self.people.get(pubkeyhex).cloned()
         } else {
             // Not there. Maybe it's in the database. Defer and let syncer
             // try to load
-            self.deferred_load.insert(pubkey);
+            self.deferred_load.insert(pubkeyhex.to_owned());
             let _ = GLOBALS.to_syncer.send("sync_people".to_owned());
             None
         }
@@ -188,10 +184,10 @@ impl People {
     }
 
     pub async fn sync(&mut self) -> Result<(), Error> {
-        for pubkey in self.deferred_load.iter() {
-            if !self.people.contains_key(pubkey) {
-                if let Some(person) = Self::fetch_one((*pubkey).into()).await? {
-                    let _ = self.people.insert(*pubkey, person);
+        for pubkeyhex in self.deferred_load.iter() {
+            if !self.people.contains_key(pubkeyhex) {
+                if let Some(person) = Self::fetch_one(pubkeyhex).await? {
+                    let _ = self.people.insert(pubkeyhex.to_owned(), person);
                 }
             }
         }
@@ -214,11 +210,11 @@ impl People {
         Ok(())
     }
 
-    pub async fn follow(&mut self, pubkeyhex: PublicKeyHex) -> Result<(), Error> {
+    pub async fn follow(&mut self, pubkeyhex: &PublicKeyHex) -> Result<(), Error> {
         // Follow in database
         let sql = "INSERT INTO PERSON (pubkey, followed) values (?, 1) \
                    ON CONFLICT(pubkey) DO UPDATE SET followed=1";
-        let pubkeyhex2 = pubkeyhex.clone();
+        let pubkeyhex2 = pubkeyhex.to_owned();
         task::spawn_blocking(move || {
             let maybe_db = GLOBALS.db.blocking_lock();
             let db = maybe_db.as_ref().unwrap();
@@ -229,13 +225,12 @@ impl People {
         .await??;
 
         // Make sure memory matches
-        let pubkey: PublicKey = PublicKey::try_from_hex_string(&pubkeyhex.0)?;
-        if let Some(dbperson) = self.people.get_mut(&pubkey) {
+        if let Some(dbperson) = self.people.get_mut(pubkeyhex) {
             dbperson.followed = 1;
         } else {
             // load
             if let Some(person) = Self::fetch_one(pubkeyhex).await? {
-                self.people.insert(pubkey, person);
+                self.people.insert(pubkeyhex.to_owned(), person);
             }
         }
 
@@ -244,13 +239,12 @@ impl People {
 
     pub async fn upsert_valid_nip05(
         &mut self,
-        pubkeyhex: PublicKeyHex,
+        pubkeyhex: &PublicKeyHex,
         dns_id: String,
         dns_id_last_checked: u64,
     ) -> Result<(), Error> {
         // Update memory
-        let pubkey: PublicKey = PublicKey::try_from_hex_string(&pubkeyhex.0)?;
-        if let Some(dbperson) = self.people.get_mut(&pubkey) {
+        if let Some(dbperson) = self.people.get_mut(pubkeyhex) {
             dbperson.dns_id = Some(dns_id.clone());
             dbperson.dns_id_last_checked = Some(dns_id_last_checked);
         }
@@ -260,13 +254,14 @@ impl People {
                    values (?, ?, 1, ?) \
                    ON CONFLICT(pubkey) DO UPDATE SET dns_id=?, dns_id_valid=1, dns_id_last_checked=?";
 
+        let pubkeyhex2 = pubkeyhex.to_owned();
         task::spawn_blocking(move || {
             let maybe_db = GLOBALS.db.blocking_lock();
             let db = maybe_db.as_ref().unwrap();
 
             let mut stmt = db.prepare(sql)?;
             stmt.execute((
-                &pubkeyhex.0,
+                &pubkeyhex2.0,
                 &dns_id,
                 &dns_id_last_checked,
                 &dns_id,
@@ -317,8 +312,8 @@ impl People {
         output
     }
 
-    async fn fetch_one(pubkey: PublicKeyHex) -> Result<Option<DbPerson>, Error> {
-        let people = Self::fetch(Some(&format!("pubkey='{}'", pubkey))).await?;
+    async fn fetch_one(pubkeyhex: &PublicKeyHex) -> Result<Option<DbPerson>, Error> {
+        let people = Self::fetch(Some(&format!("pubkey='{}'", pubkeyhex))).await?;
 
         if people.is_empty() {
             Ok(None)
diff --git a/src/process.rs b/src/process.rs
index d289937b..fbdd3b7f 100644
--- a/src/process.rs
+++ b/src/process.rs
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ pub async fn process_new_event(
                 .people
                 .write()
                 .await
-                .create_if_missing(event.pubkey)
+                .create_if_missing(&event.pubkey.into())
                 .await?;
 
             // Update person_relay.last_fetched
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ pub async fn process_new_event(
             .people
             .write()
             .await
-            .update_metadata(event.pubkey, metadata, event.created_at)
+            .update_metadata(&event.pubkey.into(), metadata, event.created_at)
             .await?;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/ui/feed.rs b/src/ui/feed.rs
index 0f1a2e5c..cc884fc5 100644
--- a/src/ui/feed.rs
+++ b/src/ui/feed.rs
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ use egui::{
     Align, Color32, Context, Frame, Image, Label, Layout, RichText, ScrollArea, Sense, TextEdit,
     TextStyle, Ui, Vec2,
 };
-use nostr_types::{EventKind, Id, PublicKey};
+use nostr_types::{EventKind, Id, PublicKeyHex};
 
 pub(super) fn update(app: &mut GossipUi, ctx: &Context, frame: &mut eframe::Frame, ui: &mut Ui) {
     let feed = GLOBALS.feed.blocking_lock().get();
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ fn render_post(
         return;
     }
 
-    let maybe_person = GLOBALS.people.blocking_write().get(event.pubkey);
+    let maybe_person = GLOBALS.people.blocking_write().get(&event.pubkey.into());
 
     let reactions = Globals::get_reactions_sync(event.id);
     let replies = Globals::get_replies_sync(event.id);
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ fn render_post(
                 )
                 .clicked()
             {
-                set_person_view(app, event.pubkey);
+                set_person_view(app, &event.pubkey.into());
             };
 
             // Everything else next
@@ -338,15 +338,15 @@ fn render_post(
     }
 }
 
-fn set_person_view(app: &mut GossipUi, pubkey: PublicKey) {
-    if let Some(dbperson) = GLOBALS.people.blocking_write().get(pubkey) {
+fn set_person_view(app: &mut GossipUi, pubkeyhex: &PublicKeyHex) {
+    if let Some(dbperson) = GLOBALS.people.blocking_write().get(pubkeyhex) {
         app.person_view_name = if let Some(name) = &dbperson.name {
             Some(name.to_string())
         } else {
-            Some(GossipUi::pubkey_short(&pubkey))
+            Some(GossipUi::hex_pubkey_short(pubkeyhex))
         };
         app.person_view_person = Some(dbperson);
-        app.person_view_pubkey = Some(pubkey);
+        app.person_view_pubkey = Some(pubkeyhex.to_owned());
         app.page = Page::Person;
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/ui/mod.rs b/src/ui/mod.rs
index c7ae0538..ce4e9bb5 100644
--- a/src/ui/mod.rs
+++ b/src/ui/mod.rs
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ struct GossipUi {
     import_hex: String,
     replying_to: Option<Id>,
     hides: Vec<Id>,
-    person_view_pubkey: Option<PublicKey>,
+    person_view_pubkey: Option<PublicKeyHex>,
     person_view_person: Option<DbPerson>,
     person_view_name: Option<String>,
 }
@@ -221,11 +221,6 @@ impl GossipUi {
         )
     }
 
-    pub fn pubkey_short(pubkey: &PublicKey) -> String {
-        let hex: PublicKeyHex = (*pubkey).into();
-        Self::hex_pubkey_short(&hex)
-    }
-
     pub fn pubkey_long(pubkey: &PublicKey) -> String {
         let hex: PublicKeyHex = (*pubkey).into();
         hex.0
diff --git a/src/ui/people.rs b/src/ui/people.rs
index 39554410..0f365c73 100644
--- a/src/ui/people.rs
+++ b/src/ui/people.rs
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ use crate::db::DbPerson;
 use crate::globals::GLOBALS;
 use eframe::egui;
 use egui::{Context, Image, RichText, ScrollArea, Sense, TextEdit, TopBottomPanel, Ui, Vec2};
-use nostr_types::PublicKey;
 
 pub(super) fn update(app: &mut GossipUi, ctx: &Context, _frame: &mut eframe::Frame, ui: &mut Ui) {
     TopBottomPanel::top("people_menu").show(ctx, |ui| {
@@ -188,14 +187,12 @@ pub(super) fn update(app: &mut GossipUi, ctx: &Context, _frame: &mut eframe::Fra
 }
 
 fn set_person_view(app: &mut GossipUi, person: &DbPerson) {
-    if let Ok(pk) = PublicKey::try_from_hex_string(&person.pubkey) {
-        app.person_view_pubkey = Some(pk);
-        app.person_view_person = Some(person.clone());
-        app.person_view_name = if let Some(name) = &person.name {
-            Some(name.to_string())
-        } else {
-            Some(GossipUi::pubkey_short(&pk))
-        };
-        app.page = Page::Person;
-    }
+    app.person_view_pubkey = Some(person.pubkey.clone());
+    app.person_view_person = Some(person.clone());
+    app.person_view_name = if let Some(name) = &person.name {
+        Some(name.to_string())
+    } else {
+        Some(GossipUi::hex_pubkey_short(&person.pubkey))
+    };
+    app.page = Page::Person;
 }