diff --git a/lib/models/user.dart b/lib/models/user.dart
index ed1e22d..407b234 100644
--- a/lib/models/user.dart
+++ b/lib/models/user.dart
@@ -105,6 +105,16 @@ class User extends base.User with DataModelMixin<User> {
         settings = belongsTo(map['settings']),
         super.fromJson();
 
+  User.fromPubkey(String pubkey)
+      : this.fromJson({
+          'id': pubkey,
+          'kind': 0,
+          'pubkey': pubkey.hexKey,
+          'created_at': DateTime.now().millisecondsSinceEpoch ~/ 1000,
+          'content': '{}',
+          'tags': [],
+        });
+
   Map<String, dynamic> toJson() => super.toMap();
 
   @DataRelationship(inverse: 'followers')
@@ -173,13 +183,8 @@ mixin UserAdapter on NostrAdapter<User> {
 
     if (publicKey.startsWith('npub')) {
       publicKey = publicKey.hexKey;
-    } else {
-      // If it's not an npub we treat the string as NIP-05
-      if (!publicKey.contains('@')) {
-        // If it does not have a @, we treat the string as a domain name
-        publicKey = '_@$publicKey';
-      }
-
+    } else if (publicKey.contains('@')) {
+      // If it's not an npub and it has a @ instead, we treat the string as NIP-05
       final [username, domain] = publicKey.split('@');
       publicKey = await sendRequest<dynamic>(
         Uri.parse('https://$domain/.well-known/nostr.json?name=$username'),
diff --git a/lib/navigation/app_initializer.dart b/lib/navigation/app_initializer.dart
index e499efe..875abad 100644
--- a/lib/navigation/app_initializer.dart
+++ b/lib/navigation/app_initializer.dart
@@ -50,16 +50,10 @@ final appInitializer = FutureProvider<void>((ref) async {
   await amberSigner.initialize();
 
   // Set up anon user (pubkey derives from pkSigner secret key)
-  final anonPubkey =
-      'c86eda2daae768374526bc54903f388d9a866c00740ec8db418d7ef2dca77b5b';
-  anonUser ??= User.fromJson({
-    'id': anonPubkey,
-    'kind': 0,
-    'pubkey': anonPubkey,
-    'created_at': DateTime.now().millisecondsSinceEpoch ~/ 1000,
-    'content': '{}',
-    'tags': [],
-  }).init().saveLocal();
+  anonUser ??= User.fromPubkey(
+          'c86eda2daae768374526bc54903f388d9a866c00740ec8db418d7ef2dca77b5b')
+      .init()
+      .saveLocal();
 
   // App-wide listeners
 
diff --git a/lib/widgets/sign_in_container.dart b/lib/widgets/sign_in_container.dart
index 0d71bb1..36ea33e 100644
--- a/lib/widgets/sign_in_container.dart
+++ b/lib/widgets/sign_in_container.dart
@@ -147,15 +147,9 @@ class SignInDialogBox extends HookConsumerWidget {
 
                       // If user was not found on relays, we create a
                       // local user to represent this new npub
-                      user ??= User.fromJson({
-                        'id': signedInNpub.hexKey,
-                        'kind': 0,
-                        'pubkey': signedInNpub.hexKey,
-                        'created_at':
-                            DateTime.now().millisecondsSinceEpoch ~/ 1000,
-                        'content': '{}',
-                        'tags': [],
-                      }).init().saveLocal();
+                      user ??= User.fromPubkey(signedInNpub.hexKey)
+                          .init()
+                          .saveLocal();
 
                       final settings = ref.settings.findOneLocalById('_')!;
                       settings.signInMethod = SignInMethod.nip55;