diff --git a/src/search/base_indexes.py b/src/search/base_indexes.py
index 4fed1ae..235f637 100644
--- a/src/search/base_indexes.py
+++ b/src/search/base_indexes.py
@@ -32,20 +32,23 @@ class BaseIndex(indexes.SearchIndex):
         return math.log(obj.hits)
 
     def prepare(self, obj):
+        self.author_obj = None
+        if hasattr(obj, 'get_author'):
+            self.author_obj = obj.get_author()
+
         data = super(BaseIndex, self).prepare(obj)
         data['boost'] = self.get_boost(obj)
+
         return data
 
     def prepare_author(self, obj):
-        author = obj.get_author()
-        if author:
-            return author.username
+        if self.author_obj:
+            return self.author_obj.username
         return obj.author
 
     def prepare_author_url(self, obj):
-        author = obj.get_author()
-        if author:
-            return author.get_absolute_url()
+        if self.author_obj:
+            return self.author_obj.get_absolute_url()
         return None
 
     def prepare_fullname(self, obj):
@@ -53,30 +56,37 @@ class BaseIndex(indexes.SearchIndex):
             modified_by = obj.get_modified_by()
             if modified_by:
                 return modified_by.get_full_name()
-            return None
-        else:
-            author = obj.get_author()
-            if author:
-                return author.get_full_name()
-            return obj.author
+        if self.author_obj:
+            return self.author_obj.get_full_name()
+        return obj.author
 
     def prepare_fullname_and_username(self, obj):
-        author = obj.get_author()
-        if not author:
+        if hasattr(obj, 'modified_by'):
+            modified_by = obj.get_modified_by()
+            if modified_by:
+                return u'{}\n{}'.format(
+                    modified_by.get_full_name(),
+                    modified_by.username,
+                )
+        if not self.author_obj:
             return obj.author
         return u'{}\n{}'.format(
-            author.get_full_name(),
-            author.username,
+            self.author_obj.get_full_name(),
+            self.author_obj.username,
         )
 
     def prepare_modified_by(self, obj):
         if hasattr(obj, 'modified_by'):
             return obj.modified_by
-        return None
+        if self.author_obj:
+            return self.author_obj.get_full_name()
+        return obj.author
 
     def prepare_modified_by_url(self, obj):
         if hasattr(obj, 'modified_by'):
             modified_by = obj.get_modified_by()
             if modified_by:
                 return modified_by.get_absolute_url()
+        if self.author_obj:
+            return self.author_obj.get_absolute_url()
         return None
diff --git a/src/super_archives/search_indexes.py b/src/super_archives/search_indexes.py
index 94124b3..5d0493e 100644
--- a/src/super_archives/search_indexes.py
+++ b/src/super_archives/search_indexes.py
@@ -50,25 +50,33 @@ class ThreadIndex(BaseIndex, indexes.Indexable):
         )
 
     def prepare_author(self, obj):
-        return obj.latest_message.author
+        first_message = obj.message_set.first()
+        return first_message.from_address.get_full_name()
 
     def prepare_author_url(self, obj):
         first_message = obj.message_set.first()
-        if first_message.from_address.user:
-            return first_message.from_address.user.get_absolute_url()
-        return None
+        return first_message.author_url
 
     def prepare_modified_by(self, obj):
-        return obj.latest_message.author
+        modified_by = obj.latest_message.modified_by
+        if modified_by:
+            return modified_by
+        return obj.message_set.first().author
 
     def prepare_modified_by_url(self, obj):
-        return obj.latest_message.author_url
+        modified_by_url = obj.latest_message.modified_by_url
+        if modified_by_url:
+            return modified_by_url
+        return None
 
     def prepare_created(self, obj):
         return obj.message_set.first().received_time
 
     def prepare_fullname(self, obj):
-        return obj.latest_message.from_address.get_full_name()
+        fullname = obj.latest_message.from_address.get_full_name()
+        if not fullname:
+            fullname = obj.message_set.first().from_address.get_full_name()
+        return fullname
 
     def prepare_icon_name(self, obj):
         return u'envelope'
diff --git a/src/super_archives/templates/message-preview.html b/src/super_archives/templates/message-preview.html
index 3454f95..8405e27 100644
--- a/src/super_archives/templates/message-preview.html
+++ b/src/super_archives/templates/message-preview.html
@@ -38,28 +38,24 @@
 
 {% if result.fullname or result.modified or result.modified_by %}
   <div class="quiet">
-    {% if result.fullname or result.modified_by %}
+    {% if result.modified_by %}
       <span class="pull-left">{% trans "by" %}
-        {% if result.modified_by and result.modified_by_url %}
+        {% if result.modified_by_url %}
           <a href="{{ result.modified_by_url }}">
-            {% if query %}
-              {% highlight result.modified_by with query %}
-            {% else %}
-              {{ result.modified_by }}
-            {% endif %}
-          </a>
-        {% elif result.modified_by and not result.modified_by_url %}
-          <span>{{ result.modified_by }}</span>
-        {% elif result.fullname and result.author_url %}
-          <a href="{{ result.author_url }}">
-            {% if query %}
-              {% highlight result.fullname with query %}
-            {% else %}
-              {{ result.fullname }}
-            {% endif %}
+        {% else %}
+          <span>
+        {% endif %}
+
+        {% if query %}
+          {% highlight result.modified_by with query %}
+        {% else %}
+          {{ result.modified_by }}
+        {% endif %}
+
+        {% if result.modified_by_url %}
           </a>
         {% else %}
-          <span>{{ result.fullname }}</span>
+          </span>
         {% endif %}
       </span>
     {% else %}
--
libgit2 0.21.2