diff --git a/app/models/user.rb b/app/models/user.rb
index 4f8223dc..32cc08b1 100644
--- a/app/models/user.rb
+++ b/app/models/user.rb
@@ -81,10 +81,14 @@ class User < ActiveRecord::Base
   end
   
   def identity_url=(url)
-    begin
-      self.write_attribute(:identity_url, OpenIdAuthentication.normalize_identifier(url))
-    rescue InvalidOpenId
-      # Invlaid url, don't save
+    if url.blank?
+      write_attribute(:identity_url, '')
+    else
+      begin
+        write_attribute(:identity_url, OpenIdAuthentication.normalize_identifier(url))
+      rescue OpenIdAuthentication::InvalidOpenId
+        # Invlaid url, don't save
+      end
     end
     self.read_attribute(:identity_url)
   end
diff --git a/test/unit/user_test.rb b/test/unit/user_test.rb
index 6bf0e41f..fd340370 100644
--- a/test/unit/user_test.rb
+++ b/test/unit/user_test.rb
@@ -204,6 +204,17 @@ class UserTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
     u = User.new( :identity_url => 'example.com' )
     assert_equal normalized_open_id_url, u.identity_url
   end
+    
+  def test_setting_blank_identity_url
+    u = User.new( :identity_url => 'example.com' )
+    u.identity_url = ''
+    assert u.identity_url.blank?
+  end
+    
+  def test_setting_invalid_identity_url
+    u = User.new( :identity_url => 'this is not an openid url' )
+    assert u.identity_url.blank?
+  end
   
   else
     puts "Skipping openid tests."