diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index 6d39f53..6176a50 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -272,7 +272,7 @@ exports.init = function (sbot, config) {
   }
 
   function addVoteMessage(msg, cb) {
-      if (msg.value.content.type == 'vote')
+      if (msg.value.content.type == 'vote' && msg.value.content.vote.link[0] == '%')
 	  getMsg(msg.value.content.vote.link, function (err, linkedMsg) {
 	      if (err) return cb(err)
 	      msg.value.content.vote.linkedText = linkedMsg.value.content.text