diff --git a/bookwyrm/views/helpers.py b/bookwyrm/views/helpers.py
index 7e0550fbf..c7eb007fc 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/views/helpers.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/views/helpers.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ def get_user_from_username(viewer, username):
     ''' helper function to resolve a localname or a username to a user '''
     # raises DoesNotExist if user is now found
     try:
-        return models.User.viwer_aware_objects(viewer).get(localname=username)
+        return models.User.viewer_aware_objects(viewer).get(localname=username)
     except models.User.DoesNotExist:
         return models.User.viewer_aware_objects(viewer).get(username=username)