diff --git a/app/profile/about/about.controller.js b/app/profile/about/about.controller.js
index fb67c2438..21d46984e 100644
--- a/app/profile/about/about.controller.js
+++ b/app/profile/about/about.controller.js
@@ -3,9 +3,9 @@
 
   angular.module('tc.profile').controller('ProfileAboutController', ProfileAboutController);
 
-  ProfileAboutController.$inject = ['$log', '$scope', 'ProfileService', 'ExternalAccountService'];
+  ProfileAboutController.$inject = ['$log', '$scope', 'ProfileService', 'ExternalAccountService', 'UserService', 'CONSTANTS'];
 
-  function ProfileAboutController($log, $scope, ProfileService, ExternalAccountService, UserService) {
+  function ProfileAboutController($log, $scope, ProfileService, ExternalAccountService, UserService, CONSTANTS) {
     var vm = this;
     $log = $log.getInstance("ProfileAboutController");
     var profileVm = $scope.$parent.profileVm;
@@ -24,11 +24,35 @@
 
       profileVm.externalLinksPromise.then(function() {
         vm.linkedExternalAccountsData = profileVm.linkedExternalAccountsData;
-        vm.linkedExternalAccounts = profileVm.linkedExternalAccounts;
+
         // show section if user is viewing his/her own profile OR if we have data
-        vm.hasLinks = vm.linkedExternalAccounts.length;
-        //vm.hasLinks = _.any(_.valuesIn(_.omit(vm.linkedExternalAccountsData, ['userId', 'updatedAt','createdAt','createdBy','updatedBy','handle'])));
+        //vm.hasLinks = profileVm.linkedExternalAccounts.length;
+        vm.hasLinks = _.any(_.valuesIn(_.omit(vm.linkedExternalAccountsData, ['userId', 'updatedAt','createdAt','createdBy','updatedBy','handle'])));
         vm.displaySection.externalLinks = profileVm.showEditProfileLink || vm.hasLinks;
+
+        // if user is authenticated, call for profiles end point
+        if (profileVm.isUser) {
+          var userId = UserService.getUserIdentity().userId;
+          ExternalAccountService.getLinkedExternalAccounts(userId).then(function(data) {
+            vm.linkedExternalAccounts = data;
+            profileVm.status.externalLinks = CONSTANTS.STATE_READY;
+          }).catch(function(err) {
+            profileVm.status.externalLinks = CONSTANTS.STATE_ERROR;
+          });
+        } else {
+          vm.linkedExternalAccounts = [];
+          // remove all keys except the provider keys
+          var accounts = _.omit(vm.linkedExternalAccountsData, ['userId', 'updatedAt','createdAt','createdBy','updatedBy','handle']);
+          // populate the externalLinks for external-account-data directive with info from ext accounts data
+          for(var provider in accounts) {
+            if (accounts[provider]) {
+              vm.linkedExternalAccounts.push({
+                providerType: provider
+              });
+            }
+          }
+          profileVm.status.externalLinks = CONSTANTS.STATE_READY;
+        }
       });
 
       profileVm.statsPromise.then(function() {
diff --git a/app/profile/profile.controller.js b/app/profile/profile.controller.js
index 51e8aea3a..2aea6d266 100644
--- a/app/profile/profile.controller.js
+++ b/app/profile/profile.controller.js
@@ -3,12 +3,12 @@
 
   angular.module('tc.profile').controller('ProfileCtrl', ProfileCtrl);
 
-  ProfileCtrl.$inject = ['CONSTANTS', '$log',
+  ProfileCtrl.$inject = ['CONSTANTS', '$log', '$q',
     'TcAuthService', 'UserService', 'ProfileService', 'ChallengeService', 'ExternalAccountService',
     'userHandle', 'profile', 'ngDialog'
   ];
 
-  function ProfileCtrl(CONSTANTS, $log, TcAuthService, UserService, ProfileService, ChallengeService, ExternalAccountService, userHandle, profile, ngDialog) {
+  function ProfileCtrl(CONSTANTS, $log, $q, TcAuthService, UserService, ProfileService, ChallengeService, ExternalAccountService, userHandle, profile, ngDialog) {
     var vm = this;
     // set profile to the object that was resolved
     vm.profile = profile;
@@ -58,17 +58,12 @@
     });
 
 
-    vm.externalLinksPromise = ExternalAccountService.getLinkedExternalAccounts(profile.userId).then(function(data) {
-      vm.linkedExternalAccounts = data;
-      vm.status.externalLinks = CONSTANTS.STATE_READY;
+    vm.externalLinksPromise = ExternalAccountService.getLinkedExternalLinksData(vm.userHandle).then(function(data) {
+      vm.linkedExternalAccountsData = data.plain();
     }).catch(function(err) {
       vm.status.externalLinks = CONSTANTS.STATE_ERROR;
     });
 
-    ExternalAccountService.getLinkedExternalLinksData(vm.userHandle).then(function(data) {
-      vm.linkedExternalAccountsData = data.plain();
-    });
-
     function activate() {
       $log.debug('Calling ProfileController activate()');
       // show edit profile link if user is authenticated and is viewing their own profile