diff --git a/src/components/chat_panel/chat_panel.js b/src/components/chat_panel/chat_panel.js
index d8736d17b0..959b5c3a25 100644
--- a/src/components/chat_panel/chat_panel.js
+++ b/src/components/chat_panel/chat_panel.js
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import generateProfileLink from 'src/services/user_profile_link_generator/user_profile_link_generator'
+
 const chatPanel = {
   data () {
     return {
@@ -9,6 +11,9 @@ const chatPanel = {
   computed: {
     messages () {
       return this.$store.state.chat.messages
+    },
+    userProfileLink (user) {
+      return generateProfileLink(user, user.name)
     }
   },
   methods: {
diff --git a/src/components/chat_panel/chat_panel.vue b/src/components/chat_panel/chat_panel.vue
index e36718186a..182ea347d7 100644
--- a/src/components/chat_panel/chat_panel.vue
+++ b/src/components/chat_panel/chat_panel.vue
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
             <img :src="message.author.avatar" />
           </span>
           <div class="chat-content">
-            <router-link class="chat-name" :to="{ name: 'user-profile', params: { name: message.author.username } }">
+            <router-link class="chat-name" :to="userProfileLink(message.author)">
               {{message.author.username}}
             </router-link>
             <br>
diff --git a/src/services/user_profile_link_generator/user_profile_link_generator.js b/src/services/user_profile_link_generator/user_profile_link_generator.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..88e0ec389d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/services/user_profile_link_generator/user_profile_link_generator.js
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+const generateProfileLink = (user, name = '') => {
+  const baseLinkParams = { name: 'user-profile' }
+  const { id } = user
+
+  return { ...baseLinkParams, params: (isExternal(user) ? { id } : { name }) }
+}
+
+const isExternal = ({screen_name}) => (screen_name.indexOf('@') > 0)
+
+export default generateProfileLink
diff --git a/test/unit/specs/services/user_profile_link_generator/user_profile_link_generator.spec.js b/test/unit/specs/services/user_profile_link_generator/user_profile_link_generator.spec.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..dbb2ba9de0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/unit/specs/services/user_profile_link_generator/user_profile_link_generator.spec.js
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+import generateProfileLink from 'src/services/user_profile_link_generator/user_profile_link_generator'
+
+describe('generateProfileLink', () => {
+  it('returns obj for local user', () => {
+    const user = { screen_name: 'john' }
+
+    expect(generateProfileLink(user, 'jack')).to.eql({ name: 'user-profile', params: { name: 'jack' } })
+  })
+
+  it('returns obj for external user', () => {
+    const user = { screen_name: 'john@domain', id: 1 }
+
+    expect(generateProfileLink(user)).to.eql({ name: 'user-profile', params: { id: 1 } })
+  })
+})