diff --git a/src/store/group_config.rs b/src/store/group_config.rs
index 838b925..08c086b 100644
--- a/src/store/group_config.rs
+++ b/src/store/group_config.rs
@@ -666,13 +666,15 @@ mod tests {
         assert!(!group.is_banned("piggo@piggo.space"), "user not banned by default");
 
         group.ban_user("piggo@piggo.space", true).unwrap();
-        assert!(group.is_member("piggo@piggo.space"), "still member even if banned");
+        assert!(!group.is_member("piggo@piggo.space"), "banned user is kicked");
         assert!(group.is_banned("piggo@piggo.space"), "banned user is banned");
 
         assert!(!group.can_write("piggo@piggo.space"), "banned member can't post");
 
         // unban
         group.ban_user("piggo@piggo.space", false).unwrap();
+        assert!(!group.can_write("piggo@piggo.space"), "unbanned member is still kicked");
+        group.set_member("piggo@piggo.space", true).unwrap();
         assert!(group.can_write("piggo@piggo.space"), "un-ban works");
     }
 
diff --git a/src/utils.rs b/src/utils.rs
index 01cb258..efbceec 100644
--- a/src/utils.rs
+++ b/src/utils.rs
@@ -19,8 +19,8 @@ impl<V, E: Error> LogError for Result<V, E> {
     }
 }
 
-pub(crate) fn acct_to_server(acct: &str) -> Option<&str> {
-    acct.trim_start_matches('@').split('@').nth(1)
+pub(crate) fn acct_to_server(acct: &str) -> Option<String> {
+    acct.trim_start_matches('@').split('@').nth(1).map(|s| s.to_lowercase())
 }
 
 pub(crate) fn normalize_acct(acct: &str, group: &str) -> Result<String, GroupError> {
@@ -45,8 +45,8 @@ mod test {
 
     #[test]
     fn test_acct_to_server() {
-        assert_eq!(Some("novak"), acct_to_server("pepa@novak"));
-        assert_eq!(Some("banana.co.uk"), acct_to_server("@pepa@banana.co.uk"));
+        assert_eq!(Some("novak".to_string()), acct_to_server("pepa@novak"));
+        assert_eq!(Some("banana.co.uk".to_string()), acct_to_server("@pepa@banana.co.uk"));
         assert_eq!(None, acct_to_server("probably_local"));
     }
 
@@ -82,11 +82,11 @@ mod test {
         );
         assert_eq!(
             Ok("piggo@piggo.space".into()),
-            normalize_acct("piGGgo@pIggo.spaCe", "uhh")
+            normalize_acct("piGGo@pIggo.spaCe", "uhh")
         );
         assert_eq!(
             Ok("piggo@banana.nana".into()),
-            normalize_acct("piGGgo", "foo@baNANA.nana")
+            normalize_acct("piGGo", "foo@baNANA.nana")
         );
         assert_eq!(Err(GroupError::BadConfig("_".into())), normalize_acct("piggo", "uhh"));
     }