diff --git a/app/controllers/api/v1/stats_controller.rb b/app/controllers/api/v1/stats_controller.rb
index 026f484..03db7bb 100644
--- a/app/controllers/api/v1/stats_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/api/v1/stats_controller.rb
@@ -166,13 +166,35 @@ class Api::V1::StatsController < ApplicationController
       if identifier == "my" && token.present?
         ApiKey.find_by(token: token)&.user
       else
-        User.find_by(id: identifier) ||
-          User.find_by(slack_uid: identifier) ||
-          User.find_by(username: identifier)
+        lookup_user(identifier)
       end
     end
   end
 
+  def lookup_user(id)
+    return nil if id.blank?
+
+    if id.match?(/^\d+$/)
+      user = User.find_by(id: id)
+      return user if user
+    end
+
+    user = User.find_by(slack_uid: id)
+    return user if user
+
+    # email lookup, but you really should not be using this cuz like wtf
+    # if identifier.include?("@")
+    #   email_record = EmailAddress.find_by(email: identifier)
+    #   return email_record.user if email_record
+    # end
+
+    user = User.find_by(username: id)
+    return user if user
+
+    # skill issue zone
+    nil
+  end
+
   def ensure_authenticated!
     token = request.headers["Authorization"]&.split(" ")&.last
     token ||= params[:api_key]