diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/helpers/application_helpers.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/helpers/application_helpers.js
index df586a31d40..c65bf622169 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/helpers/application_helpers.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/helpers/application_helpers.js
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ Handlebars.registerHelper('breakUp', function(property, options) {
   prop = Ember.Handlebars.get(this, property, options);
   if (!prop) return "";
 
-  return Discourse.Formatter.breakUp(prop, 13);
+  return Discourse.Formatter.breakUp(prop);
 });
 
 /**
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/lib/formatter.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/lib/formatter.js
index 85f0de23ad1..40976524884 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/lib/formatter.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/lib/formatter.js
@@ -6,39 +6,30 @@ Discourse.Formatter = (function(){
       relativeAgeMedium, relativeAgeMediumSpan, longDate, toTitleCase,
       shortDate, shortDateNoYear, tinyDateYear, breakUp;
 
-  breakUp = function(string, maxLength){
-    if(string.length <= maxLength) {
-      return string;
-    }
+  breakUp = function(str){
+    var rval = [];
+    var prev = str[0];
+    var cur;
 
-    var firstPart = string.substr(0, maxLength);
-
-    // work backward to split stuff like ABPoop to AB Poop
-    var i;
-    for(i=firstPart.length-1;i>0;i--){
-      if(firstPart[i].match(/[A-Z]/)){
-        break;
+    rval.push(prev);
+    for (var i=1;i<str.length;i++) {
+      cur = str[i];
+      if(prev.match(/[^0-9]/) && cur.match(/[0-9]/)){
+        rval.push("<wbr>");
+      } else if(i>1 && prev.match(/[A-Z]/) && cur.match(/[a-z]/)){
+        rval.pop();
+        rval.push("<wbr>");
+        rval.push(prev);
+      } else if(prev.match(/[^A-Za-z0-9]/) && cur.match(/[a-zA-Z0-9]/)){
+        rval.push("<wbr>");
       }
+
+      rval.push(cur);
+      prev = cur;
     }
 
-    // work forwards to split stuff like ab111 to ab 111
-    if(i===0) {
-      for(i=1;i<firstPart.length;i++){
-        if(firstPart[i].match(/[^a-z]/)){
-          break;
-        }
-      }
-    }
+    return rval.join("");
 
-    if (i > 0 && i < firstPart.length) {
-      var offset = 0;
-      if(string[i] === "_") {
-        offset = 1;
-      }
-      return string.substr(0, i + offset) + " " + string.substring(i + offset);
-    } else {
-      return firstPart + " " + string.substr(maxLength);
-    }
   };
 
   shortDate = function(date){
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/embedded_post.js.handlebars b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/embedded_post.js.handlebars
index f8ea4fc9b68..31a3d740a53 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/embedded_post.js.handlebars
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/embedded_post.js.handlebars
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
       <div>
         <a href='/users/{{unbound username}}'>{{avatar this imageSize="large"}}</a>
       </div>
-      <h5 {{bindAttr class="staff new_user"}}><a href='{{unbound usernameUrl}}'>{{breakUp username}}</a></h5>
+      <h5 {{bindAttr class="staff new_user"}}><a href='{{unbound usernameUrl}}'>{{{breakUp username}}}</a></h5>
     </div>
   </div>
   <div class='span11 topic-body'>
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/post.js.handlebars b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/post.js.handlebars
index 4e25dca7b63..5349123210c 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/post.js.handlebars
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/post.js.handlebars
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
       {{#unless userDeleted}}
         <div {{bindAttr class=":contents byTopicCreator:topic-creator :trigger-expansion"}}>
           <a href='{{unbound usernameUrl}}' {{action showPosterExpansion this}}>{{avatar this imageSize="large"}}</a>
-          <h3 {{bindAttr class="staff new_user"}}><a href='{{unbound usernameUrl}}' {{action showPosterExpansion this}}>{{breakUp username}}</a></h3>
+          <h3 {{bindAttr class="staff new_user"}}><a href='{{unbound usernameUrl}}' {{action showPosterExpansion this}}>{{{breakUp username}}}</a></h3>
 
           {{#if showName}}
           <h3><a href='{{unbound usernameUrl}}' {{action showPosterExpansion this}}>{{breakUp name}}</a></h3>
@@ -85,4 +85,4 @@
 
 </article>
 
-{{post-gap post=this postStream=controller.postStream before="false"}}
\ No newline at end of file
+{{post-gap post=this postStream=controller.postStream before="false"}}
diff --git a/test/javascripts/lib/formatter_test.js b/test/javascripts/lib/formatter_test.js
index 0767ca379e8..fef48e1b115 100644
--- a/test/javascripts/lib/formatter_test.js
+++ b/test/javascripts/lib/formatter_test.js
@@ -192,13 +192,13 @@ test("updateRelativeAge", function(){
 
 test("breakUp", function(){
 
-  var b = function(s){ return Discourse.Formatter.breakUp(s,5); };
+  var b = function(s){ return Discourse.Formatter.breakUp(s); };
 
   equal(b("hello"), "hello");
-  equal(b("helloworld"), "hello world");
-  equal(b("HeMans"), "He Mans");
-  equal(b("he_man"), "he_ man");
-  equal(b("he11111"), "he 11111");
-  equal(b("HRCBob"), "HRC Bob");
+  equal(b("helloworld"), "helloworld");
+  equal(b("HeMans11"), "He<wbr>Mans<wbr>11");
+  equal(b("he_man"), "he_<wbr>man");
+  equal(b("he11111"), "he<wbr>11111");
+  equal(b("HRCBob"), "HRC<wbr>Bob");
 
 });