diff --git a/sopel_modules/SpiceBot/Users.py b/sopel_modules/SpiceBot/Users.py
index 545c807..0fc51ea 100644
--- a/sopel_modules/SpiceBot/Users.py
+++ b/sopel_modules/SpiceBot/Users.py
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ from sopel_modules.spicemanip import spicemanip
 
 import threading
 import re
+import time
 
 # TODO timestamp for new .seen
 
@@ -29,6 +30,7 @@ class BotUsers():
                     "away": [],
                     "current": {},
                     "registered": botdb.get_bot_value('regged_users') or [],
+                    "notregistered": {},
                     }
         """during setup, all users from database are offline until marked online"""
         for user_id in list(self.dict["all"].keys()):
@@ -354,11 +356,17 @@ class BotUsers():
         self.lock.acquire()
         if str(nick).lower() not in [x.lower() for x in self.dict["registered"]]:
             self.dict["registered"].append(str(nick))
+        else:
+            self.dict["notregistered"][str(nick).lower()] = time.time()
         self.lock.release()
 
     def whois_send(self, bot, nick):
         if not bot.config.SpiceBot_regnick.regnick:
             return
+        if str(nick).lower() in [x.lower() for x in list(self.dict["notregistered"].keys())]:
+            timestamp = self.dict["notregistered"][str(nick).lower()]
+            if time.time() - timestamp < 240:
+                return
         if str(nick).lower() not in [x.lower() for x in self.dict["registered"]]:
             bot.write(['WHOIS', str(nick)])