diff --git a/test/spec/groupCtrlSpec.js b/test/spec/groupCtrlSpec.js
index fa7148527c..7e7abb598d 100644
--- a/test/spec/groupCtrlSpec.js
+++ b/test/spec/groupCtrlSpec.js
@@ -137,23 +137,28 @@ describe("Autocomplete controller", function() {
   })
 
   describe("filterUser", function() {
-    it('filters with undefined query (not loaded yet) and defaults to true', function() {
-        expect(scope.filterUser({user: "boo"})).to.be.eq(true);
+    it('filters with undefined query (not loaded yet) and returns false (so it will not be rendered)', function() {
+        expect(scope.filterUser({user: "boo"})).to.be.eq(false);
     })
 
-    it('filters with null query (no typing yet) and defaults to true', function() {
+    it('filters with null query (no typing yet) and returns false (so it will not be rendered)', function() {
       scope.query = null
-      expect(scope.filterUser({user: "boo"})).to.be.ok
+      expect(scope.filterUser({user: "boo"})).to.be.eq(false);
+    })
+
+    it('filters with empty prefix and returns true', function() {
+      scope.query = {text: ""}
+      expect(scope.filterUser({user: "prefix"})).to.be.eq(true);
     })
 
     it('filters with prefix element and returns true', function() {
       scope.query = {text: "pre"}
-      expect(scope.filterUser({user: "prefix"})).to.be.ok
+      expect(scope.filterUser({user: "prefix"})).to.be.eq(true);
     })
 
     it('filters with nonprefix element and returns false', function() {
       scope.query = {text: "noprefix"}
-      expect(scope.filterUser({user: "prefix"})).to.not.be.ok
+      expect(scope.filterUser({user: "prefix"})).to.be.eq(false);
     })
   });
 });
diff --git a/website/public/js/controllers/groupsCtrl.js b/website/public/js/controllers/groupsCtrl.js
index a16665b602..7dfdf5a84f 100644
--- a/website/public/js/controllers/groupsCtrl.js
+++ b/website/public/js/controllers/groupsCtrl.js
@@ -220,11 +220,11 @@ habitrpg.controller("GroupsCtrl", ['$scope', '$rootScope', 'Shared', 'Groups', '
       $scope.usernames = [];
     }
 
-    $scope.filterUser = function(userItem) {
+    $scope.filterUser = function(msg) {
       if ($scope.query === undefined || $scope.query === null) {
-        return true;
+        return false;
       }
-      return userItem.user.indexOf($scope.query.text) == 0; // query should be prefix of item.user
+      return msg.user.indexOf($scope.query.text) == 0; // query should be prefix of item.user
     }
 
     $scope.addNewUser = function(user) {
diff --git a/website/views/options/social/chat-box.jade b/website/views/options/social/chat-box.jade
index edc78f8eed..047f6e4eea 100644
--- a/website/views/options/social/chat-box.jade
+++ b/website/views/options/social/chat-box.jade
@@ -15,8 +15,8 @@ form.chat-form(ng-if='user.flags.communityGuidelinesAccepted' ng-submit='postCha
     textarea.form-control(rows=4, ui-keydown='{"meta-enter":"postChat(group,message.content)"}', ui-keypress='{13:"postChat(group,message.content)"}', ng-model='message.content', updateinterval='250', flag='@', at-user, auto-complete placeholder="{{group._id == 'habitrpg' ? env.t('tavernCommunityGuidelinesPlaceholder') : ''}}")
     span.user-list(ng-show='!isAtListHidden')
       ul.list-at-user
-        li(ng-repeat='user in response | filter:filterUser | limitTo: 5', ng-click='autoComplete(user)')
-          span.username.label.label-default(ng-class=':: userLevelStyle(user)') {{::user.user}}
+        li(ng-repeat='msg in response | filter:filterUser | limitTo: 5', ng-click='autoComplete(msg)')
+          span.username.label.label-default(ng-class=':: userLevelStyle(msg)') {{::msg.user}}
   .chat-controls
     .chat-formatting
       include ../../shared/formatting-help