diff --git a/website/public/js/controllers/groupsCtrl.js b/website/public/js/controllers/groupsCtrl.js
index aa99d3af83..086eaa3fb4 100644
--- a/website/public/js/controllers/groupsCtrl.js
+++ b/website/public/js/controllers/groupsCtrl.js
@@ -220,6 +220,13 @@ habitrpg.controller("GroupsCtrl", ['$scope', '$rootScope', 'Shared', 'Groups', '
       $scope.usernames = [];
     }
 
+    $scope.filterUser = function(item) {
+      if ($scope.query === undefined || $scope.query === null) {
+        return true;
+      }
+      return item.user.indexOf($scope.query.text) == 0; // query should be prefix of item.user
+    }
+
     $scope.addNewUser = function(user) {
       if($.inArray(user.user,$scope.usernames) == -1) {
         user.username = user.user;
diff --git a/website/views/options/social/chat-box.jade b/website/views/options/social/chat-box.jade
index c30dc9184e..edc78f8eed 100644
--- a/website/views/options/social/chat-box.jade
+++ b/website/views/options/social/chat-box.jade
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ 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:query.text | limitTo: 5', ng-click='autoComplete(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}}
   .chat-controls
     .chat-formatting