diff --git a/test/spec/groupCtrlSpec.js b/test/spec/groupCtrlSpec.js
index 21a43affb0..a85cb7b810 100644
--- a/test/spec/groupCtrlSpec.js
+++ b/test/spec/groupCtrlSpec.js
@@ -219,6 +219,20 @@ describe("Autocomplete controller", function() {
     });
   });
 
+  describe("performCompletion", function() {
+    it('triggers autoComplete', function() {
+      scope.autoComplete = sinon.spy();
+
+      var msg = {user: "boo"}; // scope.autoComplete only cares about user
+      scope.query = {text: "b"};
+      scope.performCompletion(msg);
+
+      expect(scope.query).to.be.eq(null);
+      expect(scope.autoComplete.callCount).to.be.eq(1);
+      expect(scope.autoComplete).to.have.been.calledWith(msg);
+    });
+  });
+
   describe("addNewUser", function() {
     it('a new message from a new user will modify the usernames', function() {
       expect(scope.response).to.be.empty;
diff --git a/website/public/js/controllers/groupsCtrl.js b/website/public/js/controllers/groupsCtrl.js
index f8a099d435..7ef422ea98 100644
--- a/website/public/js/controllers/groupsCtrl.js
+++ b/website/public/js/controllers/groupsCtrl.js
@@ -232,6 +232,11 @@ habitrpg.controller("GroupsCtrl", ['$scope', '$rootScope', 'Shared', 'Groups', '
       return user.indexOf(text) == 0;
     }
 
+    $scope.performCompletion = function(msg) {
+      $scope.autoComplete(msg);
+      $scope.query = null;
+    }
+
     $scope.addNewUser = function(user) {
       if($.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 047f6e4eea..2266fd5e31 100644
--- a/website/views/options/social/chat-box.jade
+++ b/website/views/options/social/chat-box.jade
@@ -13,9 +13,9 @@ div.chat-form.guidelines-not-accepted(ng-if='!user.flags.communityGuidelinesAcce
 form.chat-form(ng-if='user.flags.communityGuidelinesAccepted' ng-submit='postChat(group,message.content)')
   div(ng-controller='AutocompleteCtrl')
     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='msg in response | filter:filterUser | limitTo: 5', ng-click='autoComplete(msg)')
+    span.user-list
+      ul.list-at-user(ng-show="query")
+        li(ng-repeat='msg in response | filter:filterUser | limitTo: 5', ng-click='performCompletion(msg)')
           span.username.label.label-default(ng-class=':: userLevelStyle(msg)') {{::msg.user}}
   .chat-controls
     .chat-formatting