diff --git a/ts/test-electron/util/Username_test.ts b/ts/test-electron/util/Username_test.ts
index 43bc9f5fb..6f471230d 100644
--- a/ts/test-electron/util/Username_test.ts
+++ b/ts/test-electron/util/Username_test.ts
@@ -15,8 +15,14 @@ describe('Username', () => {
     });
 
     it('matches partial username searches without discriminator', () => {
-      assert.strictEqual(getUsernameFromSearch('use'), 'use');
-      assert.strictEqual(getUsernameFromSearch('use.'), 'use.');
+      assert.strictEqual(getUsernameFromSearch('use'), 'use.01');
+      assert.strictEqual(getUsernameFromSearch('use.'), 'use.01');
+    });
+
+    it('matches and strips leading @', () => {
+      assert.strictEqual(getUsernameFromSearch('@user'), 'user.01');
+      assert.strictEqual(getUsernameFromSearch('@user.'), 'user.01');
+      assert.strictEqual(getUsernameFromSearch('@user.01'), 'user.01');
     });
 
     it('matches valid username searches', () => {
diff --git a/ts/util/Username.ts b/ts/util/Username.ts
index f6d19c5d0..225576cd5 100644
--- a/ts/util/Username.ts
+++ b/ts/util/Username.ts
@@ -24,17 +24,21 @@ export function getUsernameFromSearch(searchTerm: string): string | undefined {
   }
 
   let modifiedTerm = searchTerm;
-  if (searchTerm.endsWith('.')) {
+
+  if (modifiedTerm.startsWith('@')) {
+    modifiedTerm = modifiedTerm.slice(1);
+  }
+  if (modifiedTerm.endsWith('.')) {
     // Allow nicknames without full discriminator
-    modifiedTerm = `${searchTerm}01`;
-  } else if (!/\.\d*$/.test(searchTerm)) {
+    modifiedTerm = `${modifiedTerm}01`;
+  } else if (!/\.\d*$/.test(modifiedTerm)) {
     // Allow nicknames without discriminator
-    modifiedTerm = `${searchTerm}.01`;
+    modifiedTerm = `${modifiedTerm}.01`;
   }
 
   try {
     usernames.hash(modifiedTerm);
-    return searchTerm;
+    return modifiedTerm;
   } catch {
     return undefined;
   }
diff --git a/ts/util/lookupConversationWithoutServiceId.ts b/ts/util/lookupConversationWithoutServiceId.ts
index 58cd7679b..1953aef49 100644
--- a/ts/util/lookupConversationWithoutServiceId.ts
+++ b/ts/util/lookupConversationWithoutServiceId.ts
@@ -142,8 +142,13 @@ export async function checkForUsername(
   username: string
 ): Promise<FoundUsernameType | undefined> {
   let hash: Buffer;
+  let fixedUsername = username;
+  if (fixedUsername.startsWith('@')) {
+    fixedUsername = fixedUsername.slice(1);
+  }
+
   try {
-    hash = usernames.hash(username);
+    hash = usernames.hash(fixedUsername);
   } catch (error) {
     log.error('checkForUsername: invalid username', Errors.toLogFormat(error));
     return undefined;
@@ -166,7 +171,7 @@ export async function checkForUsername(
 
     return {
       aci: account.uuid,
-      username,
+      username: fixedUsername,
     };
   } catch (error) {
     if (error instanceof HTTPError) {