diff --git a/src/components/user_finder/user_finder.js b/src/components/user_finder/user_finder.js
index abd40d51dd24b7e432a98803c1a4bba9600f3cf0..a743b5f666633db742d070d0d74168001314a3e8 100644
--- a/src/components/user_finder/user_finder.js
+++ b/src/components/user_finder/user_finder.js
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ const UserFinder = {
   }),
   methods: {
     findUser (username) {
+      username = username[0] === '@' ? username.slice(1) : username
       this.loading = true
       this.$store.state.api.backendInteractor.externalProfile(username)
         .then((user) => {