diff --git a/native/chat/message-list-container.react.js b/native/chat/message-list-container.react.js
--- a/native/chat/message-list-container.react.js
+++ b/native/chat/message-list-container.react.js
@@ -265,11 +265,20 @@
     const serverSearchResults = useSearchUsers(usernameInputText);
 
     const auxUserInfos = useSelector(state => state.auxUserStore.auxUserInfos);
+    const viewerID = useSelector(state => state.currentUserInfo?.id);
+    const excludeUserIDs = React.useMemo(
+      () => [
+        ...userInfoInputArray.map(userInfo => userInfo.id),
+        ...(viewerID && userInfoInputArray.length > 0 ? [viewerID] : []),
+      ],
+      [userInfoInputArray, viewerID],
+    );
+
     const userSearchResults = usePotentialMemberItems({
       text: usernameInputText,
       userInfos: otherUserInfos,
       auxUserInfos,
-      excludeUserIDs: userInfoInputArray.map(userInfo => userInfo.id),
+      excludeUserIDs,
       includeServerSearchUsers: serverSearchResults,
     });
 
diff --git a/web/chat/chat-thread-composer.react.js b/web/chat/chat-thread-composer.react.js
--- a/web/chat/chat-thread-composer.react.js
+++ b/web/chat/chat-thread-composer.react.js
@@ -52,9 +52,16 @@
 
   const dispatch = useDispatch();
 
-  const userInfoInputIDs = React.useMemo(
-    () => userInfoInputArray.map(userInfo => userInfo.id),
-    [userInfoInputArray],
+  const loggedInUserInfo = useLoggedInUserInfo();
+  invariant(loggedInUserInfo, 'loggedInUserInfo should be set');
+  const viewerID = loggedInUserInfo.id;
+
+  const excludeUserIDs = React.useMemo(
+    () => [
+      ...userInfoInputArray.map(userInfo => userInfo.id),
+      ...(viewerID && userInfoInputArray.length > 0 ? [viewerID] : []),
+    ],
+    [userInfoInputArray, viewerID],
   );
 
   const searchResults = useSearchUsers(usernameInputText);
@@ -65,19 +72,17 @@
     text: usernameInputText,
     userInfos: otherUserInfos,
     auxUserInfos,
-    excludeUserIDs: userInfoInputIDs,
+    excludeUserIDs,
     includeServerSearchUsers: searchResults,
   });
 
   const userListItemsWithENSNames = useENSNames(userListItems);
 
   const { pushModal } = useModalContext();
-  const loggedInUserInfo = useLoggedInUserInfo();
-  invariant(loggedInUserInfo, 'loggedInUserInfo should be set');
 
   const pendingPrivateThread = React.useRef(
     createPendingThread({
-      viewerID: loggedInUserInfo.id,
+      viewerID,
       threadType: threadTypes.GENESIS_PRIVATE,
       members: [loggedInUserInfo],
     }),