diff --git a/frontend_tests/node_tests/search_suggestion.js b/frontend_tests/node_tests/search_suggestion.js
index cc63d780da..aa40fadac2 100644
--- a/frontend_tests/node_tests/search_suggestion.js
+++ b/frontend_tests/node_tests/search_suggestion.js
@@ -422,6 +422,13 @@ run_test('group_suggestions', () => {
         "pm-with:jeff@zulip.com,ted@zulip.com",
     ];
     assert.deepEqual(suggestions.strings, expected);
+
+    query = "pm-with:jeff@zulip.com,ted@zulip.com hi";
+    suggestions = search.get_suggestions("", query);
+    expected = [
+        "pm-with:jeff@zulip.com,ted@zulip.com hi",
+    ];
+    assert.deepEqual(suggestions.strings, expected);
 });
 
 init();
diff --git a/frontend_tests/node_tests/search_suggestion_legacy.js b/frontend_tests/node_tests/search_suggestion_legacy.js
index 9c98066855..b40f85930e 100644
--- a/frontend_tests/node_tests/search_suggestion_legacy.js
+++ b/frontend_tests/node_tests/search_suggestion_legacy.js
@@ -426,6 +426,15 @@ run_test('group_suggestions', () => {
         "pm-with:jeff@zulip.com,ted@zulip.com",
     ];
     assert.deepEqual(suggestions.strings, expected);
+
+    query = "pm-with:jeff@zulip.com,ted@zulip.com hi";
+    suggestions = search.get_suggestions_legacy(query);
+    expected = [
+        "pm-with:jeff@zulip.com,ted@zulip.com hi",
+        "pm-with:jeff@zulip.com,ted@zulip.com",
+    ];
+    assert.deepEqual(suggestions.strings, expected);
+
 });
 
 init();
diff --git a/static/js/search_suggestion.js b/static/js/search_suggestion.js
index bbc4cd8159..09d9feb631 100644
--- a/static/js/search_suggestion.js
+++ b/static/js/search_suggestion.js
@@ -588,7 +588,7 @@ exports.get_suggestions = function (base_query, query) {
         last.operator === 'search' &&
         person_suggestion_ops.indexOf(query_operators[query_operators_len - 2].operator) !== -1) {
         var person_op = query_operators[query_operators_len - 2];
-        if (!people.get_by_email(person_op.operand)) {
+        if (!people.reply_to_to_user_ids_string(person_op.operand)) {
             last = {
                 operator: person_op.operator,
                 operand: person_op.operand + ' ' + last.operand,
@@ -713,7 +713,7 @@ exports.get_suggestions_legacy = function (query) {
         last.operator === 'search' &&
         person_suggestion_ops.indexOf(operators[operators_len - 2].operator) !== -1) {
         var person_op = operators[operators_len - 2];
-        if (!people.get_by_email(person_op.operand)) {
+        if (!people.reply_to_to_user_ids_string(person_op.operand)) {
             last = {
                 operator: person_op.operator,
                 operand: person_op.operand + ' ' + last.operand,