diff --git src/bp-messages/bp-messages-cssjs.php src/bp-messages/bp-messages-cssjs.php
index 33cdf16..b4095ef 100644
--- src/bp-messages/bp-messages-cssjs.php
+++ src/bp-messages/bp-messages-cssjs.php
@@ -68,6 +68,27 @@ function messages_autocomplete_init_jsblock() {
 				var users = document.getElementById('send-to-usernames').className;
 				document.getElementById('send-to-usernames').value = String(users);
 			});
+
+			/**
+			 * This part is a temporary fix to make sure the recipient added using PHP
+			 * is not a li nested in another li and is displayed like autocomplete results.
+			 *
+			 * The correct fix would be to put the <?php bp_message_get_recipient_tabs(); ?>
+			 * before the li in bp-templates/members/single/messages/compose.php
+			 *
+			 * @see https://buddypress.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/6935
+			 */
+			var move = false;
+
+			jQuery( 'ul.first.acfb-holder li' ).each( function( i, element ) {
+				if ( jQuery( element ).hasClass( 'friend-tab' ) ) {
+					move = jQuery( element );
+				}
+			} );
+
+			if ( false !== move ) {
+				jQuery( 'ul.first.acfb-holder li' ).first().html( jQuery( '#send-to-input' ) ).before( move );
+			}
 		});
 	</script>
 
diff --git src/bp-messages/bp-messages-template.php src/bp-messages/bp-messages-template.php
index b5b7f8e..a765842 100644
--- src/bp-messages/bp-messages-template.php
+++ src/bp-messages/bp-messages-template.php
@@ -1380,10 +1380,13 @@ function bp_message_get_recipient_tabs() {
 		if ( ! empty( $user_id ) ) : ?>
 
 			<li id="un-<?php echo esc_attr( $recipient ); ?>" class="friend-tab">
-				<span><?php
-					echo bp_core_fetch_avatar( array( 'item_id' => $user_id, 'type' => 'thumb', 'width' => 15, 'height' => 15 ) );
-					echo bp_core_get_userlink( $user_id );
-				?></span>
+				<span>
+					<?php printf( '<a href="%1$s">%2$s &nbsp; %3$s</a>',
+						esc_url( bp_core_get_user_domain( $user_id ) ),
+						bp_core_fetch_avatar( array( 'item_id' => $user_id, 'type' => 'thumb', 'width' => 15, 'height' => 15, 'class' => '' ) ),
+						esc_html( bp_core_get_user_displayname( $user_id ) )
+					); ?>
+				</span>
 			</li>
 
 		<?php endif;