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;
diff --git src/bp-templates/bp-legacy/buddypress/members/single/messages/compose.php src/bp-templates/bp-legacy/buddypress/members/single/messages/compose.php
index 3eebb16..65178a8 100644
--- src/bp-templates/bp-legacy/buddypress/members/single/messages/compose.php
+++ src/bp-templates/bp-legacy/buddypress/members/single/messages/compose.php
@@ -20,8 +20,10 @@
 
 	<label for="send-to-input"><?php _e("Send To (Username or Friend's Name)", 'buddypress' ); ?></label>
 	<ul class="first acfb-holder">
+
+		<?php bp_message_get_recipient_tabs(); ?>
+
 		<li>
-			<?php bp_message_get_recipient_tabs(); ?>
 			<input type="text" name="send-to-input" class="send-to-input" id="send-to-input" />
 		</li>
 	</ul>