diff --git src/bp-messages/bp-messages-cssjs.php src/bp-messages/bp-messages-cssjs.php
index 33cdf16..8a2359a 100644
--- src/bp-messages/bp-messages-cssjs.php
+++ src/bp-messages/bp-messages-cssjs.php
@@ -68,6 +68,33 @@ 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. It preserves back compat with
+			 * themes overriding the Messages compose screen template.
+			 *
+			 * The right fix would be to put the <?php bp_message_get_recipient_tabs(); ?> before the li
+			 * in bp-templates/bp-legacy/buddypress/members/single/messages/compose.php.
+			 *
+			 * @see https://buddypress.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/6935
+			 */
+			var move = [];
+
+			jQuery( 'ul.first.acfb-holder li' ).each( function( i, element ) {
+				if ( jQuery( element ).hasClass( 'friend-tab' ) ) {
+					move.push( jQuery( element ) );
+				}
+			} );
+
+			if ( move.length > 0 ) {
+				var first = jQuery( 'ul.first.acfb-holder li' ).first();
+
+				first.html( jQuery( '#send-to-input' ) );
+				jQuery.each( move, function( i, m ) {
+					first.before( m );
+				} );
+			}
 		});
 	</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;
diff --git src/bp-messages/js/autocomplete/jquery.autocompletefb.js src/bp-messages/js/autocomplete/jquery.autocompletefb.js
index a63386e..4b6a321 100644
--- src/bp-messages/js/autocomplete/jquery.autocompletefb.js
+++ src/bp-messages/js/autocomplete/jquery.autocompletefb.js
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ jQuery.fn.autoCompletefb = function(options)
 		var un = d[1].substr(0, d[1].length-1);
 
 		/* Don't add the same user multiple times */
-		if( 0 === jQuery(settings.inputClass).siblings('#un-' + un).length ) {
+		if( 0 === jQuery( settings.inputClass ).closest( 'ul' ).find( '#un-' + un ).length ) {
 			var ln = '#link-' + un;
 			var l = jQuery(ln).attr('href');
 			var v = '<li class="'+f+'" id="un-'+un+'"><span><a href="'+l+'">'+d[0]+'</a></span> <span class="p">X</span></li>';