diff --git src/bp-activity/bp-activity-functions.php src/bp-activity/bp-activity-functions.php
index 30c8fc567..90683de56 100644
--- src/bp-activity/bp-activity-functions.php
+++ src/bp-activity/bp-activity-functions.php
@@ -3916,38 +3916,6 @@ function bp_activity_do_heartbeat() {
 	return (bool) apply_filters( 'bp_activity_do_heartbeat', $retval );
 }
 
-/**
- * AJAX endpoint for Suggestions API lookups.
- *
- * @since 2.1.0
- */
-function bp_ajax_get_suggestions() {
-	if ( ! bp_is_user_active() || empty( $_GET['term'] ) || empty( $_GET['type'] ) ) {
-		wp_send_json_error( 'missing_parameter' );
-		exit;
-	}
-
-	$args = array(
-		'term' => sanitize_text_field( $_GET['term'] ),
-		'type' => sanitize_text_field( $_GET['type'] ),
-	);
-
-	// Support per-Group suggestions.
-	if ( ! empty( $_GET['group-id'] ) ) {
-		$args['group_id'] = absint( $_GET['group-id'] );
-	}
-
-	$results = bp_core_get_suggestions( $args );
-
-	if ( is_wp_error( $results ) ) {
-		wp_send_json_error( $results->get_error_message() );
-		exit;
-	}
-
-	wp_send_json_success( $results );
-}
-add_action( 'wp_ajax_bp_get_suggestions', 'bp_ajax_get_suggestions' );
-
 /**
  * Detect a change in post type status, and initiate an activity update if necessary.
  *
diff --git src/bp-core/bp-core-functions.php src/bp-core/bp-core-functions.php
index cc41d689e..a88898171 100644
--- src/bp-core/bp-core-functions.php
+++ src/bp-core/bp-core-functions.php
@@ -2767,6 +2767,40 @@ function bp_core_get_suggestions( $args ) {
 	return apply_filters( 'bp_core_get_suggestions', $retval, $args );
 }
 
+/**
+ * AJAX endpoint for Suggestions API lookups.
+ *
+ * @since  2.1.0
+ * @since  3.3.0 Moved here to make sure this function is available
+ *               even if the Activity component is not active.
+ */
+function bp_ajax_get_suggestions() {
+	if ( ! bp_is_user_active() || empty( $_GET['term'] ) || empty( $_GET['type'] ) ) {
+		wp_send_json_error( 'missing_parameter' );
+		exit;
+	}
+
+	$args = array(
+		'term' => sanitize_text_field( $_GET['term'] ),
+		'type' => sanitize_text_field( $_GET['type'] ),
+	);
+
+	// Support per-Group suggestions.
+	if ( ! empty( $_GET['group-id'] ) ) {
+		$args['group_id'] = absint( $_GET['group-id'] );
+	}
+
+	$results = bp_core_get_suggestions( $args );
+
+	if ( is_wp_error( $results ) ) {
+		wp_send_json_error( $results->get_error_message() );
+		exit;
+	}
+
+	wp_send_json_success( $results );
+}
+add_action( 'wp_ajax_bp_get_suggestions', 'bp_ajax_get_suggestions' );
+
 /**
  * Set data from the BP root blog's upload directory.
  *