diff --git a/app/soapbox/components/autosuggest-account-input.tsx b/app/soapbox/components/autosuggest-account-input.tsx
index 9aebe9f6f..352be593b 100644
--- a/app/soapbox/components/autosuggest-account-input.tsx
+++ b/app/soapbox/components/autosuggest-account-input.tsx
@@ -71,6 +71,12 @@ const AutosuggestAccountInput: React.FC<IAutosuggestAccountInput> = ({
     }
   };
 
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (rest.autoFocus) {
+      handleAccountSearch('');
+    }
+  }, []);
+
   useEffect(() => {
     if (value === '') {
       clearResults();
diff --git a/app/soapbox/features/chats/components/chat-search/chat-search.tsx b/app/soapbox/features/chats/components/chat-search/chat-search.tsx
index 43fa95361..c3ee19982 100644
--- a/app/soapbox/features/chats/components/chat-search/chat-search.tsx
+++ b/app/soapbox/features/chats/components/chat-search/chat-search.tsx
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ const ChatSearch = () => {
   const { isOpen, changeScreen, toggleChatPane } = useChatContext();
   const { getOrCreateChatByAccountId } = useChats();
 
-  const [value, setValue] = useState<string>();
+  const [value, setValue] = useState<string>('');
   const debouncedValue = debounce(value as string, 300);
 
   const { data: accounts, isFetching } = useAccountSearch(debouncedValue);