diff --git a/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/ConversationActivity.java b/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/ConversationActivity.java
index 7be956abb5..b102f522f5 100644
--- a/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/ConversationActivity.java
+++ b/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/ConversationActivity.java
@@ -631,9 +631,9 @@ public class ConversationActivity extends PassphraseRequiredSherlockFragmentActi
   }
 
   private void initializeRecipientsInput() {
-    if (recipients == null || recipients.isEmpty())
+    if (recipients == null || recipients.isEmpty()) {
       recipientsPanel.setVisibility(View.VISIBLE);
-    else if (recipients != null) {
+    } else if (recipients != null) {
       recipientsPanel.addRecipients(this.recipients);
     } else {
       InputMethodManager input = (InputMethodManager)getSystemService(Context.INPUT_METHOD_SERVICE);
diff --git a/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/SingleContactSelectionActivity.java b/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/SingleContactSelectionActivity.java
index d4e0be67a7..339334098c 100644
--- a/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/SingleContactSelectionActivity.java
+++ b/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/SingleContactSelectionActivity.java
@@ -25,15 +25,20 @@ import com.actionbarsherlock.app.ActionBar;
 import com.actionbarsherlock.view.MenuItem;
 
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.components.SingleRecipientPanel;
+import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.contacts.ContactAccessor;
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.database.DatabaseFactory;
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.database.ThreadDatabase;
+import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.recipients.Recipient;
+import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.recipients.RecipientFactory;
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.recipients.RecipientFormattingException;
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.recipients.Recipients;
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.util.ActionBarUtil;
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.util.DynamicTheme;
+import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.util.NumberUtil;
 import org.whispersystems.textsecure.crypto.MasterSecret;
 
 import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.List;
 
 import static org.thoughtcrime.securesms.contacts.ContactAccessor.ContactData;
 
@@ -72,29 +77,35 @@ public class SingleContactSelectionActivity extends PassphraseRequiredSherlockFr
     listFragment.setOnContactSelectedListener(new SingleContactSelectionListFragment.OnContactSelectedListener() {
       @Override
       public void onContactSelected(ContactData contactData) {
-        ArrayList<ContactData> contactList = new ArrayList<ContactData>();
-        contactList.add(contactData);
-
-        recipientsPanel.setVisibility(View.INVISIBLE);
-        recipientsPanel.addContacts(contactList);
-        try {
-          openNewConversation(recipientsPanel.getRecipients());
-        } catch (RecipientFormattingException rfe) {
-          recipientsPanel.clear();
-          recipientsPanel.setVisibility(View.VISIBLE);
-        }
+        Log.i(TAG, "Choosing contact from list.");
+        Recipients recipients = contactDataToRecipients(contactData);
+        openNewConversation(recipients);
       }
     });
 
     recipientsPanel.setPanelChangeListener(new SingleRecipientPanel.RecipientsPanelChangedListener() {
       @Override
       public void onRecipientsPanelUpdate(Recipients recipients) {
-        Log.i(TAG, "onRecipientsPanelUpdate received.");
+        Log.i(TAG, "Choosing contact from autocompletion.");
         openNewConversation(recipients);
       }
     });
   }
 
+  private Recipients contactDataToRecipients(ContactData contactData) {
+    if (contactData == null || contactData.numbers == null) return null;
+    List<Recipient> recipients = new ArrayList<Recipient>();
+    for (ContactAccessor.NumberData numberData : contactData.numbers) {
+      if (NumberUtil.isValidSmsOrEmailOrGroup(numberData.number)) {
+        Recipient recipient = RecipientFactory.getRecipientForNumber(SingleContactSelectionActivity.this,
+            numberData.number,
+            false);
+        recipients.add(recipient);
+      }
+    }
+    return new Recipients(recipients);
+  }
+
   private void openNewConversation(Recipients recipients) {
     if (recipients != null) {
       Intent intent = new Intent(SingleContactSelectionActivity.this, ConversationActivity.class);
diff --git a/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/recipients/RecipientFactory.java b/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/recipients/RecipientFactory.java
index aac8f8a172..c591efb360 100644
--- a/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/recipients/RecipientFactory.java
+++ b/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/recipients/RecipientFactory.java
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ public class RecipientFactory {
     return new Recipients(results);
   }
 
-  private static Recipient getRecipientForNumber(Context context, String number, boolean asynchronous) {
+  public static Recipient getRecipientForNumber(Context context, String number, boolean asynchronous) {
     long recipientId = CanonicalAddressDatabase.getInstance(context).getCanonicalAddress(number);
     return provider.getRecipient(context, recipientId, asynchronous);
   }