diff --git a/app/views/status_messages/new.html.haml b/app/views/status_messages/new.html.haml
index f6cb104bc..ba0cfb603 100644
--- a/app/views/status_messages/new.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/status_messages/new.html.haml
@@ -1,19 +1,15 @@
 -#   Copyright (c) 2010-2011, Diaspora Inc.  This file is
 -#   licensed under the Affero General Public License version 3 or later.  See
 -#   the COPYRIGHT file.
-
-
 = javascript_include_tag "publisher.js"
 
 :javascript
-  $(document).ready(function()
-    {
-      var person = {name: '#{@person.name}', handle: '#{@person.diaspora_handle}' };
-      Publisher.autocompletion.onSelect($("#status_message_fake_text"),person,'#{@person.name}');
-      $("#publisher #status_message_fake_text").val(function(index, value){ return value + " " });
-      $("#publisher").bind('ajax:success', function(){location.reload();});
-      Publisher.bookmarklet = true;
-    });
+  Mentions.options.prefillMention = #{@person.to_json};
+
+  $(function() { 
+    $("#publisher").bind('ajax:success', function(){ location.reload(); });
+    Publisher.bookmarklet = true;
+  });
 
 #new_status_message_pane
   .span-15.last
diff --git a/config/assets.yml b/config/assets.yml
index a98446b21..72b759643 100644
--- a/config/assets.yml
+++ b/config/assets.yml
@@ -76,6 +76,10 @@ javascripts:
     - public/javascripts/aspect-edit-pane.js
     - public/javascripts/fileuploader-custom.js
   people:
+    - public/javascripts/aspect-edit-pane.js
+    - public/javascripts/fileuploader-custom.js
+  people:
+    - public/javascripts/vendor/jquery.autoSuggest.custom.js
     - public/javascripts/vendor/jquery.autoSuggest.custom.js
     - public/javascripts/aspect-edit-pane.js
   photos:
diff --git a/public/javascripts/mentions.js b/public/javascripts/mentions.js
index 2f38130d4..f9f9d5c02 100644
--- a/public/javascripts/mentions.js
+++ b/public/javascripts/mentions.js
@@ -1,13 +1,10 @@
 var Mentions = {
   initialize: function(mentionsInput) {
-    Mentions.fetchContacts(function(data) {
-      Mentions.contacts = data;
-      mentionsInput.mentionsInput(Mentions.options);
-    });
-  },
+    mentionsInput.mentionsInput(Mentions.options);
 
-  fetchContacts: function(callback) {
-    $.getJSON($(".selected_contacts_link").attr("href"), callback);
+    $.getJSON($(".selected_contacts_link").attr("href"), function(data) {
+      Mentions.contacts = data;
+    });
   },
 
   options: {
diff --git a/public/javascripts/vendor/jquery.mentionsInput.js b/public/javascripts/vendor/jquery.mentionsInput.js
index 789dfd2ab..a61746ac6 100644
--- a/public/javascripts/vendor/jquery.mentionsInput.js
+++ b/public/javascripts/vendor/jquery.mentionsInput.js
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@
     var elmInputBox, elmInputWrapper, elmAutocompleteList, elmWrapperBox, elmMentionsOverlay, elmActiveAutoCompleteItem;
     var mentionsCollection = [];
     var inputBuffer = [];
-    var currentDataQuery;
+    var currentDataQuery = '';
 
     function initTextarea() {
       elmInputBox = $(input);
@@ -329,6 +329,10 @@
         initTextarea();
         initAutocomplete();
         initMentionsOverlay();
+
+        if(options.prefillMention) {
+          addMention(options.prefillMention);
+        }
       },
 
       val : function (callback) {