diff --git a/app/soapbox/actions/compose.js b/app/soapbox/actions/compose.js
index 6807cec4b..b77944ef8 100644
--- a/app/soapbox/actions/compose.js
+++ b/app/soapbox/actions/compose.js
@@ -136,6 +136,19 @@ export function directCompose(account, routerHistory) {
   };
 }
 
+export function directComposeById(accountId) {
+  return (dispatch, getState) => {
+    const account = getState().getIn(['accounts', accountId]);
+
+    dispatch({
+      type: COMPOSE_DIRECT,
+      account: account,
+    });
+
+    dispatch(openModal('COMPOSE'));
+  };
+}
+
 export function handleComposeSubmit(dispatch, getState, data, status) {
   if (!dispatch || !getState) return;
 
diff --git a/app/soapbox/components/autosuggest_account_input.js b/app/soapbox/components/autosuggest_account_input.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..95f38ba79
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/soapbox/components/autosuggest_account_input.js
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+import React from 'react';
+import AutosuggestInput from './autosuggest_input';
+import PropTypes from 'prop-types';
+import ImmutablePureComponent from 'react-immutable-pure-component';
+import { connect } from 'react-redux';
+import { injectIntl, defineMessages } from 'react-intl';
+import { OrderedSet as ImmutableOrderedSet } from 'immutable';
+import { accountSearch } from 'soapbox/actions/accounts';
+import { throttle } from 'lodash';
+
+const noOp = () => {};
+
+const messages = defineMessages({
+  placeholder: { id: 'autosuggest_account_input.default_placeholder', defaultMessage: 'Search for an account' },
+});
+
+export default @connect()
+@injectIntl
+class AutosuggestAccountInput extends ImmutablePureComponent {
+
+  static propTypes = {
+    intl: PropTypes.object.isRequired,
+    dispatch: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
+    onSelected: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
+  }
+
+  state = {
+    text: '',
+    accountIds: ImmutableOrderedSet(),
+  }
+
+  handleAccountSearch = throttle(q => {
+    const { dispatch } = this.props;
+
+    const params = {
+      q,
+      resolve: false,
+      limit: 4,
+    };
+
+    dispatch(accountSearch(params))
+      .then(accounts => {
+        const accountIds = accounts.map(account => account.id);
+        this.setState({ accountIds: ImmutableOrderedSet(accountIds) });
+      })
+      .catch(noOp);
+
+  }, 900, { leading: true, trailing: true })
+
+  handleChange = ({ target }) => {
+    this.handleAccountSearch(target.value);
+    this.setState({ text: target.value });
+  }
+
+  handleSelected = (tokenStart, lastToken, accountId) => {
+    this.props.onSelected(accountId);
+  }
+
+  render() {
+    const { intl, ...rest } = this.props;
+    const { text, accountIds } = this.state;
+
+    return (
+      <AutosuggestInput
+        placeholder={intl.formatMessage(messages.placeholder)}
+        value={text}
+        onChange={this.handleChange}
+        suggestions={accountIds.toList()}
+        onSuggestionsFetchRequested={noOp}
+        onSuggestionsClearRequested={noOp}
+        onSuggestionSelected={this.handleSelected}
+        searchTokens={[]}
+        {...rest}
+      />
+    );
+  }
+
+}
diff --git a/app/soapbox/features/direct_timeline/index.js b/app/soapbox/features/direct_timeline/index.js
index 27f17c0d6..573ed78fe 100644
--- a/app/soapbox/features/direct_timeline/index.js
+++ b/app/soapbox/features/direct_timeline/index.js
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ import ColumnHeader from '../../components/column_header';
 import { expandDirectTimeline } from '../../actions/timelines';
 import { defineMessages, injectIntl, FormattedMessage } from 'react-intl';
 import { connectDirectStream } from '../../actions/streaming';
+import { directComposeById } from 'soapbox/actions/compose';
+import AutosuggestAccountInput from 'soapbox/components/autosuggest_account_input';
 
 const messages = defineMessages({
   title: { id: 'column.direct', defaultMessage: 'Direct messages' },
@@ -40,6 +42,10 @@ class DirectTimeline extends React.PureComponent {
     }
   }
 
+  handleSuggestion = accountId => {
+    this.props.dispatch(directComposeById(accountId));
+  }
+
   handleLoadMore = maxId => {
     this.props.dispatch(expandDirectTimeline({ maxId }));
   }
@@ -56,6 +62,8 @@ class DirectTimeline extends React.PureComponent {
           onPin={this.handlePin}
         />
 
+        <AutosuggestAccountInput onSelected={this.handleSuggestion} />
+
         <StatusListContainer
           scrollKey='direct_timeline'
           timelineId='direct'