diff --git a/packages/desktop/src/tree/protected/terminal/compose/NewChannelForm.tsx b/packages/desktop/src/tree/protected/terminal/compose/NewChannelForm.tsx
index eaabb15..c87378e 100644
--- a/packages/desktop/src/tree/protected/terminal/compose/NewChannelForm.tsx
+++ b/packages/desktop/src/tree/protected/terminal/compose/NewChannelForm.tsx
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
-import React, { useState, useCallback } from 'react';
-import { FiUsers, FiXSquare } from 'react-icons/fi';
+import React, { useState, useCallback, useRef, useEffect } from 'react';
+import { FiPlusSquare, FiUsers, FiXSquare } from 'react-icons/fi';
 import { useAsyncFn, useDebounce } from 'react-use';
 import { userSearch } from '../../../../api/NirvanaApi';
 import toast from 'react-hot-toast';
-import { Avatar, Skeleton } from 'antd';
+import { Avatar, Skeleton, Spin } from 'antd';
 import { User } from '@nirvana/core/models/user.model';
 
 export default function NewChannelForm() {
@@ -11,52 +11,74 @@ export default function NewChannelForm() {
 
   const [userSearchRes, fetchUsers] = useAsyncFn(userSearch);
 
-  const [isReady, cancel] = useDebounce(
+  const [isSearchingUsers, setSearchingUsers] = useState<boolean>(false);
+
+  const searchInputRef = useRef<HTMLInputElement>(null);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (searchInputRef) searchInputRef.current.focus();
+  }, [searchInputRef]);
+
+  const [_, cancel] = useDebounce(
     async () => {
       try {
         await fetchUsers(peopleSearchQuery);
+
+        setSearchingUsers(false);
       } catch (error) {
         toast.error('Problem in searching users!');
         console.error(error);
       }
     },
-    2000,
-    [peopleSearchQuery],
+    1000,
+    [peopleSearchQuery, setSearchingUsers, fetchUsers],
+  );
+
+  const handleSearchChange = useCallback(
+    async (e) => {
+      setSearchingUsers(true);
+      setPeopleSearchQuery(e.target.value);
+    },
+    [setPeopleSearchQuery, setSearchingUsers],
   );
 
   const [selectedUsers, setSelectedUsers] = useState<User[]>([]);
 
+  // ensuring that we haven't already selected this user
+  // changing search results so that we don't see the selected user in the search results anymore
   const addUser = useCallback(
     (newUser: User) => {
-      setSelectedUsers((prevUsers) => [...prevUsers, newUser]);
+      setSelectedUsers((prevUsers) => {
+        if (prevUsers.find((currUser) => currUser.email === newUser.email)) {
+          return [...prevUsers, newUser];
+        }
+        return prevUsers;
+      });
+
+      if (userSearchRes.value?.users) {
+        userSearchRes.value.users = userSearchRes.value.users.filter(
+          (currUser) => currUser._id !== newUser._id,
+        );
+      }
     },
-    [setSelectedUsers],
+    [setSelectedUsers, userSearchRes.value],
   );
 
   const removeUser = useCallback((userIdToRemove: string) => {
     setSelectedUsers((prevUsers) =>
-      prevUsers.filter((currentUser) => !currentUser._id.equals(userIdToRemove)),
+      prevUsers.filter((currentUser) => currentUser._id.toString() !== userIdToRemove),
     );
   }, []);
 
-  const handleSearchChange = useCallback(
-    async (e) => {
-      setPeopleSearchQuery(e.target.value);
-    },
-    [setPeopleSearchQuery],
-  );
-
   return (
     <div className="flex flex-col flex-1 items-center pt-10 bg-white">
       <div className="flex flex-col gap-2 max-w-lg w-full">
         {/* people search */}
         <span className="text-gray-500">People</span>
-        <div
-          className="flex flex-row items-center space-x-2 bg-transparent
-bg-gray-200 p-3 rounded"
-        >
+        <div className="flex flex-row items-center space-x-2 bg-gray-100 p-3 rounded">
           <FiUsers className="text-lg text-gray-400" />
           <input
+            ref={searchInputRef}
             placeholder="Search by name or email"
             className="flex-1 text-lg bg-transparent placeholder-gray-300 focus:outline-none"
             onChange={handleSearchChange}
@@ -66,8 +88,10 @@ bg-gray-200 p-3 rounded"
 
         {/* dropdown search results */}
         <div className="flex flex-col shadow-lg max-h-[500px] overflow-auto">
-          {(userSearchRes.loading || !isReady) && <Skeleton />}
-
+          {(userSearchRes.loading || isSearchingUsers) && <Spin />}
+          {(!userSearchRes.value || userSearchRes.value?.users.length === 0) && (
+            <span className="p-10 text-gray-300">{`Can't find someone? Invite them and tell them the secret passcode!`}</span>
+          )}
           {userSearchRes.value?.users.map((searchedUser) => {
             return (
               <div
@@ -75,13 +99,15 @@ bg-gray-200 p-3 rounded"
                 role={'presentation'}
                 key={searchedUser.email}
                 className="flex flex-row gap-2 items-center p-2 border border-gray-200
-    hover:bg-gray-200 cursor-pointer"
+    hover:bg-gray-100 cursor-pointer"
               >
                 <Avatar src={searchedUser.picture} size={'large'} shape={'square'} />
                 <span className="flex flex-col gap-1">
                   <span className="text-md font-semibold text-gray-600">{searchedUser.name}</span>
                   <span className="text-sm text-gray-400">{searchedUser.email}</span>
                 </span>
+
+                <FiPlusSquare className="ml-auto text-lg text-teal-500 cursor-pointer group-hover:scale-105" />
               </div>
             );
           })}
@@ -101,7 +127,7 @@ bg-gray-200 p-3 rounded"
               role={'presentation'}
               key={selectedUser.email}
               className="flex flex-row gap-2 items-center p-2 border border-gray-200
-    hover:bg-gray-200 cursor-pointer group"
+    hover:bg-gray-100 cursor-pointer group"
             >
               <Avatar src={selectedUser.picture} size={'large'} shape={'square'} />
               <span className="flex flex-col gap-1">
@@ -109,7 +135,7 @@ bg-gray-200 p-3 rounded"
                 <span className="text-sm text-gray-400">{selectedUser.email}</span>
               </span>
 
-              <FiXSquare className="ml-auto text-gray-400 cursor-pointer group-hover:scale-105" />
+              <FiXSquare className="ml-auto text-lg text-pink-500 cursor-pointer group-hover:scale-105" />
             </div>
           );
         })}