diff --git a/webapp_profile.py b/webapp_profile.py
index d6cd55653..f913cd662 100644
--- a/webapp_profile.py
+++ b/webapp_profile.py
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ from filters import is_filtered
 from follow import is_follower_of_person
 from follow import get_follower_domains
 from webapp_frontscreen import html_front_screen
-from webapp_utils import html_following_data_list
+from webapp_utils import html_following_dropdown
 from webapp_utils import edit_number_field
 from webapp_utils import html_keyboard_navigation
 from webapp_utils import html_hide_from_screen_reader
@@ -1110,14 +1110,11 @@ def html_profile(signing_priv_key_pem: str,
                 '  <input type="hidden" ' + \
                 'name="actor" value="' + actor + '">\n'
             follow_search_str += \
-                '  <input type="search" name="searchtext" ' + \
-                'list="' + selected + 'Handles" placeholder="🔎">\n'
-            follow_search_str += \
-                html_following_data_list(base_dir, nickname, domain,
-                                         domain_full, selected, False)
+                html_following_dropdown(base_dir, nickname, domain,
+                                        domain_full, selected, False)
             follow_search_str += \
                 '  <button type="submit" class="button" ' + \
-                'name="submitSearch">' + translate['Search'] + '</button>\n'
+                'name="submitSearch">' + translate['View'] + '</button>\n'
             follow_search_str += '</form>\n</div>\n'
             profile_str += follow_search_str
 
diff --git a/webapp_utils.py b/webapp_utils.py
index baf38a747..438548bca 100644
--- a/webapp_utils.py
+++ b/webapp_utils.py
@@ -2016,3 +2016,66 @@ def html_following_data_list(base_dir: str, nickname: str,
                 list_str += '<option>@' + following_address + '</option>\n'
     list_str += '</datalist>\n'
     return list_str
+
+
+def html_following_dropdown(base_dir: str, nickname: str,
+                            domain: str, domain_full: str,
+                            following_type: str,
+                            use_petnames: bool) -> str:
+    """Returns a select list of handles being followed or of followers
+    """
+    list_str = '<select name="searchtext">\n'
+    following_filename = \
+        acct_dir(base_dir, nickname, domain) + '/' + following_type + '.txt'
+    msg = None
+    if os.path.isfile(following_filename):
+        with open(following_filename, 'r',
+                  encoding='utf-8') as following_file:
+            msg = following_file.read()
+            # add your own handle, so that you can send DMs
+            # to yourself as reminders
+            msg += nickname + '@' + domain_full + '\n'
+    if msg:
+        # include petnames
+        petnames_filename = \
+            acct_dir(base_dir, nickname, domain) + '/petnames.txt'
+        if use_petnames and os.path.isfile(petnames_filename):
+            following_list = []
+            with open(petnames_filename, 'r',
+                      encoding='utf-8') as petnames_file:
+                pet_str = petnames_file.read()
+                # extract each petname and append it
+                petnames_list = pet_str.split('\n')
+                for pet in petnames_list:
+                    following_list.append(pet.split(' ')[0])
+            # add the following.txt entries
+            following_list += msg.split('\n')
+        else:
+            # no petnames list exists - just use following.txt
+            following_list = msg.split('\n')
+        list_str += '<option value="" selected></option>\n'
+        if following_list:
+            domain_sorted_list = []
+            for following_address in following_list:
+                if '@' not in following_address and \
+                   '://' not in following_address:
+                    continue
+                foll_nick = get_nickname_from_actor(following_address)
+                foll_domain, _ = get_domain_from_actor(following_address)
+                if not foll_domain or not foll_nick:
+                    continue
+                domain_sorted_list.append(foll_domain + ' ' +
+                                          foll_nick + '@' + foll_domain)
+            domain_sorted_list.sort()
+
+            prev_foll_domain = ''
+            for following_line in domain_sorted_list:
+                following_address = following_line.split(' ')[1]
+                foll_domain, _ = get_domain_from_actor(following_address)
+                if prev_foll_domain and prev_foll_domain != foll_domain:
+                    list_str += '<option value="" disabled></option>\n'
+                prev_foll_domain = foll_domain
+                list_str += '<option value="' + following_address + '">' + \
+                    following_address + '</option>\n'
+    list_str += '</select>\n'
+    return list_str