diff --git a/webapp_create_post.py b/webapp_create_post.py
index a453d0a48..9df6413ca 100644
--- a/webapp_create_post.py
+++ b/webapp_create_post.py
@@ -1026,7 +1026,7 @@ def html_new_post(edit_post_params: {},
             'list="followingHandles" value="' + mentions_str + '" selected>\n'
         new_post_form += \
             html_following_data_list(base_dir, nickname, domain, domain_full,
-                                     'following')
+                                     'following', True)
         new_post_form += ''
         selected_str = ''
 
diff --git a/webapp_profile.py b/webapp_profile.py
index f4e87bdb5..5ef020cdb 100644
--- a/webapp_profile.py
+++ b/webapp_profile.py
@@ -1114,7 +1114,7 @@ def html_profile(signing_priv_key_pem: str,
                 'list="' + selected + 'Handles" placeholder="🔎">\n'
             follow_search_str += \
                 html_following_data_list(base_dir, nickname, domain,
-                                         domain_full, selected)
+                                         domain_full, selected, False)
             follow_search_str += \
                 '  <button type="submit" class="button" ' + \
                 'name="submitSearch">' + translate['Search'] + '</button>\n'
diff --git a/webapp_utils.py b/webapp_utils.py
index 600e3bddd..31ea2c4c5 100644
--- a/webapp_utils.py
+++ b/webapp_utils.py
@@ -1971,7 +1971,8 @@ def get_default_path(media_instance: bool, blogs_instance: bool,
 
 def html_following_data_list(base_dir: str, nickname: str,
                              domain: str, domain_full: str,
-                             following_type: str) -> str:
+                             following_type: str,
+                             use_petnames: bool) -> str:
     """Returns a datalist of handles being followed
     followingHandles, followersHandles
     """
@@ -1990,7 +1991,7 @@ def html_following_data_list(base_dir: str, nickname: str,
         # include petnames
         petnames_filename = \
             acct_dir(base_dir, nickname, domain) + '/petnames.txt'
-        if os.path.isfile(petnames_filename):
+        if use_petnames and os.path.isfile(petnames_filename):
             following_list = []
             with open(petnames_filename, 'r',
                       encoding='utf-8') as petnames_file: