diff --git a/src/app/api/admin/users/route.ts b/src/app/api/admin/users/route.ts
index 61cc791..7d1e735 100644
--- a/src/app/api/admin/users/route.ts
+++ b/src/app/api/admin/users/route.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { NextResponse } from 'next/server';
 import { db, users } from '@/db';
 import { requireAdmin } from '@/lib/auth/admin';
-import { desc } from 'drizzle-orm';
+import { desc, sql } from 'drizzle-orm';
 
 export async function GET(request: Request) {
     try {
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ export async function GET(request: Request) {
             isBot: users.isBot,
         })
             .from(users)
+            .where(sql`${users.handle} NOT LIKE '%@%'`)
             .orderBy(desc(users.createdAt))
             .limit(limit);
 
diff --git a/src/app/api/search/route.ts b/src/app/api/search/route.ts
index b4bb511..5c430c7 100644
--- a/src/app/api/search/route.ts
+++ b/src/app/api/search/route.ts
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ export async function GET(request: Request) {
                 eq(users.isSuspended, false),
                 eq(users.isSilenced, false)
             );
-            searchUsers = await db.select({
+            const localUsers = await db.select({
                 id: users.id,
                 handle: users.handle,
                 displayName: users.displayName,
@@ -117,6 +117,9 @@ export async function GET(request: Request) {
                 .from(users)
                 .where(userConditions)
                 .limit(limit);
+            
+            // Filter out remote placeholder users (those with @ in handle)
+            searchUsers = localUsers.filter(u => !u.handle.includes('@'));
         }
 
         // Federated user lookup (exact handle@domain queries)
diff --git a/src/app/api/users/route.ts b/src/app/api/users/route.ts
index 4a92b52..7f48d88 100644
--- a/src/app/api/users/route.ts
+++ b/src/app/api/users/route.ts
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ export async function GET(request: NextRequest) {
                 isBot: users.isBot,
             })
             .from(users)
-            .where(sql`${users.isSuspended} IS FALSE`)
+            .where(sql`${users.isSuspended} IS FALSE AND ${users.handle} NOT LIKE '%@%'`)
             .orderBy(desc(users.createdAt))
             .limit(limit);