diff --git a/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/views/user_view.ex b/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/views/user_view.ex
index ca3bc291d2..0f884fa460 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/views/user_view.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/views/user_view.ex
@@ -67,8 +67,10 @@ def render("service.json", %{user: user}) do
   def render("user.json", %{user: %User{nickname: nil} = user}),
     do: render("service.json", %{user: user})
 
-  def render("user.json", %{user: %User{nickname: "internal." <> _} = user}),
-    do: render("service.json", %{user: user}) |> Map.put("preferredUsername", user.nickname)
+  def render("user.json", %{user: %User{nickname: "internal." <> _} = user}) do
+    nickname = user.nickname |> String.split("@") |> List.first()
+    render("service.json", %{user: user}) |> Map.put("preferredUsername", nickname)
+  end
 
   def render("user.json", %{user: user}) do
     {:ok, _, public_key} = Keys.keys_from_pem(user.keys)