diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/widgets/search-menu-results.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/widgets/search-menu-results.js
index 3aaf47520a6..383075d42ef 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/widgets/search-menu-results.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/app/widgets/search-menu-results.js
@@ -380,6 +380,8 @@ createWidget("search-menu-results", {
 
 createWidget("search-menu-assistant", {
   tagName: "ul.search-menu-assistant",
+  buildKey: () => `search-menu-assistant`,
+  services: ["router"],
 
   html(attrs) {
     if (this.currentUser) {
@@ -434,15 +436,47 @@ createWidget("search-menu-assistant", {
         });
         break;
       case "@":
-        attrs.results.forEach((user) => {
+        // when only one user matches while in topic
+        // quick suggest user search in the topic or globally
+        if (
+          attrs.results.length === 1 &&
+          this.router.currentRouteName.startsWith("topic.")
+        ) {
+          const user = attrs.results[0];
+          content.push(
+            this.attach("search-menu-assistant-item", {
+              prefix,
+              user,
+              setTopicContext: true,
+              slug: `${prefix}@${user.username}`,
+              suffix: h(
+                "span.label-suffix",
+                ` ${I18n.t("search.in_this_topic")}`
+              ),
+            })
+          );
           content.push(
             this.attach("search-menu-assistant-item", {
               prefix,
               user,
               slug: `${prefix}@${user.username}`,
+              suffix: h(
+                "span.label-suffix",
+                ` ${I18n.t("search.in_topics_posts")}`
+              ),
             })
           );
-        });
+        } else {
+          attrs.results.forEach((user) => {
+            content.push(
+              this.attach("search-menu-assistant-item", {
+                prefix,
+                user,
+                slug: `${prefix}@${user.username}`,
+              })
+            );
+          });
+        }
         break;
       default:
         suggestionShortcuts.forEach((item) => {
@@ -611,6 +645,7 @@ createWidget("search-menu-assistant-item", {
           username: attrs.user.username,
         }),
         h("span.username", formatUsername(attrs.user.username)),
+        attrs.suffix,
       ];
       content.push(h("span.search-item-user", userResult));
     } else {
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/tests/acceptance/search-test.js b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/tests/acceptance/search-test.js
index 93787b1a761..673430067a3 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/tests/acceptance/search-test.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/tests/acceptance/search-test.js
@@ -27,6 +27,18 @@ acceptance("Search - Anonymous", function (needs) {
       }
       return helper.response(searchFixtures["search/query"]);
     });
+
+    server.get("/u/search/users", () => {
+      return helper.response({
+        users: [
+          {
+            username: "admin",
+            name: "admin",
+            avatar_template: "/images/avatar.png",
+          },
+        ],
+      });
+    });
   });
 
   test("search", async function (assert) {
@@ -231,6 +243,31 @@ acceptance("Search - Anonymous", function (needs) {
     );
   });
 
+  test("topic search scope - special case when matching a single user", async function (assert) {
+    await visit("/t/internationalization-localization/280/1");
+
+    await click("#search-button");
+    await fillIn("#search-term", "@admin");
+
+    assert.equal(count(".search-menu-assistant-item"), 2);
+
+    assert.equal(
+      query(
+        ".search-menu-assistant-item:first-child .search-item-user .label-suffix"
+      ).textContent.trim(),
+      I18n.t("search.in_this_topic"),
+      "first result hints in this topic search"
+    );
+
+    assert.equal(
+      query(
+        ".search-menu-assistant-item:nth-child(2) .search-item-user .label-suffix"
+      ).textContent.trim(),
+      I18n.t("search.in_topics_posts"),
+      "second result hints global search"
+    );
+  });
+
   test("Right filters are shown in full page search", async function (assert) {
     const inSelector = selectKit(".select-kit#in");