diff --git a/bookwyrm/static/js/shared.js b/bookwyrm/static/js/shared.js
index e8ff9c469..a0c21bec6 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/static/js/shared.js
+++ b/bookwyrm/static/js/shared.js
@@ -112,7 +112,9 @@ function toggleAction(e) {
     // set focus, if appropriate
     var focus = el.getAttribute('data-focus-target');
     if (focus) {
-        document.getElementById(focus).focus();
+        var focusEl = document.getElementById(focus);
+        focusEl.focus();
+        setTimeout(function(){ focusEl.selectionStart = focusEl.selectionEnd = 10000; }, 0);
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/create_status_form.html b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/create_status_form.html
index 3dfc19d99..0c2ebbee3 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/create_status_form.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/snippets/create_status_form.html
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+{% load bookwyrm_tags %}
 <form class="is-flex-grow-1" name="{{ type }}" action="/post/{{ type }}" method="post" id="tab-{{ type }}-{{ book.id }}{{ reply_parent.id }}">
     {% csrf_token %}
     <input type="hidden" name="book" value="{{ book.id }}">
@@ -34,7 +35,7 @@
         <textarea name="quote" class="textarea" id="id_quote_{{ book.id }}_{{ type }}" placeholder="{{ placeholder }}" required></textarea>
         {% else %}
         {% include 'snippets/content_warning_field.html' with parent_status=status %}
-        <textarea name="content" class="textarea" id="id_content_{{ type }}-{{ book.id }}{{reply_parent.id}}" placeholder="{{ placeholder }}" {% if type == 'reply' %} aria-label="Reply"{% endif %} required></textarea>
+        <textarea name="content" class="textarea" id="id_content_{{ type }}-{{ book.id }}{{reply_parent.id}}" placeholder="{{ placeholder }}" {% if type == 'reply' %} aria-label="Reply"{% endif %} required>{% if reply_parent %}{{ reply_parent|mentions:request.user }}{% endif %}</textarea>
         {% endif %}
     </div>
     {% if type == 'quotation' %}
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templatetags/bookwyrm_tags.py b/bookwyrm/templatetags/bookwyrm_tags.py
index c58f5c476..08bbcafed 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templatetags/bookwyrm_tags.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/templatetags/bookwyrm_tags.py
@@ -142,10 +142,10 @@ def get_markdown(content):
 
 @register.filter(name='mentions')
 def get_mentions(status, user):
-    ''' anyone tagged or replied to in this status '''
+    ''' people to @ in a reply: the parent and all mentions '''
     mentions = set([status.user] + list(status.mention_users.all()))
     return ' '.join(
-        '@' + get_user_identifier(m) for m in mentions if not m == user)
+        '@' + get_user_identifier(m) for m in mentions if not m == user) + ' '
 
 @register.filter(name='status_preview_name')
 def get_status_preview_name(obj):
diff --git a/bookwyrm/tests/test_templatetags.py b/bookwyrm/tests/test_templatetags.py
index 2cc61eab3..d315144f6 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/tests/test_templatetags.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/tests/test_templatetags.py
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ class TemplateTags(TestCase):
         status = models.Status.objects.create(
             content='hi', user=self.remote_user)
         result = bookwyrm_tags.get_mentions(status, self.user)
-        self.assertEqual(result, '@rat@example.com')
+        self.assertEqual(result, '@rat@example.com ')
 
 
     def test_get_status_preview_name(self):
diff --git a/bookwyrm/views/status.py b/bookwyrm/views/status.py
index a624c806d..834cf5837 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/views/status.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/views/status.py
@@ -86,8 +86,6 @@ class CreateStatus(View):
         # add reply parent to mentions and notify
         if status.reply_parent:
             status.mention_users.add(status.reply_parent.user)
-            for mention_user in status.reply_parent.mention_users.all():
-                status.mention_users.add(mention_user)
 
             if status.reply_parent.user.local:
                 create_notification(