diff --git a/k9mail/src/main/java/com/fsck/k9/activity/compose/RecipientLoader.java b/k9mail/src/main/java/com/fsck/k9/activity/compose/RecipientLoader.java
index 03c60eecb..5c01427a7 100644
--- a/k9mail/src/main/java/com/fsck/k9/activity/compose/RecipientLoader.java
+++ b/k9mail/src/main/java/com/fsck/k9/activity/compose/RecipientLoader.java
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import android.provider.ContactsContract;
 import android.provider.ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.Email;
 import android.provider.ContactsContract.Contacts;
 import android.provider.ContactsContract.Contacts.Data;
+import android.support.annotation.Nullable;
 
 import com.fsck.k9.R;
 import com.fsck.k9.mail.Address;
@@ -44,6 +45,7 @@ public class RecipientLoader extends AsyncTaskLoader<List<Recipient>> {
             ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.Email.CONTACT_ID,
             ContactsContract.Contacts.PHOTO_THUMBNAIL_URI
     };
+
     private static final String SORT_ORDER = "" +
             ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.Email.TIMES_CONTACTED + " DESC, " +
             ContactsContract.Contacts.SORT_KEY_PRIMARY;
@@ -51,6 +53,14 @@ public class RecipientLoader extends AsyncTaskLoader<List<Recipient>> {
     private static final int INDEX_EMAIL_ADDRESS = 0;
     private static final int INDEX_EMAIL_STATUS = 1;
 
+    private static final String[] PROJECTION_NICKNAME = {
+            ContactsContract.Data.CONTACT_ID,
+            ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.Nickname.NAME
+    };
+
+    private static final int INDEX_CONTACT_ID_FOR_NICKNAME = 0;
+    private static final int INDEX_NICKNAME = 1;
+
     private static final String[] PROJECTION_CRYPTO_STATUS = {
             "email_address",
             "email_status"
@@ -173,35 +183,110 @@ public class RecipientLoader extends AsyncTaskLoader<List<Recipient>> {
     }
 
 
+    private Cursor getNicknameCursor(String nickname) {
+        nickname = "%" + nickname + "%";
+
+        Uri queryUriForNickname = ContactsContract.Data.CONTENT_URI;
+
+        return getContext().getContentResolver().query(queryUriForNickname,
+                PROJECTION_NICKNAME,
+                ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.Nickname.NAME + " LIKE ? AND " +
+                        Data.MIMETYPE + " = ?",
+                new String[] { nickname, ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.Nickname.CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE },
+                null);
+    }
+
+    @SuppressWarnings("ConstantConditions")
     private void fillContactDataFromQuery(String query, List<Recipient> recipients,
             Map<String, Recipient> recipientMap) {
 
-        ContentResolver contentResolver = getContext().getContentResolver();
+        boolean foundValidCursor = false;
+        foundValidCursor |= fillContactDataFromNickname(query, recipients, recipientMap);
+        foundValidCursor |= fillContactDataFromNameAndEmail(query, recipients, recipientMap);
 
+        if (foundValidCursor) {
+            registerContentObserver();
+        }
+
+    }
+
+    private void registerContentObserver() {
+        if (observerContact != null) {
+            observerContact = new ForceLoadContentObserver();
+            getContext().getContentResolver().registerContentObserver(Email.CONTENT_URI, false, observerContact);
+        }
+    }
+
+    @SuppressWarnings("ConstantConditions")
+    private boolean fillContactDataFromNickname(String nickname, List<Recipient> recipients,
+            Map<String, Recipient> recipientMap) {
+
+        boolean hasContact = false;
+
+        final ContentResolver contentResolver = getContext().getContentResolver();
+
+        Uri queryUri = Email.CONTENT_URI;
+
+        Cursor nicknameCursor = getNicknameCursor(nickname);
+
+        if (nicknameCursor == null) {
+            return hasContact;
+        }
+
+        try {
+            while (nicknameCursor.moveToNext()) {
+                String id = nicknameCursor.getString(INDEX_CONTACT_ID_FOR_NICKNAME);
+                String selection = ContactsContract.Data.CONTACT_ID + " = ?";
+                Cursor cursor = contentResolver
+                        .query(queryUri, PROJECTION, selection, new String[] { id }, SORT_ORDER);
+
+                fillContactDataFromCursor(cursor, recipients, recipientMap, nicknameCursor.getString(INDEX_NICKNAME));
+
+                hasContact = true;
+            }
+        } finally {
+            nicknameCursor.close();
+        }
+
+        return hasContact;
+    }
+
+
+    private boolean fillContactDataFromNameAndEmail(String query, List<Recipient> recipients,
+            Map<String, Recipient> recipientMap) {
+
+        ContentResolver contentResolver = getContext().getContentResolver();
         query = "%" + query + "%";
-        Uri queryUri = ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.Email.CONTENT_URI;
+
+        Uri queryUri = Email.CONTENT_URI;
+
         String selection = Contacts.DISPLAY_NAME_PRIMARY + " LIKE ? " +
                 " OR (" + Email.ADDRESS + " LIKE ? AND " + Data.MIMETYPE + " = '" + Email.CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE + "')";
         String[] selectionArgs = { query, query };
         Cursor cursor = contentResolver.query(queryUri, PROJECTION, selection, selectionArgs, SORT_ORDER);
 
         if (cursor == null) {
-            return;
+            return false;
         }
 
         fillContactDataFromCursor(cursor, recipients, recipientMap);
 
-        if (observerContact != null) {
-            observerContact = new ForceLoadContentObserver();
-            contentResolver.registerContentObserver(queryUri, false, observerContact);
-        }
+        return true;
+
     }
 
     private void fillContactDataFromCursor(Cursor cursor, List<Recipient> recipients,
             Map<String, Recipient> recipientMap) {
+        fillContactDataFromCursor(cursor, recipients, recipientMap, null);
+    }
+
+    private void fillContactDataFromCursor(Cursor cursor, List<Recipient> recipients,
+            Map<String, Recipient> recipientMap, @Nullable String name) {
 
         while (cursor.moveToNext()) {
-            String name = cursor.getString(INDEX_NAME);
+            if (name == null) {
+                name = cursor.getString(INDEX_NAME);
+            }
             String email = cursor.getString(INDEX_EMAIL);
             long contactId = cursor.getLong(INDEX_CONTACT_ID);
             String lookupKey = cursor.getString(INDEX_LOOKUP_KEY);