diff --git a/cypress/e2e/invite/invite-dialog.spec.ts b/cypress/e2e/invite/invite-dialog.spec.ts
index 80edfa411d6..189cd1690db 100644
--- a/cypress/e2e/invite/invite-dialog.spec.ts
+++ b/cypress/e2e/invite/invite-dialog.spec.ts
@@ -181,4 +181,13 @@ describe("Invite dialog", function () {
         // Assert that the message is displayed at the bottom
         cy.get(".mx_EventTile_last").findByText("Hello").should("exist");
     });
+
+    it("should support pasting one username that is not a mx id or email", () => {
+        cy.get(".mx_InviteDialog_other").within(() => {
+            cy.findByTestId("invite-dialog-input").invoke('val', "test");
+            cy.findByText("Failed to find the following users").should("not.exist");
+            cy.findByTestId("invite-dialog-input").invoke('val', "test,test,test");
+            cy.findByText("Failed to find the following users").should("exist");
+        });
+    });
 });
diff --git a/src/components/views/dialogs/InviteDialog.tsx b/src/components/views/dialogs/InviteDialog.tsx
index 7bb714c0254..179cfa980fa 100644
--- a/src/components/views/dialogs/InviteDialog.tsx
+++ b/src/components/views/dialogs/InviteDialog.tsx
@@ -866,11 +866,17 @@ export default class InviteDialog extends React.PureComponent<Props, IInviteDial
             return;
         }
 
+        const text = e.clipboardData.getData("text");
+        const potentialAddresses = this.parseFilter(text);
+        // one search term which is not a mxid or email address
+        if (potentialAddresses.length === 1 && !potentialAddresses[0].includes("@")) {
+            return;
+        }
+
         // Prevent the text being pasted into the input
         e.preventDefault();
 
         // Process it as a list of addresses to add instead
-        const text = e.clipboardData.getData("text");
         const possibleMembers = [
             // If we can avoid hitting the profile endpoint, we should.
             ...this.state.recents,
@@ -885,8 +891,6 @@ export default class InviteDialog extends React.PureComponent<Props, IInviteDial
         // Will be displayed as filter text to provide feedback.
         const unableToAddMore: string[] = [];
 
-        const potentialAddresses = this.parseFilter(text);
-
         for (const address of potentialAddresses) {
             const member = possibleMembers.find((m) => m.userId === address);
             if (member) {