diff --git a/src/app_service/service/contacts/async_tasks.nim b/src/app_service/service/contacts/async_tasks.nim
index c88692b271..0ac32516c1 100644
--- a/src/app_service/service/contacts/async_tasks.nim
+++ b/src/app_service/service/contacts/async_tasks.nim
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import os
+import os, parseutils
 import ../ens/utils as ens_utils
 
 include ../../common/json_utils
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ include ../../../app/core/tasks/common
 # Async lookup ENS contact
 #################################################
 
+const PK_LENGTH_0X_INCLUDED = 132
+
 type
   LookupContactTaskArg = ref object of QObjectTaskArg
     value: string
@@ -17,7 +19,14 @@ const lookupContactTask: Task = proc(argEncoded: string) {.gcsafe, nimcall.} =
   let arg = decode[LookupContactTaskArg](argEncoded)
   var pubkey = arg.value
   var address = ""
-  if not pubkey.startsWith("0x"):
+
+  if (pubkey.startsWith("0x")):
+    var num64: int64
+    let parsedChars = parseHex(pubkey, num64)
+    if(parsedChars != PK_LENGTH_0X_INCLUDED):
+      pubkey = ""
+      address = ""
+  else:
     # TODO refactor those calls to use the new backend and also do it in a signle call
     pubkey = ens_utils.pubkey(arg.value)
     address = ens_utils.address(arg.value)
diff --git a/ui/imports/shared/controls/ContactsListAndSearch.qml b/ui/imports/shared/controls/ContactsListAndSearch.qml
index 2e99c2c369..eef716d564 100644
--- a/ui/imports/shared/controls/ContactsListAndSearch.qml
+++ b/ui/imports/shared/controls/ContactsListAndSearch.qml
@@ -68,9 +68,10 @@ Item {
         Keys.onReleased: {
             successMessage = "";
             searchResults.pubKey = "";
+            root.validationError = "";
+            searchResults.showProfileNotFoundMessage = false;
             if (chatKey.text !== "") {
                 if (!validate()) {
-                    searchResults.showProfileNotFoundMessage = false;
                     noContactsRect.visible = false;
                     return;
                 }