diff --git a/friends/views.py b/friends/views.py
index 12720c87e..0941c48d5 100644
--- a/friends/views.py
+++ b/friends/views.py
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 from django.http import JsonResponse
 from django.db.models import Q
 from django.contrib.auth.models import User
+from django.db.models import Value as V
+from django.db.models.functions import Concat
 from student.models import Student
 from friends.models import FriendRequest
 
@@ -62,20 +64,26 @@ def search_friends(request, query):
     Searches for friends based on the given query and returns a list of matches. Excludes existing friends.
     """
     logged_in_student = get_object_or_404(Student, user=request.user)
-    search_results = (
-        User.objects.filter(
-            Q(first_name__icontains=query)
-            | Q(last_name__icontains=query)
-            | Q(username__icontains=query)
-        )
-        .select_related("student")
-        .only("email", "first_name", "last_name", "username", "student__img_url")
+
+    full_name = User.objects.annotate(
+        full_name=Concat("first_name", V(" "), "last_name")
+    )
+
+    full_name_starts_with = full_name.filter(full_name__startswith=query)
+
+    full_name_contains = full_name.filter(full_name__icontains=query)
+
+    # exclusive and on full_name_starts_with and full_name_contains
+    search_results = full_name_starts_with.select_related("student").union(
+        full_name_contains.select_related("student")
     )
+
     search_results_excluding_friends = []
     for user in search_results:
         if (
             hasattr(user, "student")
             and user.student not in logged_in_student.friends.all()
+            and user.student != logged_in_student
         ):
             search_results_excluding_friends.append(get_student_data(user.student))
     return JsonResponse(search_results_excluding_friends, safe=False)
@@ -87,6 +95,15 @@ def send_friend_request(request, userId):
     """
     from_student = get_object_or_404(Student, user=request.user)
     to_student = get_object_or_404(Student, user__id=userId)
+
+    # check if there's already a request from to_student to from_student
+    if FriendRequest.objects.filter(
+        from_friend=to_student, to_friend=from_student
+    ).exists():
+        return JsonResponse(
+            {"message": "The friend already has a request to you"}, status=400
+        )
+
     friend_request, created = FriendRequest.objects.get_or_create(
         from_friend=from_student, to_friend=to_student
     )
diff --git a/static/js/redux/ui/modals/PeerModalComponents/FindNewFriends.tsx b/static/js/redux/ui/modals/PeerModalComponents/FindNewFriends.tsx
index cfe2e5404..4668939a7 100644
--- a/static/js/redux/ui/modals/PeerModalComponents/FindNewFriends.tsx
+++ b/static/js/redux/ui/modals/PeerModalComponents/FindNewFriends.tsx
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ const FindNewFriends = () => {
     const endpoint = requestSent[userId]
       ? getRejectFriendRequestEndpoint(userId)
       : getSendFriendRequestEndpoint(userId);
-    await fetch(endpoint, {
+    const res = await fetch(endpoint, {
       headers: {
         "X-CSRFToken": Cookie.get("csrftoken"),
         Accept: "application/json",
@@ -74,7 +74,13 @@ const FindNewFriends = () => {
       method: "POST",
       credentials: "include",
     });
-    setRequestSent((prevStatus) => ({ ...prevStatus, [userId]: !prevStatus[userId] }));
+    const json = await res.json();
+    if (res.status === 200) {
+      setRequestSent((prevStatus) => ({
+        ...prevStatus,
+        [userId]: !prevStatus[userId],
+      }));
+    }
   };
   return (
     <Box width="100%" display="flex" flexDirection="column" alignItems="center">