diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/widgets/search-menu.js.es6 b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/widgets/search-menu.js.es6
index aa2a45c4a79..4bec0f16cdf 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/widgets/search-menu.js.es6
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/widgets/search-menu.js.es6
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ export default createWidget('search-menu', {
 
       if (contextEnabled && ctx) {
         if (this.currentUser &&
-            ctx.id.toString().toLowerCase() === this.currentUser.username_lower &&
+            ctx.id.toString().toLowerCase() === this.currentUser.get('username_lower') &&
             type === "private_messages") {
           query += ' in:private';
         } else {