diff --git a/dmp-frontend/src/app/library/auto-complete/multiple/multiple-auto-complete.component.ts b/dmp-frontend/src/app/library/auto-complete/multiple/multiple-auto-complete.component.ts
index 5f38cad45..e08ffe914 100644
--- a/dmp-frontend/src/app/library/auto-complete/multiple/multiple-auto-complete.component.ts
+++ b/dmp-frontend/src/app/library/auto-complete/multiple/multiple-auto-complete.component.ts
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ export class MultipleAutoCompleteComponent extends _CustomComponentMixinBase imp
 
 	get shouldLabelFloat() { return this.focused || !this.empty; }
 
+	@Input() minLength: number = 0;
 	@Input() showNoResultsLabel: boolean = true;
 	@Input() hidePlaceholder: boolean = false;
 	@Input()
@@ -268,7 +269,7 @@ export class MultipleAutoCompleteComponent extends _CustomComponentMixinBase imp
 				distinctUntilChanged(),
 				distinctUntilChanged(),
 				tap(query => this.queryValue = query),
-				switchMap(query => this.filter(query)));
+				switchMap(query => (!this.minLength || (query && query.length >= this.minLength)) ? this.filter(query) : observableOf([])));
 
 			if (this.configuration.groupingFn) { this._groupedItems = this._items.pipe(map(items => this.configuration.groupingFn(items))); }
 		}
diff --git a/dmp-frontend/src/app/ui/dmp/invitation/dmp-invitation-dialog.component.html b/dmp-frontend/src/app/ui/dmp/invitation/dmp-invitation-dialog.component.html
index fa13b7b57..f722893f0 100644
--- a/dmp-frontend/src/app/ui/dmp/invitation/dmp-invitation-dialog.component.html
+++ b/dmp-frontend/src/app/ui/dmp/invitation/dmp-invitation-dialog.component.html
@@ -10,7 +10,8 @@
 			<mat-form-field class="col pt-0 pb-2 mb-4 search">
 				<!-- <mat-label>{{'INVITATION-EDITOR.AUTOCOMPLETE-USER-EMAIL' | translate}}</mat-label> -->
 				<app-multiple-auto-complete [formControl]="formGroup.get('users')" placeholder="{{'INVITATION-EDITOR.AUTOCOMPLETE-USER-EMAIL' | translate}}"
-											[configuration]="usersAutoCompleteConfiguration" [showNoResultsLabel]="false">
+											[configuration]="usersAutoCompleteConfiguration" [showNoResultsLabel]="false"
+											[minLength]="3">
 				</app-multiple-auto-complete>
 			</mat-form-field>
 			<p class="d-flex m-0 hint">
diff --git a/dmp-frontend/src/app/ui/dmp/invitation/dmp-invitation-dialog.component.ts b/dmp-frontend/src/app/ui/dmp/invitation/dmp-invitation-dialog.component.ts
index 0e9299f0e..ee29a5ace 100644
--- a/dmp-frontend/src/app/ui/dmp/invitation/dmp-invitation-dialog.component.ts
+++ b/dmp-frontend/src/app/ui/dmp/invitation/dmp-invitation-dialog.component.ts
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ export class DmpInvitationDialogComponent extends BaseComponent implements OnIni
 			const val = typeof(item) === 'string'? item : item.email;
 			const regexp = new RegExp(/^(([^<>()\[\]\\.,;:\s@"]+(\.[^<>()\[\]\\.,;:\s@"]+)*)|(".+"))@((\[[0-9]{1,3}\.[0-9]{1,3}\.[0-9]{1,3}\.[0-9]{1,3}])|(([a-zA-Z\-0-9]+\.)+[a-zA-Z]{2,}))$/);
 			return !regexp.test(val);
-		} 
+		}
 		}]
 	};