diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/components/PersonTypeahead.svelte b/frontend/src/lib/components/PersonTypeahead.svelte
index e51eb7c4..985cdd42 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/components/PersonTypeahead.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/components/PersonTypeahead.svelte
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { untrack } from 'svelte';
 import type { components } from '$lib/generated/api';
 import { m } from '$lib/paraglide/messages.js';
 import { clickOutside } from '$lib/actions/clickOutside';
+import { createTypeahead } from '$lib/hooks/useTypeahead.svelte';
 type Person = components['schemas']['Person'];
 
 interface Props {
@@ -50,10 +51,23 @@ $effect(() => {
 	}
 });
 
-let results: Person[] = $state([]);
-let showDropdown = $state(false);
-let loading = $state(false);
-let debounceTimer: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout>;
+const typeahead = createTypeahead<Person>({
+	fetchUrl: async (term) => {
+		const personId = restrictToCorrespondentsOf;
+		if (personId) {
+			const url =
+				term.length >= 1
+					? `/api/persons/${personId}/correspondents?q=${encodeURIComponent(term)}`
+					: `/api/persons/${personId}/correspondents`;
+			const res = await fetch(url);
+			return res.ok ? await res.json() : [];
+		}
+		if (term.length < 1) return [];
+		const res = await fetch(`/api/persons?q=${encodeURIComponent(term)}`);
+		return res.ok ? await res.json() : [];
+	},
+	debounceMs: 300
+});
 
 function handleInput() {
 	if (value && searchTerm !== initialName) {
@@ -61,69 +75,38 @@ function handleInput() {
 		onchange?.('');
 	}
 
-	showDropdown = true;
-	clearTimeout(debounceTimer);
-
-	debounceTimer = setTimeout(async () => {
-		const term = untrack(() => searchTerm);
-		const correspondentsOf = untrack(() => restrictToCorrespondentsOf);
-		loading = true;
-		try {
-			let url: string;
-			if (correspondentsOf) {
-				if (term.length >= 1) {
-					url = `/api/persons/${correspondentsOf}/correspondents?q=${encodeURIComponent(term)}`;
-				} else {
-					url = `/api/persons/${correspondentsOf}/correspondents`;
-				}
-			} else {
-				if (term.length < 1) {
-					results = [];
-					loading = false;
-					return;
-				}
-				url = `/api/persons?q=${encodeURIComponent(term)}`;
-			}
-			const res = await fetch(url);
-			results = res.ok ? await res.json() : [];
-		} catch (e) {
-			console.error('Suche fehlgeschlagen', e);
-			results = [];
-		} finally {
-			loading = false;
-		}
-	}, 300);
+	const term = untrack(() => searchTerm);
+	typeahead.setQuery(term);
 }
 
 function handleFocus() {
 	onfocused?.();
-	showDropdown = true;
 	if (restrictToCorrespondentsOf) {
 		const personId = untrack(() => restrictToCorrespondentsOf)!;
-		loading = true;
 		(async () => {
 			try {
 				const res = await fetch(`/api/persons/${personId}/correspondents`);
-				results = res.ok ? await res.json() : [];
+				const persons: Person[] = res.ok ? await res.json() : [];
+				typeahead.openWith(persons);
 			} catch (e) {
 				console.error('Suche fehlgeschlagen', e);
-				results = [];
-			} finally {
-				loading = false;
+				typeahead.openWith([]);
 			}
 		})();
+	} else {
+		typeahead.openWith(typeahead.results);
 	}
 }
 
 function selectPerson(person: Person) {
 	value = person.id!;
 	searchTerm = person.displayName;
-	showDropdown = false;
+	typeahead.close();
 	onchange?.(person.id!);
 }
 </script>
 
-<div class="relative" use:clickOutside onclickoutside={() => (showDropdown = false)}>
+<div class="relative" use:clickOutside onclickoutside={() => typeahead.close()}>
 	<label
 		for={name}
 		class={compact
@@ -149,14 +132,14 @@ function selectPerson(person: Person) {
 				: 'mt-1 block w-full rounded-md border border-line bg-surface p-2 text-ink shadow-sm placeholder:text-ink-3 focus:outline-none focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-focus-ring'}
 	/>
 
-	{#if showDropdown && (results.length > 0 || loading)}
+	{#if typeahead.isOpen && (typeahead.results.length > 0 || typeahead.loading)}
 		<div
 			class="ring-opacity-5 absolute top-full left-0 z-50 mt-1 max-h-60 w-full overflow-auto rounded-md bg-surface py-1 text-base shadow-lg ring-1 ring-black focus:outline-none sm:text-sm"
 		>
-			{#if loading}
+			{#if typeahead.loading}
 				<div class="p-2 text-sm text-ink-2">{m.comp_typeahead_loading()}</div>
 			{:else}
-				{#each results as person (person.id)}
+				{#each typeahead.results as person (person.id)}
 					<div
 						class="relative cursor-pointer py-2 pr-9 pl-3 text-ink select-none hover:bg-accent-bg"
 						onclick={() => selectPerson(person)}
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/hooks/useTypeahead.svelte.ts b/frontend/src/lib/hooks/useTypeahead.svelte.ts
index c51da957..a090fcd3 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/hooks/useTypeahead.svelte.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/hooks/useTypeahead.svelte.ts
@@ -41,6 +41,12 @@ export function createTypeahead<T>(options: Options<T>) {
 		close();
 	}
 
+	/** Directly populate results without going through the debounce (e.g. on-focus preload). */
+	function openWith(items: T[]) {
+		results = items;
+		isOpen = true;
+	}
+
 	return {
 		get query() {
 			return query;
@@ -59,6 +65,7 @@ export function createTypeahead<T>(options: Options<T>) {
 		},
 		setQuery,
 		close,
-		select
+		select,
+		openWith
 	};
 }