diff --git a/app/components/autocomplete/emoji_suggestion/emoji_suggestion.js b/app/components/autocomplete/emoji_suggestion/emoji_suggestion.js
index d7c20750c..8f6d14402 100644
--- a/app/components/autocomplete/emoji_suggestion/emoji_suggestion.js
+++ b/app/components/autocomplete/emoji_suggestion/emoji_suggestion.js
@@ -94,13 +94,18 @@ export default class EmojiSuggestion extends PureComponent {
 
         const results = await fuse.search(matchTerm.toLowerCase());
         const data = results.map((index) => emojis[index]);
-        this.setEmojiData(data);
+        this.setEmojiData(data, matchTerm);
     };
 
-    setEmojiData = (data) => {
+    setEmojiData = (data, matchTerm = null) => {
+        let sorter = compareEmojis;
+        if (matchTerm) {
+            sorter = (a, b) => compareEmojis(a, b, matchTerm);
+        }
+
         this.setState({
             active: data.length > 0,
-            dataSource: data.sort(compareEmojis),
+            dataSource: data.sort(sorter),
         });
 
         this.props.onResultCountChange(data.length);
diff --git a/app/components/emoji_picker/emoji_picker_base.js b/app/components/emoji_picker/emoji_picker_base.js
index f9889696c..429248a8e 100644
--- a/app/components/emoji_picker/emoji_picker_base.js
+++ b/app/components/emoji_picker/emoji_picker_base.js
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import {
     makeStyleSheetFromTheme,
     changeOpacity,
 } from 'app/utils/theme';
+import {compareEmojis} from 'app/utils/emoji_utils';
 import {paddingHorizontal as padding} from 'app/components/safe_area_view/iphone_x_spacing';
 import EmojiPickerRow from './emoji_picker_row';
 
@@ -211,7 +212,9 @@ export default class EmojiPicker extends PureComponent {
         }
 
         const results = fuse.search(searchTermLowerCase);
-        const data = results.map((index) => emojis[index]);
+        const sorter = (a, b) => compareEmojis(a, b, searchTerm);
+        const data = results.map((index) => emojis[index]).sort(sorter);
+
         return data;
     };
 
diff --git a/app/utils/emoji_utils.js b/app/utils/emoji_utils.js
index d8b837cb7..ae092d11b 100644
--- a/app/utils/emoji_utils.js
+++ b/app/utils/emoji_utils.js
@@ -132,23 +132,45 @@ const customComparisonRules = {
     '+1': thumbsUpComparisonRule,
 };
 
+function doDefaultComparison(aName, bName) {
+    if (customComparisonRules[aName]) {
+        return customComparisonRules[aName](bName) || defaultComparisonRule(aName, bName);
+    }
+
+    return defaultComparisonRule(aName, bName);
+}
+
 export function compareEmojis(emojiA, emojiB, searchedName) {
     const aName = emojiA.name || (emojiA.aliases ? emojiA.aliases[0] : emojiA);
     const bName = emojiB.name || (emojiB.aliases ? emojiB.aliases[0] : emojiB);
 
-    // Have the emojis that contain the search appear first
+    if (!searchedName) {
+        return doDefaultComparison(aName, bName);
+    }
+
+    // Have the emojis that start with the search appear first
     const aPrefix = aName.startsWith(searchedName);
     const bPrefix = bName.startsWith(searchedName);
 
-    if (aPrefix === bPrefix) {
-        if (customComparisonRules[aName]) {
-            return customComparisonRules[aName](bName) || defaultComparisonRule(aName, bName);
-        }
-
-        return defaultComparisonRule(aName, bName, searchedName);
+    if (aPrefix && bPrefix) {
+        return doDefaultComparison(aName, bName);
     } else if (aPrefix) {
         return -1;
+    } else if (bPrefix) {
+        return 1;
     }
 
-    return 1;
+    // Have the emojis that contain the search appear next
+    const aIncludes = aName.includes(searchedName);
+    const bIncludes = bName.includes(searchedName);
+
+    if (aIncludes && bIncludes) {
+        return doDefaultComparison(aName, bName);
+    } else if (aIncludes) {
+        return -1;
+    } else if (bIncludes) {
+        return 1;
+    }
+
+    return doDefaultComparison(aName, bName);
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/app/utils/emoji_utils.test.js b/app/utils/emoji_utils.test.js
index 690163352..052dc434c 100644
--- a/app/utils/emoji_utils.test.js
+++ b/app/utils/emoji_utils.test.js
@@ -411,4 +411,18 @@ describe('compareEmojis', () => {
 
         expect(emojiArray).toEqual([thumbsUpEmoji, thumbsDownEmoji, smileEmoji]);
     });
+
+    test('it sorts emojis that start with search term first, then includes search term, then alphabetically', () => {
+        const printerEmoji = 'printer';
+        const pointDownEmoji = 'point_down';
+        const paintBrushEmoji = 'paintbrush';
+        const footPrintsEmoji = 'footprints';
+        const disappointedEmoji = 'disappointed';
+        const sixPointedStarEmoji = 'six_pointed_star';
+
+        const emojiArray = [printerEmoji, pointDownEmoji, paintBrushEmoji, footPrintsEmoji, disappointedEmoji, sixPointedStarEmoji];
+        emojiArray.sort((a, b) => compareEmojis(a, b, 'point'));
+
+        expect(emojiArray).toEqual([pointDownEmoji, disappointedEmoji, sixPointedStarEmoji, footPrintsEmoji, paintBrushEmoji, printerEmoji]);
+    });
 });