diff --git a/core/templates/search/indexes/core/user_auto.txt b/core/templates/search/indexes/core/user_auto.txt
index 09d8005c..9966df06 100644
--- a/core/templates/search/indexes/core/user_auto.txt
+++ b/core/templates/search/indexes/core/user_auto.txt
@@ -1,13 +1,13 @@
-{% load replace %}
+{% load search_helpers %}
 
 {% with first=object.first_name|safe|slugify last=object.last_name|safe|slugify nick=object.nick_name|default_if_none:""|safe|slugify %}
 
 {{ first|replace:"|-| " }}
 {{ last|replace:"|-| " }}
 {{ nick|replace:"|-| " }}
-{{ first|cut:"-" }}
-{{ last|cut:"-" }}
-{{ nick|cut:"-" }}
+{% if first|count:"-" != 0 %}{{ first|cut:"-" }}{% endif %}
+{% if last|count:"-" != 0 %}{{ last|cut:"-" }}{% endif %}
+{% if nick|count:"-" != 0 %}{{ nick|cut:"-" }}{% endif %}
 {{ first|cut:"-" }}{{ last|cut:"-" }}
 
 {% endwith %}
diff --git a/core/templatetags/replace.py b/core/templatetags/search_helpers.py
similarity index 90%
rename from core/templatetags/replace.py
rename to core/templatetags/search_helpers.py
index f75fa74a..537ff357 100644
--- a/core/templatetags/replace.py
+++ b/core/templatetags/search_helpers.py
@@ -20,3 +20,8 @@ def replace(value, arg):
         raise TemplateSyntaxError("badly formatted argument")
 
     return value.replace(arg[1], arg[2])
+
+
+@register.filter
+def count(value, arg):
+    return value.count(arg)