diff --git a/app/components/Contacts/ContactsForm.js b/app/components/Contacts/ContactsForm.js
index 5a0955a2..51a8d597 100644
--- a/app/components/Contacts/ContactsForm.js
+++ b/app/components/Contacts/ContactsForm.js
@@ -10,29 +10,30 @@ class ContactsForm extends React.Component {
     super(props)
 
     this.state = {
-      editing: false,
-      manualFormInput: ''
+      editing: false
     }
   }
 
   render() {
     const {
       contactsform,
+      contactsform: { showErrors },
       closeContactsForm,
       updateContactFormSearchQuery,
+      updateManualFormSearchQuery,
       updateContactCapacity,
       openChannel,
-
+      updateManualFormErrors,
       activeChannelPubkeys,
       nonActiveChannelPubkeys,
       pendingOpenChannelPubkeys,
       filteredNetworkNodes,
       loadingChannelPubkeys,
-      showManualForm
+      showManualForm,
+      manualFormIsValid
     } = this.props
 
-    const { editing, manualFormInput } = this.state
-
+    const { editing } = this.state
 
     const renderRightSide = (node) => {
       if (loadingChannelPubkeys.includes(node.pub_key)) {
@@ -94,15 +95,21 @@ class ContactsForm extends React.Component {
       this.setState({ editing: true })
     }
 
+
     const manualFormSubmit = () => {
-      if (!manualFormInput.length) { return }
-      if (!manualFormInput.includes('@')) { return }
+      if (!manualFormIsValid.isValid) {
+        updateManualFormErrors(manualFormIsValid.errors)
+        updateManualFormSearchQuery('')
+        return
+      }
+      //  clear any existing errors
 
-      const [pubkey, host] = manualFormInput && manualFormInput.split('@')
+      updateManualFormErrors({ manualInput: null })
+      const [pubkey, host] = contactsform.manualSearchQuery && contactsform.manualSearchQuery.split('@')
 
       openChannel({ pubkey, host, local_amt: contactsform.contactCapacity })
 
-      this.setState({ manualFormInput: '' })
+      updateManualFormSearchQuery('')
     }
 
     return (
@@ -170,8 +177,8 @@ class ContactsForm extends React.Component {
                 <input
                   type='text'
                   placeholder='pubkey@host'
-                  value={manualFormInput}
-                  onChange={event => this.setState({ manualFormInput: event.target.value })}
+                  value={contactsform.manualSearchQuery}
+                  onChange={event => updateManualFormSearchQuery(event.target.value)}
                 />
                 <div className={styles.submit} onClick={manualFormSubmit}>Submit</div>
 
@@ -184,6 +191,12 @@ class ContactsForm extends React.Component {
                   </div>
                 }
               </section>
+
+              <section className={`${styles.errorMessage} ${showErrors.manualInput && styles.active}`}>
+                {showErrors.manualInput &&
+                  <span>{manualFormIsValid && manualFormIsValid.errors.manualInput}</span>
+                }
+              </section>
             </div>
           }
 
@@ -220,14 +233,18 @@ class ContactsForm extends React.Component {
   }
 }
 
-
 ContactsForm.propTypes = {
   contactsform: PropTypes.object.isRequired,
   closeContactsForm: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
   updateContactFormSearchQuery: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
+  updateManualFormSearchQuery: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
+  manualFormIsValid: PropTypes.shape({
+    errors: PropTypes.object,
+    isValid: PropTypes.bool
+  }).isRequired,
   updateContactCapacity: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
+  updateManualFormErrors: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
   openChannel: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
-
   activeChannelPubkeys: PropTypes.array.isRequired,
   nonActiveChannelPubkeys: PropTypes.array.isRequired,
   pendingOpenChannelPubkeys: PropTypes.array.isRequired,
diff --git a/app/components/Contacts/ContactsForm.scss b/app/components/Contacts/ContactsForm.scss
index 6b33b320..3c6b7a45 100644
--- a/app/components/Contacts/ContactsForm.scss
+++ b/app/components/Contacts/ContactsForm.scss
@@ -161,6 +161,18 @@
   }
 }
 
+.errorMessage {
+  margin: 10px 0;
+  min-height: 20px;
+  color: $red;
+  opacity: 0;
+  transition: all 0.25s ease;
+
+  &.active {
+    opacity: 1;
+  }
+}
+
 .footer {
   padding: 10px 15px;
   border-top: 1px solid $darkgrey;
@@ -243,5 +255,4 @@
   -moz-animation: animation-rotate 1000ms linear infinite;
   -o-animation: animation-rotate 1000ms linear infinite;
   animation: animation-rotate 1000ms linear infinite;
-}
-
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/app/reducers/contactsform.js b/app/reducers/contactsform.js
index 40e2a777..5e5dd17b 100644
--- a/app/reducers/contactsform.js
+++ b/app/reducers/contactsform.js
@@ -1,12 +1,16 @@
 import { createSelector } from 'reselect'
-
 import filter from 'lodash/filter'
+import isEmpty from 'lodash/isEmpty'
 
 // Initial State
 const initialState = {
   isOpen: false,
   searchQuery: '',
-  contactCapacity: 0.1
+  manualSearchQuery: '',
+  contactCapacity: 0.1,
+  showErrors: {
+    manualInput: false
+  }
 }
 
 // Constants
@@ -18,6 +22,10 @@ export const UPDATE_CONTACT_FORM_SEARCH_QUERY = 'UPDATE_CONTACT_FORM_SEARCH_QUER
 
 export const UPDATE_CONTACT_CAPACITY = 'UPDATE_CONTACT_CAPACITY'
 
+export const UPDATE_MANUAL_FORM_ERRORS = 'UPDATE_MANUAL_FORM_ERRORS'
+
+export const UPDATE_MANUAL_FORM_SEARCH_QUERY = 'UPDATE_MANUAL_FORM_SEARCH_QUERY'
+
 // ------------------------------------
 // Actions
 // ------------------------------------
@@ -40,6 +48,13 @@ export function updateContactFormSearchQuery(searchQuery) {
   }
 }
 
+export function updateManualFormSearchQuery(manualSearchQuery) {
+  return {
+    type: UPDATE_MANUAL_FORM_SEARCH_QUERY,
+    manualSearchQuery
+  }
+}
+
 export function updateContactCapacity(contactCapacity) {
   return {
     type: UPDATE_CONTACT_CAPACITY,
@@ -47,6 +62,13 @@ export function updateContactCapacity(contactCapacity) {
   }
 }
 
+export function updateManualFormErrors(errorsObject) {
+  return {
+    type: UPDATE_MANUAL_FORM_ERRORS,
+    errorsObject
+  }
+}
+
 // ------------------------------------
 // Action Handlers
 // ------------------------------------
@@ -56,7 +78,13 @@ const ACTION_HANDLERS = {
 
   [UPDATE_CONTACT_FORM_SEARCH_QUERY]: (state, { searchQuery }) => ({ ...state, searchQuery }),
 
-  [UPDATE_CONTACT_CAPACITY]: (state, { contactCapacity }) => ({ ...state, contactCapacity })
+  [UPDATE_MANUAL_FORM_SEARCH_QUERY]: (state, { searchQuery }) => ({ ...state, searchQuery }),
+
+  [UPDATE_CONTACT_CAPACITY]: (state, { contactCapacity }) => ({ ...state, contactCapacity }),
+
+  [UPDATE_MANUAL_FORM_ERRORS]: (state, { errorsObject }) => ({ ...state, showErrors: Object.assign(state.showErrors, errorsObject) }),
+
+  [UPDATE_MANUAL_FORM_SEARCH_QUERY]: (state, { manualSearchQuery }) => ({ ...state, manualSearchQuery })
 }
 
 // ------------------------------------
@@ -65,6 +93,7 @@ const ACTION_HANDLERS = {
 const contactFormSelectors = {}
 const networkNodesSelector = state => state.network.nodes
 const searchQuerySelector = state => state.contactsform.searchQuery
+const manualSearchQuerySelector = state => state.contactsform.manualSearchQuery
 
 
 contactFormSelectors.filteredNetworkNodes = createSelector(
@@ -97,6 +126,21 @@ contactFormSelectors.showManualForm = createSelector(
   }
 )
 
+contactFormSelectors.manualFormIsValid = createSelector(
+  manualSearchQuerySelector,
+  (input) => {
+    const errors = {}
+    if (!input.length || !input.includes('@')) {
+      errors.manualInput = 'Invalid format'
+    }
+    return {
+      errors,
+      isValid: isEmpty(errors)
+    }
+  }
+)
+
+
 export { contactFormSelectors }
 
 // ------------------------------------
@@ -106,4 +150,4 @@ export default function contactFormReducer(state = initialState, action) {
   const handler = ACTION_HANDLERS[action.type]
 
   return handler ? handler(state, action) : state
-}
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/app/routes/contacts/containers/ContactsContainer.js b/app/routes/contacts/containers/ContactsContainer.js
index b0afb19a..040d389a 100644
--- a/app/routes/contacts/containers/ContactsContainer.js
+++ b/app/routes/contacts/containers/ContactsContainer.js
@@ -24,8 +24,10 @@ import {
   openContactsForm,
   closeContactsForm,
   updateContactFormSearchQuery,
+  updateManualFormSearchQuery,
   updateContactCapacity,
-  contactFormSelectors
+  contactFormSelectors,
+  updateManualFormErrors
 } from 'reducers/contactsform'
 
 import Contacts from '../components/Contacts'
@@ -36,13 +38,14 @@ const mapDispatchToProps = {
   openContactModal,
   closeContactModal,
   updateContactFormSearchQuery,
+  updateManualFormSearchQuery,
   updateContactCapacity,
   openChannel,
   closeChannel,
   updateChannelSearchQuery,
   toggleFilterPulldown,
   changeFilter,
-
+  updateManualFormErrors,
   fetchChannels,
   fetchPeers,
   fetchDescribeNetwork
@@ -66,7 +69,8 @@ const mapStateToProps = state => ({
   channelNodes: channelsSelectors.channelNodes(state),
 
   filteredNetworkNodes: contactFormSelectors.filteredNetworkNodes(state),
-  showManualForm: contactFormSelectors.showManualForm(state)
+  showManualForm: contactFormSelectors.showManualForm(state),
+  manualFormIsValid: contactFormSelectors.manualFormIsValid(state)
 })
 
 const mergeProps = (stateProps, dispatchProps, ownProps) => {
@@ -77,23 +81,25 @@ const mergeProps = (stateProps, dispatchProps, ownProps) => {
     isOpen: stateProps.channels.contactModal.isOpen,
     channel: stateProps.channels.contactModal.channel,
     channelNodes: stateProps.channelNodes,
-    closingChannelIds: stateProps.channels.closingChannelIds
+    closingChannelIds: stateProps.channels.closingChannelIds,
+    manualFormIsValid: stateProps.manualFormIsValid
   }
 
   const contactsFormProps = {
     closeContactsForm: dispatchProps.closeContactsForm,
     updateContactFormSearchQuery: dispatchProps.updateContactFormSearchQuery,
+    updateManualFormSearchQuery: dispatchProps.updateManualFormSearchQuery,
     updateContactCapacity: dispatchProps.updateContactCapacity,
     openChannel: dispatchProps.openChannel,
-
     contactsform: stateProps.contactsform,
     filteredNetworkNodes: stateProps.filteredNetworkNodes,
     loadingChannelPubkeys: stateProps.channels.loadingChannelPubkeys,
     showManualForm: stateProps.showManualForm,
-
+    manualFormIsValid: stateProps.manualFormIsValid,
     activeChannelPubkeys: stateProps.activeChannelPubkeys,
     nonActiveChannelPubkeys: stateProps.nonActiveChannelPubkeys,
-    pendingOpenChannelPubkeys: stateProps.pendingOpenChannelPubkeys
+    pendingOpenChannelPubkeys: stateProps.pendingOpenChannelPubkeys,
+    updateManualFormErrors: dispatchProps.updateManualFormErrors
   }
 
   return {
@@ -106,4 +112,4 @@ const mergeProps = (stateProps, dispatchProps, ownProps) => {
   }
 }
 
-export default withRouter(connect(mapStateToProps, mapDispatchToProps, mergeProps)(Contacts))
+export default withRouter(connect(mapStateToProps, mapDispatchToProps, mergeProps)(Contacts))
\ No newline at end of file