diff --git a/plugins/wporg-5ftf/includes/pledge-form.php b/plugins/wporg-5ftf/includes/pledge-form.php
index bd2cb15..88edf65 100755
--- a/plugins/wporg-5ftf/includes/pledge-form.php
+++ b/plugins/wporg-5ftf/includes/pledge-form.php
@@ -310,6 +310,7 @@ function parse_contributors( $contributors ) {
 	$invalid_contributors   = array();
 	$sanitized_contributors = array();
 
+	$contributors = str_replace( '@', '', $contributors );
 	$contributors = explode( ',', $contributors );
 
 	foreach ( $contributors as $wporg_username ) {
diff --git a/plugins/wporg-5ftf/views/inputs-pledge-contributors.php b/plugins/wporg-5ftf/views/inputs-pledge-contributors.php
index d1f8cc2..7ed7412 100644
--- a/plugins/wporg-5ftf/views/inputs-pledge-contributors.php
+++ b/plugins/wporg-5ftf/views/inputs-pledge-contributors.php
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ namespace WordPressDotOrg\FiveForTheFuture\View;
 		id="5ftf-pledge-contributors"
 		name="pledge-contributors"
 		value="<?php echo esc_attr( $data['pledge-contributors'] ); ?>"
+		placeholder="zoe, mal, kaylee"
 		required
 		aria-describedby="5ftf-pledge-contributors-help"
 	/>