diff --git a/bot/modules/community/scenes.js b/bot/modules/community/scenes.js
index 81eb5f6b..e13f16b0 100644
--- a/bot/modules/community/scenes.js
+++ b/bot/modules/community/scenes.js
@@ -2,7 +2,11 @@ const { Scenes } = require('telegraf');
 const { logger } = require('../../../logger');
 const { Community, User, PendingPayment } = require('../../../models');
 const { isPendingPayment } = require('../../../ln');
-const { isGroupAdmin, itemsFromMessage } = require('../../../util');
+const {
+  isGroupAdmin,
+  itemsFromMessage,
+  removeAtSymbol,
+} = require('../../../util');
 const messages = require('../../messages');
 const { isValidInvoice } = require('../../validations');
 const {
@@ -351,8 +355,7 @@ const createCommunitySteps = {
       const usernames = itemsFromMessage(text);
       if (usernames.length > 0 && usernames.length < 10) {
         for (let i = 0; i < usernames.length; i++) {
-          const username =
-            usernames[i][0] == '@' ? usernames[i].slice(1) : usernames[i];
+          const username = removeAtSymbol(usernames[i]);
           const user = await User.findOne({ username });
           if (user) {
             solvers.push({
@@ -699,8 +702,7 @@ exports.updateSolversCommunityWizard = new Scenes.WizardScene(
 
       if (usernames.length > 0 && usernames.length < 10) {
         for (let i = 0; i < usernames.length; i++) {
-          const username =
-            usernames[i][0] == '@' ? usernames[i].slice(1) : usernames[i];
+          const username = removeAtSymbol(usernames[i]);
           const user = await User.findOne({ username });
           if (user) {
             solvers.push({
diff --git a/bot/modules/dispute/commands.js b/bot/modules/dispute/commands.js
index 819b003f..a1f390ed 100644
--- a/bot/modules/dispute/commands.js
+++ b/bot/modules/dispute/commands.js
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ const messages = require('./messages');
 const globalMessages = require('../../messages');
 const { logger } = require('../../../logger');
 const OrderEvents = require('../../modules/events/orders');
+const { removeAtSymbol } = require('../../../util');
 
 const dispute = async ctx => {
   try {
@@ -98,7 +99,7 @@ const deleteDispute = async ctx => {
     if (!order) {
       return await globalMessages.notActiveOrderMessage(ctx);
     }
-    username = username[0] == '@' ? username.slice(1) : username;
+    username = removeAtSymbol(username);
     const user = await User.findOne({ username });
     if (!user) {
       return await globalMessages.notFoundUserMessage(ctx);
diff --git a/bot/modules/nostr/events.js b/bot/modules/nostr/events.js
index e48e90c3..7bb148de 100644
--- a/bot/modules/nostr/events.js
+++ b/bot/modules/nostr/events.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ const { finalizeEvent, verifyEvent } = require('nostr-tools/pure');
 const Config = require('./config');
 
 const { Community } = require('../../../models');
-const { toKebabCase } = require('../../../util');
+const { toKebabCase, removeAtSymbol } = require('../../../util');
 
 /// All events broadcasted are Parameterized Replaceable Events,
 /// the event kind must be between 30000 and 39999
@@ -16,10 +16,7 @@ const orderToTags = async order => {
   if (order.fiat_amount === undefined) {
     fiat_amount = `${order.min_amount}-${order.max_amount}`;
   }
-  const channel =
-    process.env.CHANNEL[0] === '@'
-      ? process.env.CHANNEL.slice(1)
-      : process.env.CHANNEL;
+  const channel = removeAtSymbol(process.env.CHANNEL);
   let source = `https://t.me/${channel}/${order.tg_channel_message1}`;
   const tags = [];
   tags.push(['d', order.id]);
@@ -32,7 +29,8 @@ const orderToTags = async order => {
   tags.push(['premium', order.price_margin.toString()]);
   if (order.community_id) {
     const community = await Community.findById(order.community_id);
-    source = `https://t.me/${community.group}/${order.tg_channel_message1}`;
+    const group = removeAtSymbol(community.group);
+    source = `https://t.me/${group}/${order.tg_channel_message1}`;
     tags.push(['community_id', order.community_id]);
   }
   tags.push(['source', source]);
diff --git a/bot/start.ts b/bot/start.ts
index 39b0ad9d..d7544edf 100644
--- a/bot/start.ts
+++ b/bot/start.ts
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ const {
   Dispute,
   Config,
 } = require('../models');
-const { getCurrenciesWithPrice, deleteOrderFromChannel } = require('../util');
+const { getCurrenciesWithPrice, deleteOrderFromChannel, removeAtSymbol } = require('../util');
 const {
   commandArgsMiddleware,
   stageMiddleware,
@@ -65,7 +65,6 @@ const {
   nodeInfo,
 } = require('../jobs');
 const { logger } = require('../logger');
-
 export interface MainContext extends Context {
   match: Array<string> | null;
   i18n: I18nContext;
@@ -591,7 +590,7 @@ const initialize = (botToken: string, options: Partial<Telegraf.Options<MainCont
 
       if (!username) return;
 
-      username = username[0] == '@' ? username.slice(1) : username;
+      username = removeAtSymbol(username);
       const user = await User.findOne({
         $or: [{ username }, { tg_id: username }],
       });
@@ -634,7 +633,7 @@ const initialize = (botToken: string, options: Partial<Telegraf.Options<MainCont
 
       if (!username) return;
 
-      username = username[0] == '@' ? username.slice(1) : username;
+      username = removeAtSymbol(username);
       const user = await User.findOne({
         $or: [{ username }, { tg_id: username }],
       });
diff --git a/util/index.js b/util/index.js
index 84dc6dbc..3cbb70ae 100644
--- a/util/index.js
+++ b/util/index.js
@@ -488,3 +488,7 @@ exports.getStars = (rate, totalReviews) => {
 
   return `${roundedRating} ${stars} (${totalReviews})`;
 };
+
+exports.removeAtSymbol = text => {
+  return text[0] === '@' ? text.slice(1) : text;
+};