diff --git a/models/user/search.go b/models/user/search.go
index bf35fcd9eb..8e6e93b0f6 100644
--- a/models/user/search.go
+++ b/models/user/search.go
@@ -39,7 +39,12 @@ type SearchUserOptions struct {
 }
 
 func (opts *SearchUserOptions) toSearchQueryBase() *xorm.Session {
-	var cond builder.Cond = builder.Eq{"type": opts.Type}
+	var cond builder.Cond
+	if opts.Type == UserTypeIndividual {
+		cond = builder.In("type", UserTypeIndividual, UserTypeF3)
+	} else {
+		cond = builder.Eq{"type": opts.Type}
+	}
 	if len(opts.Keyword) > 0 {
 		lowerKeyword := strings.ToLower(opts.Keyword)
 		keywordCond := builder.Or(
diff --git a/models/user/user.go b/models/user/user.go
index 4b19eda67b..b1bc4aed12 100644
--- a/models/user/user.go
+++ b/models/user/user.go
@@ -55,6 +55,9 @@ const (
 	UserTypeRemoteUser
 )
 
+// It belongs above but is set explicitly here to avoid conflicts
+const UserTypeF3 UserType = 128
+
 const (
 	// EmailNotificationsEnabled indicates that the user would like to receive all email notifications except your own
 	EmailNotificationsEnabled = "enabled"
@@ -215,7 +218,7 @@ func (u *User) GetEmail() string {
 // GetAllUsers returns a slice of all individual users found in DB.
 func GetAllUsers() ([]*User, error) {
 	users := make([]*User, 0)
-	return users, db.GetEngine(db.DefaultContext).OrderBy("id").Where("type = ?", UserTypeIndividual).Find(&users)
+	return users, db.GetEngine(db.DefaultContext).OrderBy("id").In("type", UserTypeIndividual, UserTypeF3).Find(&users)
 }
 
 // IsLocal returns true if user login type is LoginPlain.
@@ -411,6 +414,10 @@ func (u *User) IsBot() bool {
 	return u.Type == UserTypeBot
 }
 
+func (u *User) IsF3() bool {
+	return u.Type == UserTypeF3
+}
+
 // DisplayName returns full name if it's not empty,
 // returns username otherwise.
 func (u *User) DisplayName() string {
@@ -963,7 +970,8 @@ func GetUserByName(ctx context.Context, name string) (*User, error) {
 	if len(name) == 0 {
 		return nil, ErrUserNotExist{0, name, 0}
 	}
-	u := &User{LowerName: strings.ToLower(name), Type: UserTypeIndividual}
+	// adding Type: UserTypeIndividual is a noop because it is zero and discarded
+	u := &User{LowerName: strings.ToLower(name)}
 	has, err := db.GetEngine(ctx).Get(u)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -999,7 +1007,7 @@ func GetMaileableUsersByIDs(ctx context.Context, ids []int64, isMention bool) ([
 	if isMention {
 		return ous, db.GetEngine(ctx).
 			In("id", ids).
-			Where("`type` = ?", UserTypeIndividual).
+			In("`type`", UserTypeIndividual, UserTypeF3).
 			And("`prohibit_login` = ?", false).
 			And("`is_active` = ?", true).
 			In("`email_notifications_preference`", EmailNotificationsEnabled, EmailNotificationsOnMention, EmailNotificationsAndYourOwn).
@@ -1008,7 +1016,7 @@ func GetMaileableUsersByIDs(ctx context.Context, ids []int64, isMention bool) ([
 
 	return ous, db.GetEngine(ctx).
 		In("id", ids).
-		Where("`type` = ?", UserTypeIndividual).
+		In("`type`", UserTypeIndividual, UserTypeF3).
 		And("`prohibit_login` = ?", false).
 		And("`is_active` = ?", true).
 		In("`email_notifications_preference`", EmailNotificationsEnabled, EmailNotificationsAndYourOwn).
diff --git a/services/f3/promote.go b/services/f3/promote.go
index b11ff83a19..5a56e83773 100644
--- a/services/f3/promote.go
+++ b/services/f3/promote.go
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ func getUserByLoginName(ctx context.Context, name string) (*user_model.User, err
 	if len(name) == 0 {
 		return nil, user_model.ErrUserNotExist{Name: name}
 	}
-	u := &user_model.User{LoginName: name, LoginType: auth_model.F3, Type: user_model.UserTypeRemoteUser}
+	u := &user_model.User{LoginName: name, LoginType: auth_model.F3, Type: user_model.UserTypeF3}
 	has, err := db.GetEngine(ctx).Get(u)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -30,12 +30,12 @@ func getUserByLoginName(ctx context.Context, name string) (*user_model.User, err
 
 // The user created by F3 has:
 //
-//	Type        UserTypeRemoteUser
+//	Type        UserTypeF3
 //	LogingType  F3
 //	LoginName   set to the unique identifier of the originating forge
 //	LoginSource set to the F3 source that can be matched against a OAuth2 source
 //
-// If the source from which an authentification happens is OAuth2, a existing
+// If the source from which an authentification happens is OAuth2, an existing
 // F3 user will be promoted to an OAuth2 user provided:
 //
 //	user.LoginName is the same as goth.UserID (argument loginName)
@@ -82,6 +82,11 @@ func getF3UserToPromote(ctx context.Context, source *auth_model.Source, loginNam
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
+	if !u.IsF3() {
+		log.Debug("getF3UserToPromote: user %v is not a managed by F3", u)
+		return nil, nil
+	}
+
 	if u.Email != "" {
 		log.Debug("getF3UserToPromote: the user email is already set to '%s'", u.Email)
 		return nil, nil
diff --git a/tests/integration/f3_test.go b/tests/integration/f3_test.go
index b6bafdf850..d7e10af36b 100644
--- a/tests/integration/f3_test.go
+++ b/tests/integration/f3_test.go
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ func TestMaybePromoteF3User(t *testing.T) {
 	gitlabEmail := "gitlabuser@example.com"
 	userBeforeSignIn := &user_model.User{
 		Name:        "gitlabuser",
-		Type:        user_model.UserTypeRemoteUser,
+		Type:        user_model.UserTypeF3,
 		LoginType:   auth_model.F3,
 		LoginSource: f3.ID,
 		LoginName:   gitlabUserID,