diff --git a/jam-ui/cypress/integration/friends/friends-page.spec.js b/jam-ui/cypress/integration/friends/friends-page.spec.js
index c1631d788..9379ad025 100644
--- a/jam-ui/cypress/integration/friends/friends-page.spec.js
+++ b/jam-ui/cypress/integration/friends/friends-page.spec.js
@@ -42,18 +42,86 @@ const closeSidePanel = () => {
   cy.get('[data-testid=profileSidePanel] .modal-header button.close').click();
 };
 
-describe('Friends page without data', () => {
+describe.only('Friends page without data', () => {
   beforeEach(() => {
     cy.stubAuthenticate();
     cy.intercept('POST', /\S+\/filter/, {
       musicians: []
-    });
+    }).as("getPeople_empty");
   });
 
-  it('shows no records alert', () => {
+  it('from_location is unchecked', () => {
     cy.visit('/friends');
+
+    //default api call with from_location parameter turned off
+    cy.wait('@getPeople_empty')
+    .then(interception => {
+      assert.isNotNull(interception.response.body, '1st API call');
+    })
+    .its('request.body')
+    .should('deep.contain', {
+      from_location: false
+    });
+
+    cy.wait('@getPeople_empty')
+    .then(interception => {
+      assert.isNotNull(interception.response.body, '2nd API call - (prefetched)');
+    })
+    .its('request.body')
+    .should('deep.contain', {
+      from_location: false
+    });
+
+    //now it automatically turns on from_location parameter and fetches again
+    cy.wait('@getPeople_empty')
+    .then(interception => {
+      assert.isNotNull(interception.response.body, '3rd API call');
+    })
+    .its('request.body')
+    .should('deep.contain', {
+      from_location: true
+    });
+
+    cy.wait('@getPeople_empty')
+    .then(interception => {
+      assert.isNotNull(interception.response.body, '4th API call - (prefetched)');
+    })
+    .its('request.body')
+    .should('deep.contain', {
+      from_location: true
+    });
+
     cy.contains('No Records!');
+
+    cy.get('[data-testid=btnUpdateSearch]').click();
+    cy.get('[data-testid=modalUpdateSearch] input[name=from_location]').check();
+    cy.wait(1000);
+    cy.get('[data-testid=btnSubmitSearch]').click();
+
+    //default api call with from_location parameter turned on
+    cy.wait('@getPeople_empty')
+    .then(interception => {
+      assert.isNotNull(interception.response.body, '5th API call');
+    })
+    .its('request.body')
+    .should('deep.contain', {
+      from_location: true
+    });
+
+    cy.wait('@getPeople_empty')
+    .then(interception => {
+      assert.isNotNull(interception.response.body, '6th API call - (prefetched)');
+    })
+    .its('request.body')
+    .should('deep.contain', {
+      from_location: true
+    });
+
+    cy.contains('No Records!');
+
   });
+
+
 });
 
 describe('Friends page with data', () => {
@@ -84,7 +152,7 @@ describe('Friends page with data', () => {
           .contains('Test User1');
       });
 
-      it.only('click profile name', () => {
+      it('click profile name', () => {
         //open side panel by clicking name
         cy.get('[data-testid=peopleListTable]').within(() => {
           cy.contains('Test User1').click();
@@ -408,6 +476,7 @@ describe('Friends page with data', () => {
       cy.get('[data-testid=modalUpdateSearch] input[name=proficiency_intermediate]').uncheck();
       cy.get('[data-testid=modalUpdateSearch] input[name=proficiency_expert]').uncheck();
       cy.get('[data-testid=modalUpdateSearch] input[name=proficiency_expert]').uncheck();
+      cy.get('[data-testid=modalUpdateSearch] input[name=from_location]').uncheck();
       cy.get('#selInstruments')
         .type('Drums{enter}')
         .click();
@@ -446,6 +515,8 @@ describe('Friends page with data', () => {
           .should('not.be.checked')
           .next()
           .contains('Poor (more than 60ms)');
+        cy.get('input[name=from_location]')
+          .should('not.be.checked')
       });
     });
 
@@ -493,7 +564,8 @@ describe('Friends page with data', () => {
           proficiency_intermediate: true,
           proficiency_expert: true,
           instruments: [],
-          genres: []
+          genres: [],
+          from_location: false
         });
 
       cy.wait('@getPeople_page2').then(interception => {
@@ -518,12 +590,14 @@ describe('Friends page with data', () => {
           proficiency_intermediate: false,
           proficiency_expert: false,
           instruments: [{ value: 'drums', label: 'Drums' }],
-          genres: ['pop']
+          genres: ['pop'],
+          from_location: false
         });
 
       cy.wait('@getPeople_page2').then(interception => {
         assert.isNotNull(interception.response.body, '6th API call has data - (prefethed)');
       });
+
     });
   });
 });
diff --git a/jam-ui/src/components/common/JKTooltip.js b/jam-ui/src/components/common/JKTooltip.js
index 328f29d34..19480bd7c 100644
--- a/jam-ui/src/components/common/JKTooltip.js
+++ b/jam-ui/src/components/common/JKTooltip.js
@@ -6,8 +6,11 @@ const JKTooltip = props => {
   const iconRef = useRef();
   const toggle = () => setTooltipOpen(!tooltipOpen);
 
+  function handleClick(e) {
+    e.preventDefault();
+  }
   return (
-    <a href="javascript: void(0);">
+    <a href="#!" onClick={handleClick}>
       <img
         alt="help"
         ref={iconRef}
diff --git a/jam-ui/src/components/page/JKPeopleFilter.js b/jam-ui/src/components/page/JKPeopleFilter.js
index fcade4fc8..3323c56e7 100644
--- a/jam-ui/src/components/page/JKPeopleFilter.js
+++ b/jam-ui/src/components/page/JKPeopleFilter.js
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ function JKPeopleFilter() {
   const totalPages = useSelector(state => state.people.totalPages);
   const loadingStatus = useSelector(state => state.people.status);
 
-  const { register, handleSubmit, setValue, control } = useForm({
+  const { register, handleSubmit, setValue, getValues, control } = useForm({
     defaultValues: {
       latency_good: true,
       latency_fair: true,
@@ -45,7 +45,8 @@ function JKPeopleFilter() {
       instruments: [],
       genres: [],
       joined_within_days: '-1',
-      active_within_days: '-1'
+      active_within_days: '-1',
+      from_location: false,
     }
   });
 
@@ -126,6 +127,7 @@ function JKPeopleFilter() {
     setValue('genres', null);
     setValue('joined_within_days', -1);
     setValue('active_within_days', -1);
+    setValue('from_location', false);
   };
 
   const submitPageQuery = () => {
@@ -199,6 +201,16 @@ function JKPeopleFilter() {
     }
   }, [resetFilter]);
 
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if(loadingStatus === 'succeeded' && people.length === 0 && currentPage.current === 1 && !getValues("from_location")){
+      //no results found. let's fetch again with from_location enabled
+      setValue('from_location', true);
+      nextPage.current = 1
+      currentPage.current = 1
+      submitPageQuery()
+    }
+  }, [loadingStatus])
+
   return (
     <Card>
       <FalconCardHeader title={t('page_title', { ns: 'people' })} titleClass="font-weight-bold">
@@ -368,6 +380,19 @@ function JKPeopleFilter() {
                         render={({ field }) => <Select {...field} options={joinedOpts} id="selJoinedWithin" />}
                       />
                     </div>
+
+                    <label className="form-label" htmlFor="from_location">
+                      Search by My Location{' '}
+                    </label>
+                    <div className="form-check">
+                      <input
+                        {...register('from_location')}
+                        type="checkbox"
+                        className="form-check-input"
+                        onChange={e => setValue('from_location', e.target.checked)}
+                      />
+                    </div>      
+
                   </div>
                 </div>
               </form>
diff --git a/jam-ui/src/store/features/peopleSlice.js b/jam-ui/src/store/features/peopleSlice.js
index 3084c5e1c..dcf5176b3 100644
--- a/jam-ui/src/store/features/peopleSlice.js
+++ b/jam-ui/src/store/features/peopleSlice.js
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ export const fetchPeople = createAsyncThunk(
 export const preFetchPeople = createAsyncThunk(
   'people/preFetchPeople', 
   async (options, thunkAPI) => {
+    
     const response = await getPeople(options)
     return response.json()
   }
@@ -78,6 +79,7 @@ export const peopleSlice = createSlice({
       state.status = 'loading'
     })
     .addCase(fetchPeople.fulfilled, (state, action) => {
+      //console.log("DEBUG: action.meta.arg", action.meta.arg);
       const records = new Set([...state.people, ...action.payload.musicians]);
       const unique = [];
       records.map(x => unique.filter(a => a.id === x.id).length > 0 ? null : unique.push(x))
diff --git a/web/app/controllers/api_search_controller.rb b/web/app/controllers/api_search_controller.rb
index edde43efb..a912639e6 100644
--- a/web/app/controllers/api_search_controller.rb
+++ b/web/app/controllers/api_search_controller.rb
@@ -127,9 +127,12 @@ class ApiSearchController < ApiController
         "ages"=>[], 
         "skill_level"=>"-1",
         "joined_within_days"=>"-1",
-        "active_within_days"=>"-1"
+        "active_within_days"=>"-1",
+        "from_location" => "0",
       }
 
+      filter_params.merge!(from_location: params[:from_location] ? '1' : '0')
+
       filter_params.merge!(genres: params[:genres]) unless params[:genres].blank?
 
       beginner = ActiveRecord::Type::Boolean.new.type_cast_from_user(params[:proficiency_beginner])