diff --git a/assets/javascripts/discourse-assign/controllers/assign-user.js b/assets/javascripts/discourse-assign/controllers/assign-user.js
index c14b835..08aba02 100644
--- a/assets/javascripts/discourse-assign/controllers/assign-user.js
+++ b/assets/javascripts/discourse-assign/controllers/assign-user.js
@@ -15,10 +15,13 @@ export default Controller.extend(ModalFunctionality, {
   taskActions: service(),
   autofocus: not("capabilities.touch"),
   assigneeName: or("model.username", "model.group_name"),
+  assigneeError: false,
 
   init() {
     this._super(...arguments);
-    this.allowedGroups = [];
+
+    this.set("allowedGroups", []);
+    this.set("assigneeError", false);
 
     ajax("/assign/suggestions").then((data) => {
       if (this.isDestroying || this.isDestroyed) {
@@ -77,6 +80,11 @@ export default Controller.extend(ModalFunctionality, {
       return this.bulkAction(this.model.username);
     }
 
+    if (!this.assigneeName) {
+      this.set("assigneeError", true);
+      return;
+    }
+
     let path = "/assign/assign";
 
     if (isEmpty(this.get("model.username"))) {
@@ -136,6 +144,7 @@ export default Controller.extend(ModalFunctionality, {
   },
 
   setGroupOrUser(name) {
+    this.set("assigneeError", false);
     if (this.allowedGroupsForAssignment.includes(name)) {
       this.setProperties({
         "model.username": null,
diff --git a/assets/javascripts/discourse-assign/initializers/extend-for-assigns.js b/assets/javascripts/discourse-assign/initializers/extend-for-assigns.js
index 6c3f0bd..cdd4645 100644
--- a/assets/javascripts/discourse-assign/initializers/extend-for-assigns.js
+++ b/assets/javascripts/discourse-assign/initializers/extend-for-assigns.js
@@ -924,10 +924,7 @@ export default {
         actions: {
           showReAssign() {
             this.set("assignUser.isBulkAction", true);
-            this.set("assignUser.model", {
-              username: "",
-              description: "discourse_assign.assign_bulk_modal.description",
-            });
+            this.set("assignUser.model", { username: "" });
             this.send("changeBulkTemplate", "modal/assign-user");
           },
           unassignTopics() {
diff --git a/assets/javascripts/discourse/services/task-actions.js b/assets/javascripts/discourse/services/task-actions.js
index f906008..7baf2bb 100644
--- a/assets/javascripts/discourse/services/task-actions.js
+++ b/assets/javascripts/discourse/services/task-actions.js
@@ -29,10 +29,6 @@ export default Service.extend({
         this.i18nSuffix(options.targetType) +
         `.${options.isAssigned ? "reassign_title" : "title"}`,
       model: {
-        description:
-          `discourse_assign.${options.isAssigned ? "reassign" : "assign"}` +
-          this.i18nSuffix(options.targetType) +
-          ".description",
         reassign: options.isAssigned,
         username: target.assigned_to_user?.username,
         group_name: target.assigned_to_group?.name,
diff --git a/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/modal/assign-user.hbs b/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/modal/assign-user.hbs
index b48336e..352cd70 100644
--- a/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/modal/assign-user.hbs
+++ b/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/modal/assign-user.hbs
@@ -1,31 +1,32 @@
 {{#d-modal-body class="assign"}}
   <div>
-    <p>{{i18n model.description}}</p>
-    {{email-group-user-chooser
-      autocomplete="off"
-      value=assigneeName
-      onChange=(action "assignUsername")
-      autofocus="autofocus"
-      showUserStatus=true
-      options=(hash
-        mobilePlacementStrategy="absolute"
-        filterPlaceholder=placeholderKey
-        includeGroups=true
-        customSearchOptions=(hash assignableGroups=true)
-        groupMembersOf=allowedGroups
-        maximum=1
-        autofocus=autofocus
-        tabindex=1
-      )
-    }}
-    <div class="assign-suggestions">
-      {{#each assignSuggestions as |user|}}
-        <a href {{action "assignUser" user.username }}>
-          {{avatar user imageSize="small"}}
-          {{decorate-username-selector user.username}}
-        </a>
-      {{/each}}
+    <div class="control-group {{if this.assigneeError "assignee-error"}}">
+      <label>{{i18n "discourse_assign.assign_modal.assignee_label"}}</label>
+      {{email-group-user-chooser
+        autocomplete="off"
+        value=assigneeName
+        onChange=(action "assignUsername")
+        autofocus="autofocus"
+        showUserStatus=true
+        caretIcon="search"
+        options=(hash
+          mobilePlacementStrategy="absolute"
+          filterPlaceholder=placeholderKey
+          includeGroups=true
+          customSearchOptions=(hash assignableGroups=true defaultSearchResults=this.assignSuggestions)
+          groupMembersOf=allowedGroups
+          maximum=1
+          autofocus=autofocus
+          tabindex=1
+        )
+      }}
+      {{#if this.assigneeError}}
+        <span class="error-label">
+          {{d-icon "exclamation-triangle"}} {{i18n "discourse_assign.assign_modal.choose_assignee"}}
+        </span>
+      {{/if}}
     </div>
+
     {{#if this.statusEnabled}}
       <div class="control-group assign-status">
         <label>{{i18n "discourse_assign.assign_modal.status_label"}}</label>
@@ -37,8 +38,11 @@
         }}
       </div>
     {{/if}}
+
     <div class="control-group assign-status">
-      <label>{{i18n "discourse_assign.assign_modal.note_label"}}</label>
+      <label>
+        {{i18n "discourse_assign.assign_modal.note_label"}}&nbsp;<span class="label-optional">{{i18n "discourse_assign.assign_modal.optional_label"}}</span>
+      </label>
       {{textarea id="assign-modal-note" value=model.note key-down=(action "handleTextAreaKeydown")}}
     </div>
   </div>
@@ -52,4 +56,5 @@
     class="btn-primary"
     disabled=disabled
   }}
+  <DModalCancel @close={{route-action "closeModal"}} />
 </div>
diff --git a/assets/stylesheets/assigns.scss b/assets/stylesheets/assigns.scss
index 70d120c..9556383 100644
--- a/assets/stylesheets/assigns.scss
+++ b/assets/stylesheets/assigns.scss
@@ -66,37 +66,37 @@
   margin-left: 5px;
 }
 
-.assign.modal-body .email-group-user-chooser {
-  display: block;
-  width: 300px;
-  margin-top: 5px;
-}
-
-.assign-user-modal p {
-  margin-top: 0;
-}
-
-.assign-suggestions {
-  margin-top: 15px;
-  margin-bottom: 15px;
-
-  img {
-    margin-right: 5px;
-    cursor: pointer;
+.assign-user-modal {
+  .modal-inner-container {
+    width: 400px;
   }
 
-  .groups {
-    margin-top: 5px;
-    a {
-      margin-right: 5px;
+  label {
+    font-weight: bold;
+
+    .label-optional {
+      color: var(--primary-medium);
+      font-weight: normal;
     }
   }
 
-  .on-holiday {
-    position: absolute;
-    margin-left: -18px;
-    margin-top: 14px;
-    color: var(--primary-medium);
+  .email-group-user-chooser {
+    width: 100%;
+
+    .caret-icon {
+      color: var(--primary-medium);
+    }
+  }
+
+  .control-group.assignee-error {
+    .select-kit-header {
+      border-color: var(--danger);
+    }
+
+    .error-label {
+      color: var(--danger);
+      font-size: var(--font-down-1);
+    }
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/config/locales/client.en.yml b/config/locales/client.en.yml
index b26c190..558bd68 100644
--- a/config/locales/client.en.yml
+++ b/config/locales/client.en.yml
@@ -50,19 +50,17 @@ en:
         help: "Edit assignment details"
       reassign_modal:
         title: "Reassign Topic"
-        description: "Enter the name of the user you'd like to Reassign this topic"
       assign_modal:
         title: "Assign Topic"
         reassign_title: "Reassign Topic"
-        description: "Enter the name of the user you'd like to assign this topic"
         assign: "Assign"
+        assignee_label: Assignee
+        choose_assignee: Choose a user to assign.
         note_label: Note
+        optional_label: "(optional)"
         status_label: Status
       assign_post_modal:
         title: "Assign Post"
-        description: "Enter the name of the user you'd like to assign this post"
-      assign_bulk_modal:
-        description: "Enter the name of the user you'd like to assign these topics"
       claim:
         title: "claim"
         help: "Assign topic to yourself"
diff --git a/test/javascripts/acceptance/assign-enabled-test.js b/test/javascripts/acceptance/assign-enabled-test.js
index cf15efa..a628e23 100644
--- a/test/javascripts/acceptance/assign-enabled-test.js
+++ b/test/javascripts/acceptance/assign-enabled-test.js
@@ -46,8 +46,6 @@ acceptance("Discourse Assign | Assign mobile", function (needs) {
     assert.ok(menu.rowByValue("assign").exists());
     await menu.selectRowByValue("assign");
     assert.ok(exists(".assign.modal-body"), "assign modal opens");
-
-    await click(".assign-suggestions .avatar");
   });
 });
 
@@ -102,8 +100,6 @@ acceptance("Discourse Assign | Assign desktop", function (needs) {
     await click("#topic-footer-button-assign");
 
     assert.ok(exists(".assign.modal-body"), "assign modal opens");
-
-    await click(".assign-suggestions .avatar");
   });
 });
 
diff --git a/test/javascripts/unit/task-actions-test.js b/test/javascripts/unit/task-actions-test.js
index 40dd2fe..a82b6f2 100644
--- a/test/javascripts/unit/task-actions-test.js
+++ b/test/javascripts/unit/task-actions-test.js
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ discourseModule("Unit | Service | task-actions", function () {
     assert.deepEqual(modalCall[1], {
       title: "discourse_assign.assign_modal.title",
       model: {
-        description: "discourse_assign.assign_modal.description",
         reassign: false,
         username: "tomtom",
         group_name: "cats",