diff --git a/lib/gitlab/markdown/reference_filter.rb b/lib/gitlab/markdown/reference_filter.rb
index 2e8baea68d6..42eadf450c7 100644
--- a/lib/gitlab/markdown/reference_filter.rb
+++ b/lib/gitlab/markdown/reference_filter.rb
@@ -41,10 +41,10 @@ module Gitlab
       #
       # type  - Singular Symbol reference type (e.g., :issue, :user, etc.)
       # value - Object to add
-      def push_result(type, value)
-        return if value.nil?
+      def push_result(type, *values)
+        return if values.empty?
 
-        result[:references][type].push(value)
+        result[:references][type].push(*values)
       end
 
       def reference_class(type)
diff --git a/lib/gitlab/markdown/user_reference_filter.rb b/lib/gitlab/markdown/user_reference_filter.rb
index d3af206335d..b4c48d29684 100644
--- a/lib/gitlab/markdown/user_reference_filter.rb
+++ b/lib/gitlab/markdown/user_reference_filter.rb
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ module Gitlab
 
           if user == 'all'
             # FIXME (rspeicher): Law of Demeter
-            push_result(:user, project.team.members.flatten)
+            push_result(:user, *project.team.members.flatten)
 
             url = link_to_all(project)
 
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ module Gitlab
           elsif namespace = Namespace.find_by(path: user)
             if namespace.is_a?(Group)
               if user_can_reference_group?(namespace)
-                push_result(:user, namespace.users)
+                push_result(:user, *namespace.users)
 
                 url = group_url(user, only_path: context[:only_path])
                 %(<a href="#{url}" class="#{klass}">@#{user}</a>)
diff --git a/spec/lib/gitlab/markdown/user_reference_filter_spec.rb b/spec/lib/gitlab/markdown/user_reference_filter_spec.rb
index f5a14367311..922502ada33 100644
--- a/spec/lib/gitlab/markdown/user_reference_filter_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/gitlab/markdown/user_reference_filter_spec.rb
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ module Gitlab::Markdown
 
       it 'adds to the results hash' do
         result = pipeline_result('Hey @all')
-        expect(result[:references][:user]).to eq [[project.creator]]
+        expect(result[:references][:user]).to eq [project.creator]
       end
     end
 
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ module Gitlab::Markdown
 
         it 'adds to the results hash' do
           result = pipeline_result("Hey #{reference}", current_user: user)
-          expect(result[:references][:user]).to eq [group.users]
+          expect(result[:references][:user]).to eq group.users
         end
       end