This　study　investigated　the　effects　of　surfactant　addition　to　the　draw　solution　on　the　performance　of　osmotic　membrane　bioreactor　(OMBR).　Forward　osmosis　(FO)　tests　were　conducted　with　the　addition　of　sodium　dodecyl　benzene　sulfonate　(SDBS),　a　representative　surfactant,　to　both　inorganic　and　ionic　organic　draw　solutions,　including　sodium　chloride　(NaCl),　sodium　acetate　(NaOAc),　and　sodium　propionate　(NaPro),　to　determine　the　desirable　draw　solution　for　OMBR　operation.　Results　show　that　SDBS　impacts　were　more　notable　for　inorganic　draw　solution　in　comparison　to　its　ionic　organic　counterparts　at　the　same　osmotic　pressure　(60　bar)　in　FO　operation.　In　specific,　SDBS　addition　up　to　5　mM　considerably　reduced　the　reverse　diffusion　of　NaCl　draw　solute　(approximately　69.7%)　with　insignificant　impact　on　water　flux.　Thus,　salinity　build-up　in　the　bioreactor　could　be　effectively　mitigated　when　SDBS　was　added　to　the　NaCl　draw　solution　in　OMBR　operation.　This　mitigation　led　to　stable　sludge　characteristics　and　biological　treatment　to　sustain　OMBR　performance　regarding　water　production　(approximately　10　L/m2h)　and　contaminant　removal　(e.g.　over　90%　for　pharmaceutically　active　compounds).　©　2020　Elsevier　B.V.