diff --git a/ckanext/datastore/db.py b/ckanext/datastore/db.py
index c87e1a2a555..c17e5ee9a87 100644
--- a/ckanext/datastore/db.py
+++ b/ckanext/datastore/db.py
@@ -273,19 +273,18 @@ def insert_data(context, data_dict):
     context['connection'].execute(sql_string, rows)
 
 
-def delete_data(context, data_dict):
-    filters = data_dict.get('filters')
+def _where_from_filters(field_ids, data_dict):
+    'Return a SQL WHERE clause from data_dict filters'
+    filters = data_dict.get('filters', {})
 
     if not isinstance(filters, dict):
         raise p.toolkit.ValidationError({
             'filters': 'Not a json object'}
         )
 
-    fields = _get_fields(context, data_dict)
-    field_ids = set([field['id'] for field in fields])
-
     where_clauses = []
     values = []
+
     for field, value in filters.iteritems():
         if field not in field_ids:
             raise p.toolkit.ValidationError({
@@ -295,17 +294,59 @@ def delete_data(context, data_dict):
         values.append(value)
 
     where_clause = ' and '.join(where_clauses)
+    return where_clause, values
+
+
+def delete_data(context, data_dict):
+    fields = _get_fields(context, data_dict)
+    field_ids = set([field['id'] for field in fields])
+    where_clause, where_values = _where_from_filters(field_ids, data_dict)
 
     context['connection'].execute(
         'delete from "{}" where {}'.format(
             data_dict['resource_id'],
             where_clause
         ),
-        values
+        where_values
     )
 
 
 def search_data(context, data_dict):
+    all_fields = _get_fields(context, data_dict)
+    all_field_ids = set([field['id'] for field in all_fields])
+
+    fields = data_dict.get('fields')
+
+    if fields:
+        check_fields(context, fields)
+        field_ids = set([field['id'] for field in fields])
+
+        for field in field_ids:
+            if not field in all_field_ids:
+                raise p.toolkit.ValidationError({
+                    'fields': 'field "{}" not in table'.format(field)}
+                )
+    else:
+        fields = all_fields
+        field_ids = all_field_ids
+
+    select_columns = ', '.join(field_ids)
+
+    where_clause, where_values = _where_from_filters(all_field_ids, data_dict)
+
+    sql_string = 'select {} from "{}"'.format(
+        select_columns, data_dict['resource_id']
+    )
+
+    if where_clause:
+        sql_string += ' where {}'.format(where_clause)
+
+    results = context['connection'].execute(sql_string, where_values)
+
+    data_dict['total'] = results.rowcount
+    records = [(dict((f, r[f]) for f in field_ids)) for r in results]
+    data_dict['records'] = records
+
     return data_dict
 
 
diff --git a/ckanext/datastore/logic/action.py b/ckanext/datastore/logic/action.py
index e75d4e21323..aa856b7a10c 100644
--- a/ckanext/datastore/logic/action.py
+++ b/ckanext/datastore/logic/action.py
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ def datastore_search(context, data_dict):
     :type offset: int
     :param fields: ordered list of fields to return
                    (default: all fields in original order)
-    :type fields: list of strings
+    :type fields: list of dictionaries
     :param sort: comma separated field names with ordering
                  eg: "fieldname1, fieldname2 desc"
     :type sort: string
diff --git a/ckanext/datastore/tests/test_datastore.py b/ckanext/datastore/tests/test_datastore.py
index 2f56eb89cd6..c49d3f970ea 100644
--- a/ckanext/datastore/tests/test_datastore.py
+++ b/ckanext/datastore/tests/test_datastore.py
@@ -488,3 +488,44 @@ def test_search_basic(self):
                             extra_environ=auth)
         res_dict = json.loads(res.body)
         assert res_dict['success'] is True
+        result = res_dict['result']
+        assert result['total'] == len(self.data['records'])
+        assert result['records'] == self.data['records']
+
+    def test_search_invalid_field(self):
+        data = {'resource_id': self.data['resource_id'],
+                'fields': [{'id': 'bad'}]}
+        postparams = '%s=1' % json.dumps(data)
+        auth = {'Authorization': str(self.sysadmin_user.apikey)}
+        res = self.app.post('/api/action/datastore_search', params=postparams,
+                            extra_environ=auth, status=409)
+        res_dict = json.loads(res.body)
+        assert res_dict['success'] is False
+
+    def test_search_fields(self):
+        data = {'resource_id': self.data['resource_id'],
+                'fields': [{'id': 'book'}]}
+        postparams = '%s=1' % json.dumps(data)
+        auth = {'Authorization': str(self.sysadmin_user.apikey)}
+        res = self.app.post('/api/action/datastore_search', params=postparams,
+                            extra_environ=auth)
+        res_dict = json.loads(res.body)
+        assert res_dict['success'] is True
+        result = res_dict['result']
+        assert result['total'] == len(self.data['records'])
+        assert result['records'] == [{'book': 'annakarenina'},
+                                     {'book': 'warandpeace'}]
+
+    def test_search_filters(self):
+        data = {'resource_id': self.data['resource_id'],
+                'filters': {'book': 'annakarenina'}}
+        postparams = '%s=1' % json.dumps(data)
+        auth = {'Authorization': str(self.sysadmin_user.apikey)}
+        res = self.app.post('/api/action/datastore_search', params=postparams,
+                            extra_environ=auth)
+        res_dict = json.loads(res.body)
+        assert res_dict['success'] is True
+        result = res_dict['result']
+        assert result['total'] == 1
+        assert result['records'] == [{'book': 'annakarenina',
+                                      'author': 'tolstoy'}]