diff --git a/fuel/modules/fuel/models/base_module_model.php b/fuel/modules/fuel/models/base_module_model.php
index de598c0f2..4088374de 100644
--- a/fuel/modules/fuel/models/base_module_model.php
+++ b/fuel/modules/fuel/models/base_module_model.php
@@ -204,11 +204,27 @@ function list_items($limit = NULL, $offset = 0, $col = 'id', $order = 'asc')
 					
 					if (strtolower($this->filter_join) == 'and') 
 					{
-						$this->db->like('LOWER('.$key.')', strtolower($val), 'both');
+						// do a direct match if the values are integers and have _id in them
+						if (preg_match('#_id#', $key) AND is_numeric($val))
+						{
+							$this->db->where(array($key => $val));
+						}
+						else
+						{
+							$this->db->like('LOWER('.$key.')', strtolower($val), 'both');
+						}
 					}
 					else
 					{
-						$this->db->or_like('LOWER('.$key.')', strtolower($val), 'both');
+						// do a direct match if the values are integers and have _id in them
+						if (preg_match('#_id#', $key) AND is_numeric($val))
+						{
+							$this->db->or_where(array($key => $val));
+						}
+						else
+						{
+							$this->db->or_like('LOWER('.$key.')', strtolower($val), 'both');
+						}
 					}
 				}
 			}
@@ -219,7 +235,6 @@ function list_items($limit = NULL, $offset = 0, $col = 'id', $order = 'asc')
 		$this->db->offset($offset);
 		$query = $this->db->get($this->table_name);
 		$data = $query->result_array();
-		
 		return $data;
 	}