diff --git a/src/app/minicharts/d3fns/many.js b/src/app/minicharts/d3fns/many.js
index d9b445dc1b0..4030a1712a3 100644
--- a/src/app/minicharts/d3fns/many.js
+++ b/src/app/minicharts/d3fns/many.js
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ var minicharts_d3fns_many = function() {
 
   function brushed() {
     var bars = d3.selectAll(options.view.queryAll('rect.selectable'));
-    var numSelected = options.view.queryAll('rect.selectable.selected').length;
+    // var numSelected = options.view.queryAll('rect.selectable.selected').length;
     var s = brush.extent();
 
     bars.classed('selected', function(d) {
@@ -83,14 +83,16 @@ var minicharts_d3fns_many = function() {
     if (!options.view) {
       return;
     }
-    if (numSelected !== options.view.queryAll('rect.selectable.selected').length) {
-      // number of selected items has changed, trigger querybuilder event
-      var evt = {
-        type: 'drag',
-        source: 'many'
-      };
-      options.view.trigger('querybuilder', evt);
-    }
+    var openLeft = d3.mouse(this)[0] <= 0;
+    var openRight = d3.mouse(this)[0] >= width;
+    // number of selected items has changed, trigger querybuilder event
+    var evt = {
+      type: 'drag',
+      source: 'many',
+      openLeft: openLeft,
+      openRight: openRight
+    };
+    options.view.trigger('querybuilder', evt);
   }
 
   function brushend() {
@@ -104,9 +106,13 @@ var minicharts_d3fns_many = function() {
     if (!options.view) {
       return;
     }
+    var openLeft = d3.mouse(this)[0] <= 0;
+    var openRight = d3.mouse(this)[0] >= width;
     var evt = {
       type: 'drag',
-      source: 'many'
+      source: 'many',
+      openLeft: openLeft,
+      openRight: openRight
     };
     options.view.trigger('querybuilder', evt);
   }
diff --git a/src/app/minicharts/querybuilder.js b/src/app/minicharts/querybuilder.js
index bcd9ed62860..c2dbd6bb7a1 100644
--- a/src/app/minicharts/querybuilder.js
+++ b/src/app/minicharts/querybuilder.js
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ var app = require('ampersand-app');
 var LeafValue = require('mongodb-language-model').LeafValue;
 var LeafClause = require('mongodb-language-model').LeafClause;
 var ListOperator = require('mongodb-language-model').ListOperator;
+var ValueOperator = require('mongodb-language-model').ValueOperator;
 var GeoOperator = require('mongodb-language-model').GeoOperator;
 var Range = require('mongodb-language-model').helpers.Range;
 var metrics = require('mongodb-js-metrics')();
@@ -287,6 +288,23 @@ module.exports = {
       throw new Error('message.selected should never be longer than 2 elements here!');
     }
 
+    var q;
+    // in case one of the bounds is open
+    if (message.data.openLeft) {
+      message.upperOp = message.dx > 0 ? '$lt' : '$lte';
+      q = {};
+      q[message.upperOp] = message.selected[1];
+      message.value = new ValueOperator(q, {parse: true});
+      return message;
+    }
+
+    // in case one of the bounds is open
+    if (message.data.openRight) {
+      message.lowerOp = '$gte';
+      message.value = new ValueOperator({$gte: message.selected[0]}, {parse: true});
+      return message;
+    }
+
     // at this point we definitely have 2 selected values to build a range
     message.lowerOp = '$gte';
     message.upperOp = message.dx > 0 ? '$lt' : '$lte';
@@ -324,7 +342,6 @@ module.exports = {
     return message;
   },
 
-
   /**
    * update the UI after a distinct query and mark appropriate elements with .select class.
    *