diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 41ef0d0b976..55527c860fa 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@
     "lodash": "^3.9.3",
     "moment": "^2.10.3",
     "mongodb-extended-json": "^1.3.1",
+    "mongodb-language-model": "^0.2.0",
     "mongodb-schema": "^3.0.0",
     "numeral": "^1.5.3",
     "octicons": "https://github.com/github/octicons/archive/v2.2.0.tar.gz",
diff --git a/src/refine-view/index.js b/src/refine-view/index.js
index 83fcfc2dfe0..17bb2e8d6bf 100644
--- a/src/refine-view/index.js
+++ b/src/refine-view/index.js
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 var AmpersandView = require('ampersand-view');
 var EJSON = require('mongodb-extended-json');
+var _ = require('lodash');
+var debug = require('debug')('scout:refine-view:index');
+var Query = require('mongodb-language-model').Query;
 
 module.exports = AmpersandView.extend({
   template: require('./index.jade'),
@@ -36,11 +39,26 @@ module.exports = AmpersandView.extend({
     'input [data-hook=refine-input]': 'inputChanged',
     'submit form': 'submit'
   },
+  _cleanupInput: function (input) {
+    var output = input;
+    // accept whitespace-only input as empty query
+    if (_.trim(output) === '') {
+      output = '{}';
+    }
+    // replace single quotes with double quotes
+    output = output.replace(/'/g, '"');
+    // wrap field names in double quotes
+    output = output.replace(/([{,])\s*([^,{\s\'"]+)\s*:/g, ' $1 "$2" : ');
+    return output;
+  },
   inputChanged: function() {
     // validate user input on the fly
-    var queryStr = this.queryByHook('refine-input').value;
+    var queryStr = this._cleanupInput(this.queryByHook('refine-input').value);
     try {
-      EJSON.parse(queryStr);
+      // is it valid eJSON?
+      var queryObj = EJSON.parse(queryStr);
+      // is it a valid parsable Query according to the language?
+      var languageObj = new Query(queryObj, {parse: true});
     } catch (e) {
       this.valid = false;
       return;
@@ -48,10 +66,9 @@ module.exports = AmpersandView.extend({
     this.valid = true;
   },
   buttonClicked: function() {
-    var queryStr = this.queryByHook('refine-input').value;
+    var queryStr = this._cleanupInput(this.queryByHook('refine-input').value);
     var queryObj = EJSON.parse(queryStr);
     this.model.query = queryObj;
-
     // Modifying the query will reset field-list#schema and because we're using
     // good ampersand, outgoing views will be removed for us automatically.
   },