diff --git a/prompt_toolkit/buffer.py b/prompt_toolkit/buffer.py
index f5df28982..83dc41a63 100644
--- a/prompt_toolkit/buffer.py
+++ b/prompt_toolkit/buffer.py
@@ -209,11 +209,13 @@ class Buffer(object):
     :param complete_while_typing: :class:`~prompt_toolkit.filters.SimpleFilter`
         instance. Decide whether or not to do asynchronous autocompleting while
         typing.
-    :param enable_history_search: :class:`~prompt_toolkit.filters.SimpleFilter`
-        to indicate when up-arrow partial string matching is enabled. It is
-        adviced to not enable this at the same time as `complete_while_typing`,
-        because when there is an autocompletion found, the up arrows usually
-        browse through the completions, rather than through the history.
+    :param enable_history_search:  `bool`, `'endswith'`, `'contains'` or
+        :class:`~prompt_toolkit.filters.SimpleFilter` instance,
+        to indicate when up-arrow partial string matching or full string matching
+        is enabled. It is advised to not enable this at the same time as
+        `complete_while_typing`, because when there is an autocompletion found,
+        the up arrows usually browses through the completions,
+        rather than through the history.
     :param read_only: :class:`~prompt_toolkit.filters.SimpleFilter`. When True,
         changes will not be allowed.
     """
@@ -224,6 +226,19 @@ def __init__(self, completer=None, auto_suggest=None, history=None,
                  accept_action=AcceptAction.IGNORE, read_only=False,
                  on_text_changed=None, on_text_insert=None, on_cursor_position_changed=None):
 
+        if enable_history_search == 'contains':
+            def f(history_line, search_text):
+                return search_text in history_line
+            self._history_search_line_fn = f
+            enable_history_search = True
+
+        else:
+            def f(history_line, search_text):
+                return history_line.startswith(search_text)
+            self._history_search_line_fn = f
+            if(self.is_history_search_option(enable_history_search)):
+                enable_history_search = True
+
         # Accept both filters and booleans as input.
         enable_history_search = to_simple_filter(enable_history_search)
         is_multiline = to_simple_filter(is_multiline)
@@ -859,7 +874,7 @@ def _history_matches(self, i):
         (when we don't have history search, it's also True.)
         """
         return (self.history_search_text is None or
-                self._working_lines[i].startswith(self.history_search_text))
+                self._history_search_line_fn(self._working_lines[i], self.history_search_text))
 
     def history_forward(self, count=1):
         """
@@ -1115,6 +1130,15 @@ def validate(self):
         self.validation_error = None
         return True
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def history_search_options():
+        return ['contains', 'startswith']
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def is_history_search_option(enable_history_search):
+        return any(enable_history_search == x
+                   for x in Buffer.history_search_options())
+
     def append_to_history(self):
         """
         Append the current input to the history.
diff --git a/prompt_toolkit/shortcuts.py b/prompt_toolkit/shortcuts.py
index 9893624c6..f8851dcee 100644
--- a/prompt_toolkit/shortcuts.py
+++ b/prompt_toolkit/shortcuts.py
@@ -412,7 +412,7 @@ def create_prompt_application(
     :param complete_while_typing: `bool` or
         :class:`~prompt_toolkit.filters.SimpleFilter`. Enable autocompletion
         while typing.
-    :param enable_history_search: `bool` or
+    :param enable_history_search: `bool`, `'endswith'`, `'contains'` or
         :class:`~prompt_toolkit.filters.SimpleFilter`. Enable up-arrow parting
         string matching.
     :param lexer: :class:`~prompt_toolkit.layout.lexers.Lexer` to be used for
@@ -457,6 +457,11 @@ def create_prompt_application(
     if vi_mode:
         editing_mode = EditingMode.VI
 
+    # History Search
+    history_search_param = enable_history_search
+    is_history_search_option = Buffer.is_history_search_option(enable_history_search)
+    if (is_history_search_option):
+        enable_history_search = True
     # Make sure that complete_while_typing is disabled when enable_history_search
     # is enabled. (First convert to SimpleFilter, to avoid doing bitwise operations
     # on bool objects.)
@@ -465,6 +470,8 @@ def create_prompt_application(
     multiline = to_simple_filter(multiline)
 
     complete_while_typing = complete_while_typing & ~enable_history_search
+    if (not is_history_search_option):
+        history_search_param = enable_history_search
 
     # Accept Pygments styles as well for backwards compatibility.
     try:
@@ -489,7 +496,7 @@ def create_prompt_application(
             extra_input_processors=extra_input_processors,
             wrap_lines=wrap_lines),
         buffer=Buffer(
-            enable_history_search=enable_history_search,
+            enable_history_search=history_search_param,
             complete_while_typing=complete_while_typing,
             is_multiline=multiline,
             history=(history or InMemoryHistory()),