diff --git a/python/core/auto_generated/qgsdbfilterproxymodel.sip.in b/python/core/auto_generated/qgsdbfilterproxymodel.sip.in
index 702adc345936..a5bfe8185fb6 100644
--- a/python/core/auto_generated/qgsdbfilterproxymodel.sip.in
+++ b/python/core/auto_generated/qgsdbfilterproxymodel.sip.in
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ Calls QSortFilterProxyModel.setFilterRegExp and triggers update
   protected:
     virtual bool filterAcceptsRow( int row, const QModelIndex &source_parent ) const;
 
+
 };
 
 /************************************************************************
diff --git a/src/core/qgsdbfilterproxymodel.cpp b/src/core/qgsdbfilterproxymodel.cpp
index 78f39d3dd5ca..d4970677b422 100644
--- a/src/core/qgsdbfilterproxymodel.cpp
+++ b/src/core/qgsdbfilterproxymodel.cpp
@@ -17,24 +17,68 @@
 
 #include "qgsdbfilterproxymodel.h"
 
+#include <QStandardItemModel>
+
 QgsDatabaseFilterProxyModel::QgsDatabaseFilterProxyModel( QObject *parent ): QSortFilterProxyModel( parent )
 {
 
 }
 
-bool QgsDatabaseFilterProxyModel::filterAcceptsRow( int row, const QModelIndex &source_parent ) const
+bool QgsDatabaseFilterProxyModel::filterAcceptsRow( int source_row, const QModelIndex &source_parent ) const
 {
-  //if parent is valid, we have a toplevel item that should be always shown
-  if ( !source_parent.isValid() )
+  if ( filterAcceptsRowItself( source_row, source_parent ) )
+    return true;
+
+//accept if any of the parents is accepted on it's own merits
+  QModelIndex parent = source_parent;
+  while ( parent.isValid() )
+  {
+    if ( filterAcceptsRowItself( parent.row(), parent.parent() ) )
+      return true;
+    parent = parent.parent();
+  }
+
+  //accept if any of the children is accepted on it's own merits
+  if ( hasAcceptedChildren( source_row, source_parent ) )
   {
     return true;
   }
 
-  //else we have a row that describes a table and that
-  //should be tested using the given wildcard/regexp
-  return QSortFilterProxyModel::filterAcceptsRow( row, source_parent );
+  return false;
+}
+
+bool QgsDatabaseFilterProxyModel::filterAcceptsRowItself( int source_row, const QModelIndex &source_parent ) const
+{
+  return QSortFilterProxyModel::filterAcceptsRow( source_row, source_parent );
+}
+
+bool QgsDatabaseFilterProxyModel::hasAcceptedChildren( int source_row, const QModelIndex &source_parent ) const
+{
+  QModelIndex item = sourceModel()->index( source_row, 0, source_parent );
+  if ( !item.isValid() )
+  {
+    return false;
+  }
+
+//check if there are children
+  int childCount = item.model()->rowCount( item );
+  if ( childCount == 0 )
+    return false;
+
+  for ( int i = 0; i < childCount; ++i )
+  {
+    if ( filterAcceptsRowItself( i, item ) )
+      return true;
+    if ( hasAcceptedChildren( i, item ) )
+      return true;
+  }
+
+  return false;
 }
 
+
+
+
 void QgsDatabaseFilterProxyModel::_setFilterWildcard( const QString &pattern )
 {
   QSortFilterProxyModel::setFilterWildcard( pattern );
diff --git a/src/core/qgsdbfilterproxymodel.h b/src/core/qgsdbfilterproxymodel.h
index a403036a0c68..a9295b01cac6 100644
--- a/src/core/qgsdbfilterproxymodel.h
+++ b/src/core/qgsdbfilterproxymodel.h
@@ -49,6 +49,10 @@ class CORE_EXPORT QgsDatabaseFilterProxyModel: public QSortFilterProxyModel
 
   protected:
     bool filterAcceptsRow( int row, const QModelIndex &source_parent ) const override;
+
+  private:
+    bool filterAcceptsRowItself( int source_row, const QModelIndex &source_parent ) const;
+    bool hasAcceptedChildren( int source_row, const QModelIndex &source_parent ) const;
 };
 
 #endif