diff --git a/src/core/symbology-ng/qgsstylev2.cpp b/src/core/symbology-ng/qgsstylev2.cpp
index aabbd7657092..c31a35c23b0d 100644
--- a/src/core/symbology-ng/qgsstylev2.cpp
+++ b/src/core/symbology-ng/qgsstylev2.cpp
@@ -596,7 +596,7 @@ QStringList QgsStyleV2::findSymbols( QString qword )
 {
   QByteArray array = qword.toUtf8();
   char *query;
-  query = sqlite3_mprintf( "SELECT name FROM symbol WHERE xml LIKE '\%%q\%'", array.constData() );
+  query = sqlite3_mprintf( "SELECT name FROM symbol WHERE xml LIKE '%%%q%%';", array.constData() );
 
   QStringList symbols;
   sqlite3 *db = openDB( mFileName );
diff --git a/src/gui/symbology-ng/qgsstylev2managerdialog.cpp b/src/gui/symbology-ng/qgsstylev2managerdialog.cpp
index df06fa5b2d2b..13ef6dd00676 100644
--- a/src/gui/symbology-ng/qgsstylev2managerdialog.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/symbology-ng/qgsstylev2managerdialog.cpp
@@ -44,7 +44,6 @@
 QgsStyleV2ManagerDialog::QgsStyleV2ManagerDialog( QgsStyleV2* style, QWidget* parent )
     : QDialog( parent ), mStyle( style ), mModified( false )
 {
-
   setupUi( this );
 
   QSettings settings;
@@ -105,6 +104,8 @@ QgsStyleV2ManagerDialog::QgsStyleV2ManagerDialog( QgsStyleV2* style, QWidget* pa
   connect( tabItemType, SIGNAL( currentChanged( int ) ), this, SLOT( populateList() ) );
   populateList();
 
+  connect( searchBox, SIGNAL( textChanged( QString ) ), this, SLOT( filterSymbols( QString ) ) );
+
 }
 
 void QgsStyleV2ManagerDialog::onFinished()
@@ -955,3 +956,8 @@ void QgsStyleV2ManagerDialog::tagSymbolsAction()
   QgsDebugMsg( "tagging symbols now" );
 }
 
+void QgsStyleV2ManagerDialog::filterSymbols( QString qword )
+{
+  QStringList symbols = mStyle->findSymbols( qword );
+  populateSymbols( symbols );
+}
diff --git a/src/gui/symbology-ng/qgsstylev2managerdialog.h b/src/gui/symbology-ng/qgsstylev2managerdialog.h
index af0e8ff2261a..1712995df686 100644
--- a/src/gui/symbology-ng/qgsstylev2managerdialog.h
+++ b/src/gui/symbology-ng/qgsstylev2managerdialog.h
@@ -60,6 +60,9 @@ class GUI_EXPORT QgsStyleV2ManagerDialog : public QDialog, private Ui::QgsStyleV
     void tagSymbolsAction();
     void regrouped( QStandardItem* );
 
+    //! filter the symbols based on input search term
+    void filterSymbols( QString );
+
   protected:
 
     //! populate combo box with known style items (symbols, color ramps)