diff --git a/src/engine/Query.c b/src/engine/Query.c
index cdf1764206..644cb7454c 100644
--- a/src/engine/Query.c
+++ b/src/engine/Query.c
@@ -318,7 +318,7 @@ xaccQueryAddSingleAccountMatch(QofQuery *q, Account *acc, QofQueryOp op)
 void
 xaccQueryAddStringMatch (QofQuery* q, const char *matchstring,
                          gboolean case_sens, gboolean use_regexp,
-                         QofQueryOp op,
+                         QofQueryCompare how, QofQueryOp op,
                          const char * path, ...)
 {
     QofQueryPredData *pred_data;
@@ -328,7 +328,7 @@ xaccQueryAddStringMatch (QofQuery* q, const char *matchstring,
     if (!path || !q)
         return;
 
-    pred_data = qof_query_string_predicate (QOF_COMPARE_EQUAL, (char *)matchstring,
+    pred_data = qof_query_string_predicate (how, (char *)matchstring,
                                             (case_sens ? QOF_STRING_MATCH_NORMAL :
                                                     QOF_STRING_MATCH_CASEINSENSITIVE),
                                             use_regexp);
@@ -658,32 +658,40 @@ xaccQueryGetLatestDateFound(QofQuery * q)
 
 void
 xaccQueryAddDescriptionMatch(QofQuery *q, const char *m, gboolean c, gboolean r,
-                             QofQueryOp o)
+                             QofQueryCompare h, QofQueryOp o)
 {
-    xaccQueryAddStringMatch ((q), (m), (c), (r), (o), SPLIT_TRANS,
+    xaccQueryAddStringMatch ((q), (m), (c), (r), (h), (o), SPLIT_TRANS,
                              TRANS_DESCRIPTION, NULL);
 }
 
 void
-xaccQueryAddNumberMatch(QofQuery *q, const char *m, gboolean c, gboolean r,
-                        QofQueryOp o)
+xaccQueryAddNotesMatch(QofQuery *q, const char *m, gboolean c, gboolean r,
+                             QofQueryCompare h, QofQueryOp o)
 {
-    xaccQueryAddStringMatch ((q), (m), (c), (r), (o), SPLIT_TRANS,
+    xaccQueryAddStringMatch ((q), (m), (c), (r), (h), (o), SPLIT_TRANS,
+                             TRANS_NOTES, NULL);
+}
+
+void
+xaccQueryAddNumberMatch(QofQuery *q, const char *m, gboolean c, gboolean r,
+                        QofQueryCompare h, QofQueryOp o)
+{
+    xaccQueryAddStringMatch ((q), (m), (c), (r), (h), (o), SPLIT_TRANS,
                              TRANS_NUM, NULL);
 }
 
 void
 xaccQueryAddActionMatch(QofQuery *q, const char *m, gboolean c, gboolean r,
-                        QofQueryOp o)
+                        QofQueryCompare h, QofQueryOp o)
 {
-    xaccQueryAddStringMatch ((q), (m), (c), (r), (o), SPLIT_ACTION, NULL);
+    xaccQueryAddStringMatch ((q), (m), (c), (r), (h), (o), SPLIT_ACTION, NULL);
 }
 
 void
 xaccQueryAddMemoMatch(QofQuery *q, const char *m, gboolean c, gboolean r,
-                      QofQueryOp o)
+                      QofQueryCompare h, QofQueryOp o)
 {
-    xaccQueryAddStringMatch ((q), (m), (c), (r), (o), SPLIT_MEMO, NULL);
+    xaccQueryAddStringMatch ((q), (m), (c), (r), (h), (o), SPLIT_MEMO, NULL);
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/src/engine/Query.h b/src/engine/Query.h
index e994b5ec25..aec579ec44 100644
--- a/src/engine/Query.h
+++ b/src/engine/Query.h
@@ -108,20 +108,23 @@ void xaccQueryAddSingleAccountMatch(QofQuery *, Account *, QofQueryOp);
 
 void xaccQueryAddStringMatch (QofQuery* q, const char *matchstring,
                               gboolean case_sens, gboolean use_regexp,
-                              QofQueryOp op,
+                              QofQueryCompare how, QofQueryOp op,
                               const char * path, ...);
 void
 xaccQueryAddDescriptionMatch(QofQuery *q, const char *m, gboolean c, gboolean r,
-                             QofQueryOp o);
+                             QofQueryCompare how, QofQueryOp o);
+void
+xaccQueryAddNotesMatch(QofQuery *q, const char *m, gboolean c, gboolean r,
+                             QofQueryCompare how, QofQueryOp o);
 void
 xaccQueryAddNumberMatch(QofQuery *q, const char *m, gboolean c, gboolean r,
-                        QofQueryOp o);
+                        QofQueryCompare how, QofQueryOp o);
 void
 xaccQueryAddActionMatch(QofQuery *q, const char *m, gboolean c, gboolean r,
-                        QofQueryOp o);
+                        QofQueryCompare how, QofQueryOp o);
 void
 xaccQueryAddMemoMatch(QofQuery *q, const char *m, gboolean c, gboolean r,
-                      QofQueryOp o);
+                      QofQueryCompare how, QofQueryOp o);
 void
 xaccQueryAddValueMatch(QofQuery *q, gnc_numeric amt, QofNumericMatch sgn,
                        QofQueryCompare how, QofQueryOp op);
diff --git a/src/engine/engine-helpers.c b/src/engine/engine-helpers.c
index 2864a6a0f0..0e2f36b17c 100644
--- a/src/engine/engine-helpers.c
+++ b/src/engine/engine-helpers.c
@@ -1558,28 +1558,28 @@ gnc_scm2query_term_query_v1 (SCM query_term_scm)
             if (!g_strcmp0 (pr_type, "pr-action"))
             {
                 xaccQueryAddActionMatch (q, matchstring, case_sens, use_regexp,
-                                         QOF_QUERY_OR);
+                                         QOF_COMPARE_CONTAINS, QOF_QUERY_OR);
                 ok = TRUE;
 
             }
             else if (!g_strcmp0 (pr_type, "pr-desc"))
             {
                 xaccQueryAddDescriptionMatch (q, matchstring, case_sens,
-                                              use_regexp, QOF_QUERY_OR);
+                                              use_regexp, QOF_COMPARE_CONTAINS, QOF_QUERY_OR);
                 ok = TRUE;
 
             }
             else if (!g_strcmp0 (pr_type, "pr-memo"))
             {
                 xaccQueryAddMemoMatch (q, matchstring, case_sens, use_regexp,
-                                       QOF_QUERY_OR);
+                                       QOF_COMPARE_CONTAINS, QOF_QUERY_OR);
                 ok = TRUE;
 
             }
             else if (!g_strcmp0 (pr_type, "pr-num"))
             {
                 xaccQueryAddNumberMatch (q, matchstring, case_sens, use_regexp,
-                                         QOF_QUERY_OR);
+                                         QOF_COMPARE_CONTAINS, QOF_QUERY_OR);
                 ok = TRUE;
 
             }
diff --git a/src/engine/test-core/test-engine-stuff.c b/src/engine/test-core/test-engine-stuff.c
index 08f9963657..2073afe9f7 100644
--- a/src/engine/test-core/test-engine-stuff.c
+++ b/src/engine/test-core/test-engine-stuff.c
@@ -1767,6 +1767,7 @@ get_random_query(void)
                                      string,
                                      get_random_boolean (),
                                      get_random_boolean (),
+                                     get_random_int_in_range (1, QOF_COMPARE_CONTAINS),
                                      get_random_queryop ());
             g_free (string);
             break;
@@ -1809,6 +1810,7 @@ get_random_query(void)
                                           string,
                                           get_random_boolean (),
                                           get_random_boolean (),
+                                          get_random_int_in_range (1, QOF_COMPARE_CONTAINS),
                                           get_random_queryop ());
             g_free (string);
             break;
@@ -1845,6 +1847,7 @@ get_random_query(void)
                                    string,
                                    get_random_boolean (),
                                    get_random_boolean (),
+                                   get_random_int_in_range (1, QOF_COMPARE_CONTAINS),
                                    get_random_queryop ());
             g_free (string);
             break;
@@ -1855,6 +1858,7 @@ get_random_query(void)
                                      string,
                                      get_random_boolean (),
                                      get_random_boolean (),
+                                     get_random_int_in_range (1, QOF_COMPARE_CONTAINS),
                                      get_random_queryop ());
             g_free (string);
             break;
@@ -2070,19 +2074,19 @@ make_trans_query (Transaction *trans, TestQueryTypes query_types)
         if (xaccTransGetDescription(trans) && *xaccTransGetDescription(trans) != '\0')
         {
             xaccQueryAddDescriptionMatch (q, xaccTransGetDescription (trans),
-                                          TRUE, FALSE, QOF_QUERY_AND);
+                                          TRUE, FALSE, QOF_COMPARE_CONTAINS, QOF_QUERY_AND);
         }
 
         if (xaccTransGetNum(trans) && *xaccTransGetNum(trans) != '\0')
         {
             xaccQueryAddNumberMatch (q, xaccTransGetNum (trans),
-                                     TRUE, FALSE, QOF_QUERY_AND);
+                                     TRUE, FALSE, QOF_COMPARE_CONTAINS, QOF_QUERY_AND);
         }
 
         if (xaccSplitGetAction(s) && *xaccSplitGetAction(s) != '\0')
         {
             xaccQueryAddActionMatch (q, xaccSplitGetAction (s),
-                                     TRUE, FALSE, QOF_QUERY_AND);
+                                     TRUE, FALSE, QOF_COMPARE_CONTAINS, QOF_QUERY_AND);
         }
 
         n = xaccSplitGetValue (s);
@@ -2107,7 +2111,7 @@ make_trans_query (Transaction *trans, TestQueryTypes query_types)
 
         if (xaccSplitGetMemo(s) && *xaccSplitGetMemo(s) != '\0')
         {
-            xaccQueryAddMemoMatch (q, xaccSplitGetMemo (s), TRUE, FALSE, QOF_QUERY_AND);
+            xaccQueryAddMemoMatch (q, xaccSplitGetMemo (s), TRUE, FALSE, QOF_COMPARE_CONTAINS, QOF_QUERY_AND);
         }
 
         {
diff --git a/src/gnome-search/search-string.c b/src/gnome-search/search-string.c
index 04381f81b1..bafde4e268 100644
--- a/src/gnome-search/search-string.c
+++ b/src/gnome-search/search-string.c
@@ -262,6 +262,7 @@ make_menu (GNCSearchCoreType *fe)
     combo = GTK_COMBO_BOX(gnc_combo_box_new_search());
 
     gnc_combo_box_search_add(combo, _("contains"), SEARCH_STRING_CONTAINS);
+    gnc_combo_box_search_add(combo, _("equal"), SEARCH_STRING_EQUAL);
     gnc_combo_box_search_add(combo, _("matches regex"),
                              SEARCH_STRING_MATCHES_REGEX);
     gnc_combo_box_search_add(combo, _("does not match regex"),
@@ -350,12 +351,18 @@ static QofQueryPredData* gncs_get_predicate (GNCSearchCoreType *fe)
         is_regex = TRUE;
         /* FALL THROUGH */
     case SEARCH_STRING_CONTAINS:
+        how = QOF_COMPARE_CONTAINS;
+        break;
+    case SEARCH_STRING_EQUAL:
         how = QOF_COMPARE_EQUAL;
         break;
     case SEARCH_STRING_NOT_MATCHES_REGEX:
         is_regex = TRUE;
         /* FALL THROUGH */
     case SEARCH_STRING_NOT_CONTAINS:
+        how = QOF_COMPARE_NCONTAINS;
+        break;
+    case SEARCH_STRING_NOT_EQUAL:
         how = QOF_COMPARE_NEQ;
         break;
     default:
diff --git a/src/gnome-search/search-string.h b/src/gnome-search/search-string.h
index 5ea575d704..b4badcccc9 100644
--- a/src/gnome-search/search-string.h
+++ b/src/gnome-search/search-string.h
@@ -37,7 +37,9 @@ typedef enum _search_string_how
     SEARCH_STRING_CONTAINS,
     SEARCH_STRING_NOT_CONTAINS,
     SEARCH_STRING_MATCHES_REGEX,
-    SEARCH_STRING_NOT_MATCHES_REGEX
+    SEARCH_STRING_NOT_MATCHES_REGEX,
+    SEARCH_STRING_EQUAL,
+    SEARCH_STRING_NOT_EQUAL
 } GNCSearchString_Type;
 
 struct _GNCSearchString
diff --git a/src/libqof/qof/qofquery.cpp b/src/libqof/qof/qofquery.cpp
index 7d2d0d6f1a..e015735027 100644
--- a/src/libqof/qof/qofquery.cpp
+++ b/src/libqof/qof/qofquery.cpp
@@ -1761,6 +1761,10 @@ qof_query_printStringForHow (QofQueryCompare how)
         return "QOF_COMPARE_GTE";
     case QOF_COMPARE_NEQ:
         return "QOF_COMPARE_NEQ";
+    case QOF_COMPARE_CONTAINS:
+        return "QOF_COMPARE_CONTAINS";
+    case QOF_COMPARE_NCONTAINS:
+        return "QOF_COMPARE_NCONTAINS";
     }
 
     return "INVALID HOW";
diff --git a/src/libqof/qof/qofquerycore.cpp b/src/libqof/qof/qofquerycore.cpp
index 01a3f01665..3804acdfe9 100644
--- a/src/libqof/qof/qofquerycore.cpp
+++ b/src/libqof/qof/qofquerycore.cpp
@@ -147,22 +147,43 @@ string_match_predicate (gpointer object,
         regmatch_t match;
         if (!regexec (&pdata->compiled, s, 1, &match, 0))
             ret = 1;
-
-    }
-    else if (pdata->options == QOF_STRING_MATCH_CASEINSENSITIVE)
-    {
-        if (qof_utf8_substr_nocase (s, pdata->matchstring))
-            ret = 1;
-
     }
     else
     {
-        if (strstr (s, pdata->matchstring))
-            ret = 1;
+        if (pdata->options == QOF_STRING_MATCH_CASEINSENSITIVE)
+        {
+            if (pd->how == QOF_COMPARE_CONTAINS || pd->how == QOF_COMPARE_NCONTAINS)
+            {
+                if (qof_utf8_substr_nocase (s, pdata->matchstring)) //uses strstr
+                    ret = 1;
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                 if (safe_strcasecmp (s, pdata->matchstring) == 0) //uses collate
+                    ret = 1;
+            }
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            if (pd->how == QOF_COMPARE_CONTAINS || pd->how == QOF_COMPARE_NCONTAINS)
+            {
+                if (strstr (s, pdata->matchstring))
+                    ret = 1;
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                if (g_strcmp0 (s, pdata->matchstring) == 0)
+                    ret = 1;
+            }
+        }
     }
 
     switch (pd->how)
     {
+    case QOF_COMPARE_CONTAINS:
+        return ret;
+    case QOF_COMPARE_NCONTAINS:
+        return !ret;
     case QOF_COMPARE_EQUAL:
         return ret;
     case QOF_COMPARE_NEQ:
@@ -264,8 +285,9 @@ qof_query_string_predicate (QofQueryCompare how,
     query_string_t pdata;
 
     g_return_val_if_fail (str, NULL);
-    g_return_val_if_fail (*str != '\0', NULL);
-    g_return_val_if_fail (how == QOF_COMPARE_EQUAL || how == QOF_COMPARE_NEQ, NULL);
+//    g_return_val_if_fail (*str != '\0', NULL);
+    g_return_val_if_fail (how == QOF_COMPARE_CONTAINS || how == QOF_COMPARE_NCONTAINS ||
+                          how == QOF_COMPARE_EQUAL || how == QOF_COMPARE_NEQ, NULL);
 
     pdata = g_new0 (query_string_def, 1);
     pdata->pd.type_name = query_string_type;
diff --git a/src/libqof/qof/qofquerycore.h b/src/libqof/qof/qofquerycore.h
index 47ef6e476a..8fb2d45814 100644
--- a/src/libqof/qof/qofquerycore.h
+++ b/src/libqof/qof/qofquerycore.h
@@ -59,7 +59,9 @@ typedef enum
     QOF_COMPARE_EQUAL,
     QOF_COMPARE_GT,
     QOF_COMPARE_GTE,
-    QOF_COMPARE_NEQ
+    QOF_COMPARE_NEQ,
+    QOF_COMPARE_CONTAINS,
+    QOF_COMPARE_NCONTAINS
 } QofQueryCompare;
 
 /** List of known core query data-types...