diff --git a/src/gui/MainWindow.cpp b/src/gui/MainWindow.cpp
index f1d5f866c..ec1406c4a 100644
--- a/src/gui/MainWindow.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/MainWindow.cpp
@@ -464,6 +464,11 @@ void MainWindow::setMenuActionState(DatabaseWidget::Mode mode)
             m_ui->actionDatabaseMerge->setEnabled(m_ui->tabWidget->currentIndex() != -1);
 
             m_searchWidgetAction->setEnabled(true);
+
+            //if not already in search mode focus the search widget and select all its content
+            if (!inSearch) {
+                m_ui->toolBar->findChild<SearchWidget *>("SearchWidget")->searchFocus();
+            }
             break;
         }
         case DatabaseWidget::EditMode:
diff --git a/src/gui/SearchWidget.h b/src/gui/SearchWidget.h
index 2441ef60b..15e3488fb 100644
--- a/src/gui/SearchWidget.h
+++ b/src/gui/SearchWidget.h
@@ -55,13 +55,13 @@ signals:
 
 public slots:
     void databaseChanged(DatabaseWidget* dbWidget = 0);
+    void searchFocus();
 
 private slots:
     void startSearchTimer();
     void startSearch();
     void updateCaseSensitive();
     void updateLimitGroup();
-    void searchFocus();
 
 private:
     const QScopedPointer<Ui::SearchWidget> m_ui;