diff --git a/include/staff/tickets.inc.php b/include/staff/tickets.inc.php
index 3eb5ad822d3301b0f69fa12bbf78aa072a15aed5..b0d5fd38e2e7fca08a2b5830bda7664771761a32 100644
--- a/include/staff/tickets.inc.php
+++ b/include/staff/tickets.inc.php
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ case 'search':
     if ($_REQUEST['query']) {
         $results_type=__('Search Results');
         // Use an index if possible
-        if (Validator::is_email($_REQUEST['query'])) {
+        if ($_REQUEST['search-type'] == 'email') {
             $tickets = $tickets->filter(array(
                 'user__emails__address' => $_REQUEST['query'],
             ));
@@ -314,7 +314,9 @@ return false;">
         <tr>
             <td><input type="search" id="basic-ticket-search" name="query"
                 autofocus size="30" value="<?php echo Format::htmlchars($_REQUEST['query'], true); ?>"
-                autocomplete="off" autocorrect="off" autocapitalize="off"></td>
+                autocomplete="off" autocorrect="off" autocapitalize="off">
+                <input type="hidden" name="search-type" value=""/>
+            </td>
             <td><input type="submit" class="button" value="<?php echo __('Search'); ?>"></td>
             <td>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="#" onclick="javascript:
                 $.dialog('ajax.php/tickets/search', 201);"
diff --git a/scp/js/scp.js b/scp/js/scp.js
index 6853a93d7e287179b0b3b87896d8f53a5e0fdeec..e3c36457e34990ece2d093844ddffc64a2788fc8 100644
--- a/scp/js/scp.js
+++ b/scp/js/scp.js
@@ -260,8 +260,10 @@ var scp_prep = function() {
             });
         },
         onselect: function (obj) {
+            var form = $('#basic-ticket-search').closest('form');
+            form.find('input[name=search-type]').val('email');
             $('#basic-ticket-search').val(obj.value);
-            $('#basic-ticket-search').closest('form').submit();
+            form.submit();
         },
         property: "matches"
     });