diff --git a/src/calibre/db/backend.py b/src/calibre/db/backend.py
index f977bbff49..9a13f4fd21 100644
--- a/src/calibre/db/backend.py
+++ b/src/calibre/db/backend.py
@@ -423,6 +423,7 @@ class DB(object):
         ]
         defs['virtual_libraries'] = {}
         defs['virtual_lib_on_startup'] = defs['cs_virtual_lib_on_startup'] = ''
+        defs['virt_libs_hidden'] = defs['virt_libs_order'] = ()
 
         # Migrate the bool tristate tweak
         defs['bools_are_tristate'] = \
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/__init__.py b/src/calibre/gui2/__init__.py
index fc1364c20e..5b8d2142a4 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/__init__.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/__init__.py
@@ -118,6 +118,7 @@ defs['cover_grid_color'] = (80, 80, 80)
 defs['cover_grid_cache_size'] = 100
 defs['cover_grid_disk_cache_size'] = 2500
 defs['cover_grid_show_title'] = False
+defs['show_vl_tabs'] = False
 del defs
 # }}}
 
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/init.py b/src/calibre/gui2/init.py
index 14910d749a..7feb4c730d 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/init.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/init.py
@@ -8,9 +8,10 @@ __docformat__ = 'restructuredtext en'
 import functools
 
 from PyQt4.Qt import (Qt, QApplication, QStackedWidget, QMenu, QTimer,
-        QSize, QSizePolicy, QStatusBar, QLabel, QFont, QAction)
+        QSize, QSizePolicy, QStatusBar, QLabel, QFont, QAction, QTabBar)
 
 from calibre.utils.config import prefs, tweaks
+from calibre.utils.icu import sort_key
 from calibre.constants import (isosx, __appname__, preferred_encoding,
     get_version)
 from calibre.gui2 import config, is_widescreen, gprefs
@@ -278,9 +279,99 @@ class GridViewButton(LayoutButton):  # {{{
 
 # }}}
 
+class VLTabs(QTabBar):  # {{{
+
+    def __init__(self, parent):
+        QTabBar.__init__(self, parent)
+        self.setDocumentMode(True)
+        self.setDrawBase(False)
+        self.setMovable(True)
+        self.setTabsClosable(True)
+        self.gui = parent
+        self.currentChanged.connect(self.tab_changed)
+        self.tabMoved.connect(self.tab_moved, type=Qt.QueuedConnection)
+        self.tabCloseRequested.connect(self.tab_close)
+        self.setStyleSheet('QTabBar::tab:selected { font-weight: bold } QTabBar::tab { text-align: center }')
+        self.setVisible(gprefs['show_vl_tabs'])
+
+    def enable_bar(self):
+        gprefs['show_vl_tabs'] = True
+        self.setVisible(True)
+
+    def disable_bar(self):
+        gprefs['show_vl_tabs'] = False
+        self.setVisible(False)
+
+    def tab_changed(self, idx):
+        vl = unicode(self.tabData(idx).toString()).strip() or None
+        self.gui.apply_virtual_library(vl)
+
+    def tab_moved(self, from_, to):
+        self.current_db.prefs['virt_libs_order'] = [unicode(self.tabData(i).toString()) for i in range(self.count())]
+
+    def tab_close(self, index):
+        vl = unicode(self.tabData(index).toString())
+        if vl:  # Dont allow closing the All Books tab
+            self.current_db.prefs['virt_libs_hidden'] = list(
+                self.current_db.prefs['virt_libs_hidden']) + [vl]
+            self.removeTab(index)
+
+    @property
+    def current_db(self):
+        return self.gui.current_db
+
+    def rebuild(self):
+        self.currentChanged.disconnect(self.tab_changed)
+        db = self.current_db
+        virt_libs = frozenset(db.prefs.get('virtual_libraries', {}))
+        hidden = frozenset(db.prefs['virt_libs_hidden'])
+        if hidden - virt_libs:
+            db.prefs['virt_libs_hidden'] = list(hidden.intersection(virt_libs))
+        order = db.prefs['virt_libs_order']
+        while self.count():
+            self.removeTab(0)
+        current_lib = db.data.get_base_restriction_name()
+        current_idx = all_idx = None
+        virt_libs = (set(virt_libs) - hidden) | {''}
+        order = {x:i for i, x in enumerate(order)}
+        for i, vl in enumerate(sorted(virt_libs, key=lambda x:(order.get(x, 0), sort_key(x)))):
+            self.addTab(vl or _('All books'))
+            self.setTabData(i, vl)
+            if vl == current_lib:
+                current_idx = i
+            if not vl:
+                all_idx = i
+        self.setCurrentIndex(all_idx if current_idx is None else current_idx)
+        self.currentChanged.connect(self.tab_changed)
+        self.tabButton(all_idx, self.RightSide).setVisible(False)
+
+    def contextMenuEvent(self, ev):
+        m = QMenu(self)
+        m.addAction(_('Sort alphabetically'), self.sort_alphabetically)
+        hidden = self.current_db.prefs['virt_libs_hidden']
+        if hidden:
+            s = m._s = m.addMenu(_('Restore hidden tabs'))
+            for x in hidden:
+                s.addAction(x, partial(self.restore, x))
+        m.addAction(_('Hide virtual library tabs'), self.disable_bar)
+        m.exec_(ev.globalPos())
+
+    def sort_alphabetically(self):
+        self.current_db.prefs['virt_libs_order'] = ()
+        self.rebuild()
+
+    def restore(self, x):
+        h = self.current_db.prefs['virt_libs_hidden']
+        self.current_db.prefs['virt_libs_hidden'] = list(set(h) - {x})
+        self.rebuild()
+
+# }}}
+
 class LayoutMixin(object):  # {{{
 
     def __init__(self):
+        self.vl_tabs = VLTabs(self)
+        self.centralwidget.layout().addWidget(self.vl_tabs)
 
         if config['gui_layout'] == 'narrow':  # narrow {{{
             self.book_details = BookDetails(False, self)
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/search_restriction_mixin.py b/src/calibre/gui2/search_restriction_mixin.py
index e8f7cd51ae..2d8ff8474c 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/search_restriction_mixin.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/search_restriction_mixin.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ from PyQt4.Qt import (
     Qt, QMenu, QPoint, QIcon, QDialog, QGridLayout, QLabel, QLineEdit, QComboBox,
     QDialogButtonBox, QSize, QVBoxLayout, QListWidget, QStringList, QRadioButton)
 
-from calibre.gui2 import error_dialog, question_dialog
+from calibre.gui2 import error_dialog, question_dialog, gprefs
 from calibre.gui2.dialogs.confirm_delete import confirm
 from calibre.gui2.widgets import ComboBoxWithHelp
 from calibre.utils.config_base import tweaks
@@ -334,6 +334,7 @@ class SearchRestrictionMixin(object):
         virt_libs = db.prefs.get('virtual_libraries', {})
         virt_libs[name] = search
         db.prefs.set('virtual_libraries', virt_libs)
+        self.rebuild_vl_tabs()
 
     def do_create_edit(self, name=None):
         db = self.library_view.model().db
@@ -361,6 +362,11 @@ class SearchRestrictionMixin(object):
         self.build_virtual_library_list(a, self.remove_vl_triggered)
         m.addMenu(a)
 
+        if gprefs['show_vl_tabs']:
+            m.addAction(_('Hide virtual library tabs'), self.vl_tabs.disable_bar)
+        else:
+            m.addAction(_('Show virtual libraries as tabs'), self.vl_tabs.enable_bar)
+
         m.addSeparator()
 
         db = self.library_view.model().db
@@ -402,6 +408,9 @@ class SearchRestrictionMixin(object):
         p = QPoint(0, self.virtual_library.height())
         self.virtual_library_menu.popup(self.virtual_library.mapToGlobal(p))
 
+    def rebuild_vl_tabs(self):
+        self.vl_tabs.rebuild()
+
     def apply_virtual_library(self, library=None):
         db = self.library_view.model().db
         virt_libs = db.prefs.get('virtual_libraries', {})
@@ -471,6 +480,7 @@ class SearchRestrictionMixin(object):
         db.prefs.set('virtual_libraries', virt_libs)
         if reapply and db.data.get_base_restriction_name() == name:
             self.apply_virtual_library('')
+        self.rebuild_vl_tabs()
 
     def _trim_restriction_name(self, name):
         return name[0:MAX_VIRTUAL_LIBRARY_NAME_LENGTH].strip()
@@ -591,11 +601,13 @@ class SearchRestrictionMixin(object):
                     'QLabel { border-radius: 6px; background-color: %s }' %
                     tweaks['highlight_virtual_library'])
             self.clear_vl.setVisible(True)
+            self.search_count.setVisible(not gprefs['show_vl_tabs'])
         else:  # No restriction or not library view
             t = ''
             self.search_count.setStyleSheet(
                     'QLabel { background-color: transparent; }')
             self.clear_vl.setVisible(False)
+            self.search_count.setVisible(False)
         self.search_count.setText(t)
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/ui.py b/src/calibre/gui2/ui.py
index 196de7cb6a..4cec88cf05 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/ui.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/ui.py
@@ -341,6 +341,7 @@ class Main(MainWindow, MainWindowMixin, DeviceMixin, EmailMixin,  # {{{
         ######################### Search Restriction ##########################
         if db.prefs['virtual_lib_on_startup']:
             self.apply_virtual_library(db.prefs['virtual_lib_on_startup'])
+        self.rebuild_vl_tabs()
 
         ########################### Cover Flow ################################
 
@@ -627,6 +628,7 @@ class Main(MainWindow, MainWindowMixin, DeviceMixin, EmailMixin,  # {{{
         self.saved_searches_changed(recount=False)  # reload the search restrictions combo box
         if db.prefs['virtual_lib_on_startup']:
             self.apply_virtual_library(db.prefs['virtual_lib_on_startup'])
+        self.rebuild_vl_tabs()
         for action in self.iactions.values():
             action.library_changed(db)
         if olddb is not None:
diff --git a/src/calibre/library/database2.py b/src/calibre/library/database2.py
index 847b223b4d..248f958288 100644
--- a/src/calibre/library/database2.py
+++ b/src/calibre/library/database2.py
@@ -235,6 +235,7 @@ class LibraryDatabase2(LibraryDatabase, SchemaUpgrade, CustomColumns):
         ]
         defs['virtual_libraries'] = {}
         defs['virtual_lib_on_startup'] = defs['cs_virtual_lib_on_startup'] = ''
+        defs['virt_libs_hidden'] = defs['virt_libs_order'] = ()
 
         # Migrate the bool tristate tweak
         defs['bools_are_tristate'] = \