diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/store/config/chooser/chooser_widget.py b/src/calibre/gui2/store/config/chooser/chooser_widget.py
index a9399028f8..5e7eca8c66 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/store/config/chooser/chooser_widget.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/store/config/chooser/chooser_widget.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ __license__ = 'GPL 3'
 __copyright__ = '2011, John Schember <john@nachtimwald.com>'
 __docformat__ = 'restructuredtext en'
 
-from PyQt4.Qt import (QWidget, QIcon, QDialog)
+from PyQt4.Qt import (QWidget, QIcon, QDialog, QComboBox)
 
 from calibre.gui2.store.config.chooser.adv_search_builder import AdvSearchBuilderDialog
 from calibre.gui2.store.config.chooser.chooser_widget_ui import Ui_Form
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ class StoreChooserWidget(QWidget, Ui_Form):
         self.setupUi(self)
         
         self.query.initialize('store_config_chooser_query')
+        self.query.setSizeAdjustPolicy(QComboBox.AdjustToMinimumContentsLengthWithIcon)
+        self.query.setMinimumContentsLength(25)
         
         self.adv_search_builder.setIcon(QIcon(I('search.png')))
         
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/store/mobileread/store_dialog.py b/src/calibre/gui2/store/mobileread/store_dialog.py
index 8908c9bb68..749f96a614 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/store/mobileread/store_dialog.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/store/mobileread/store_dialog.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ __copyright__ = '2011, John Schember <john@nachtimwald.com>'
 __docformat__ = 'restructuredtext en'
 
 
-from PyQt4.Qt import (Qt, QDialog, QIcon)
+from PyQt4.Qt import (Qt, QDialog, QIcon, QComboBox)
 
 from calibre.gui2.store.mobileread.adv_search_builder import AdvSearchBuilderDialog
 from calibre.gui2.store.mobileread.models import BooksModel
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@ class MobileReadStoreDialog(QDialog, Ui_Dialog):
 
         self.plugin = plugin
         self.search_query.initialize('store_mobileread_search')
+        self.search_query.setSizeAdjustPolicy(QComboBox.AdjustToMinimumContentsLengthWithIcon)
+        self.search_query.setMinimumContentsLength(25)
         
         self.adv_search_button.setIcon(QIcon(I('search.png')))
         
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/store/search/search.py b/src/calibre/gui2/store/search/search.py
index f406b4923e..7db4d1bbaf 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/store/search/search.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/store/search/search.py
@@ -10,7 +10,8 @@ import re
 from random import shuffle
 
 from PyQt4.Qt import (Qt, QDialog, QDialogButtonBox, QTimer, QCheckBox, QLabel,
-                      QVBoxLayout, QIcon, QWidget, QTabWidget, QGridLayout)
+                      QVBoxLayout, QIcon, QWidget, QTabWidget, QGridLayout,
+                      QComboBox)
 
 from calibre.gui2 import JSONConfig, info_dialog
 from calibre.gui2.progress_indicator import ProgressIndicator
@@ -57,6 +58,8 @@ class SearchDialog(QDialog, Ui_Dialog):
 
         # Set the search query
         self.search_edit.setText(query)
+        self.search_edit.setSizeAdjustPolicy(QComboBox.AdjustToMinimumContentsLengthWithIcon)
+        self.search_edit.setMinimumContentsLength(25)
 
         # Create and add the progress indicator
         self.pi = ProgressIndicator(self, 24)