diff --git a/src/calibre/db/search.py b/src/calibre/db/search.py
index 88ca72ee45..6537c9270b 100644
--- a/src/calibre/db/search.py
+++ b/src/calibre/db/search.py
@@ -639,7 +639,7 @@ class Parser(SearchQueryParser):  # {{{
                 if DEBUG:
                     import traceback
                     traceback.print_exc()
-                raise ParseException(_('template: missing or invalid separator (#@[tdnb]?#)'))
+                raise ParseException(_('template: missing or invalid separator (#@[tdnb]#:)'))
             matchkind, query = _matchkind(query, case_sensitive=case_sensitive)
             matches = set()
             error_string = '*@*TEMPLATE_ERROR*@*'
diff --git a/src/calibre/db/tests/reading.py b/src/calibre/db/tests/reading.py
index 34ef6d28c0..fe0afb129a 100644
--- a/src/calibre/db/tests/reading.py
+++ b/src/calibre/db/tests/reading.py
@@ -360,6 +360,22 @@ class ReadingTest(BaseTest):
         self.assertEqual(cache.search('#rating:>4'), {3})
         self.assertEqual(cache.search('#rating:2'), {2})
 
+        # template searches
+        # Test text search
+        self.assertEqual(cache.search('template:"{#formats}#@t#:fmt1"'), {1,2})
+        self.assertEqual(cache.search('template:"{authors}#@t#:=Author One"'), {2})
+        cache.set_field('pubdate', {1:p('2001-02-06'), 2:p('2001-10-06'), 3:p('2001-06-06')})
+        cache.set_field('timestamp', {1:p('2002-02-06'), 2:p('2000-10-06'), 3:p('2001-06-06')})
+        # Test numeric compare search
+        self.assertEqual(cache.search("template:\"program: "
+                                      "floor(days_between(field(\'pubdate\'), "
+                                      "field(\'timestamp\')))#@n#:>0\""), {2,3})
+        # Test date search
+        self.assertEqual(cache.search('template:{pubdate}#@d#:<2001-09-01"'), {1,3})
+        # Test boolean search
+        self.assertEqual(cache.search('template:{series}#@b#:true'), {1,2})
+        self.assertEqual(cache.search('template:{series}#@b#:false'), {3})
+
         # Note that the old db searched uuid for un-prefixed searches, the new
         # db does not, for performance