diff --git a/src/calibre/db/categories.py b/src/calibre/db/categories.py
index 3f7bbb9e61..df6c1402d2 100644
--- a/src/calibre/db/categories.py
+++ b/src/calibre/db/categories.py
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ from calibre.ebooks.metadata import author_to_author_sort
 from calibre.library.field_metadata import TagsIcons
 from calibre.utils.config_base import tweaks
 from calibre.utils.icu import sort_key
-from calibre.utils.search_query_parser import saved_searches
 
 CATEGORY_SORTS = ('name', 'popularity', 'rating')  # This has to be a tuple not a set
 
@@ -229,7 +228,7 @@ def get_categories(dbcache, sort='name', book_ids=None, icon_map=None):
     icon = None
     if icon_map and 'search' in icon_map:
         icon = icon_map['search']
-    ss = saved_searches()
+    ss = dbcache._search_api.get_saved_searches()
     for srch in ss.names():
         items.append(Tag(srch, tooltip=ss.lookup(srch),
                             sort=srch, icon=icon, category='search',
diff --git a/src/calibre/db/legacy.py b/src/calibre/db/legacy.py
index b938e7dddf..838ccdfe21 100644
--- a/src/calibre/db/legacy.py
+++ b/src/calibre/db/legacy.py
@@ -120,6 +120,9 @@ class LibraryDatabase(object):
             self.new_api.reload_from_db()
         self.last_update_check = utcnow()
 
+    def get_saved_searches(self):
+        return self.new_api._search_api.get_saved_searches()
+
     @property
     def custom_column_num_map(self):
         return self.backend.custom_column_num_map
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/saved_search_editor.py b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/saved_search_editor.py
index c9f843109a..669771e46e 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/saved_search_editor.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/saved_search_editor.py
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ from PyQt4.QtCore import SIGNAL
 from PyQt4.QtGui import QDialog
 
 from calibre.gui2.dialogs.saved_search_editor_ui import Ui_SavedSearchEditor
-from calibre.utils.search_query_parser import saved_searches
 from calibre.utils.icu import sort_key
 from calibre.gui2 import error_dialog
 from calibre.gui2.dialogs.confirm_delete import confirm
@@ -15,6 +14,7 @@ from calibre.gui2.dialogs.confirm_delete import confirm
 class SavedSearchEditor(QDialog, Ui_SavedSearchEditor):
 
     def __init__(self, parent, initial_search=None):
+        from calibre.gui2.ui import saved_searches
         QDialog.__init__(self, parent)
         Ui_SavedSearchEditor.__init__(self)
         self.setupUi(self)
@@ -98,6 +98,7 @@ class SavedSearchEditor(QDialog, Ui_SavedSearchEditor):
             self.search_text.setPlainText('')
 
     def accept(self):
+        from calibre.gui2.ui import saved_searches
         if self.current_search_name:
             self.searches[self.current_search_name] = unicode(self.search_text.toPlainText())
         for name in saved_searches().names():
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/search_box.py b/src/calibre/gui2/search_box.py
index 85ddf533c4..b10fdd40ef 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/search_box.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/search_box.py
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ from calibre.gui2 import config, error_dialog
 from calibre.gui2.dialogs.confirm_delete import confirm
 from calibre.gui2.dialogs.saved_search_editor import SavedSearchEditor
 from calibre.gui2.dialogs.search import SearchDialog
-from calibre.utils.search_query_parser import saved_searches
 
 class SearchLineEdit(QLineEdit):  # {{{
     key_pressed = pyqtSignal(object)
@@ -309,6 +308,7 @@ class SavedSearchBox(QComboBox):  # {{{
             self.saved_search_selected(self.currentText())
 
     def saved_search_selected(self, qname):
+        from calibre.gui2.ui import saved_searches
         qname = unicode(qname)
         if qname is None or not qname.strip():
             self.search_box.clear()
@@ -322,12 +322,14 @@ class SavedSearchBox(QComboBox):  # {{{
         self.setToolTip(saved_searches().lookup(qname))
 
     def initialize_saved_search_names(self):
+        from calibre.gui2.ui import saved_searches
         qnames = saved_searches().names()
         self.addItems(qnames)
         self.setCurrentIndex(-1)
 
     # SIGNALed from the main UI
     def save_search_button_clicked(self):
+        from calibre.gui2.ui import saved_searches
         name = unicode(self.currentText())
         if not name.strip():
             name = unicode(self.search_box.text()).replace('"', '')
@@ -346,6 +348,7 @@ class SavedSearchBox(QComboBox):  # {{{
         self.changed.emit()
 
     def delete_current_search(self):
+        from calibre.gui2.ui import saved_searches
         idx = self.currentIndex()
         if idx <= 0:
             error_dialog(self, _('Delete current search'),
@@ -365,6 +368,7 @@ class SavedSearchBox(QComboBox):  # {{{
 
     # SIGNALed from the main UI
     def copy_search_button_clicked(self):
+        from calibre.gui2.ui import saved_searches
         idx = self.currentIndex()
         if idx < 0:
             return
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/search_restriction_mixin.py b/src/calibre/gui2/search_restriction_mixin.py
index b986a2a78e..71e0f2f392 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/search_restriction_mixin.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/search_restriction_mixin.py
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ from calibre.gui2.widgets import ComboBoxWithHelp
 from calibre.utils.config_base import tweaks
 from calibre.utils.icu import sort_key
 from calibre.utils.search_query_parser import ParseException
-from calibre.utils.search_query_parser import saved_searches
 
 class SelectNames(QDialog):  # {{{
 
@@ -179,6 +178,7 @@ class CreateVirtualLibrary(QDialog):  # {{{
         self.resize(self.sizeHint()+QSize(150, 25))
 
     def search_text_changed(self, txt):
+        from calibre.gui2.ui import saved_searches
         searches = [_('Saved searches recognized in the expression:')]
         txt = unicode(txt)
         while txt:
@@ -234,6 +234,7 @@ class CreateVirtualLibrary(QDialog):  # {{{
         self.vl_text.setText(self.original_search)
 
     def link_activated(self, url):
+        from calibre.gui2.ui import saved_searches
         db = self.gui.current_db
         f, txt = unicode(url).partition('.')[0::2]
         if f == 'search':
@@ -475,6 +476,7 @@ class SearchRestrictionMixin(object):
         return name[0:MAX_VIRTUAL_LIBRARY_NAME_LENGTH].strip()
 
     def build_search_restriction_list(self):
+        from calibre.gui2.ui import saved_searches
         m = self.ar_menu
         m.clear()
 
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/tag_browser/model.py b/src/calibre/gui2/tag_browser/model.py
index 33d1235f8b..7dba7cfe7d 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/tag_browser/model.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/tag_browser/model.py
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ from calibre.utils.icu import sort_key, lower, strcmp, collation_order
 from calibre.library.field_metadata import TagsIcons, category_icon_map
 from calibre.gui2.dialogs.confirm_delete import confirm
 from calibre.utils.formatter import EvalFormatter
-from calibre.utils.search_query_parser import saved_searches
 
 TAG_SEARCH_STATES = {'clear': 0, 'mark_plus': 1, 'mark_plusplus': 2,
                      'mark_minus': 3, 'mark_minusminus': 4}
@@ -879,7 +878,7 @@ class TagsModel(QAbstractItemModel): # {{{
                     traceback.print_exc()
         self.db.data.change_search_locations(self.db.field_metadata.get_search_terms())
 
-        if len(saved_searches().names()):
+        if len(self.db.get_saved_searches().names()):
             tb_cats.add_search_category(label='search', name=_('Searches'))
 
         if self.filter_categories_by:
@@ -1005,11 +1004,11 @@ class TagsModel(QAbstractItemModel): # {{{
                         _('Author names cannot contain & characters.')).exec_()
                 return False
         if key == 'search':
-            if val in saved_searches().names():
+            if val in self.db.get_saved_searches().names():
                 error_dialog(self.gui_parent, _('Duplicate search name'),
                     _('The saved search name %s is already used.')%val).exec_()
                 return False
-            saved_searches().rename(unicode(item.data(role).toString()), val)
+            self.db.get_saved_searches().rename(unicode(item.data(role).toString()), val)
             item.tag.name = val
             self.search_item_renamed.emit() # Does a refresh
         else:
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/tag_browser/view.py b/src/calibre/gui2/tag_browser/view.py
index cefa0f8975..d28b7ca848 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/tag_browser/view.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/tag_browser/view.py
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@ from calibre.constants import config_dir
 from calibre.gui2.tag_browser.model import (TagTreeItem, TAG_SEARCH_STATES,
         TagsModel)
 from calibre.gui2 import config, gprefs, choose_files, pixmap_to_data
-from calibre.utils.search_query_parser import saved_searches
 from calibre.utils.icu import sort_key
 
 class TagDelegate(QStyledItemDelegate): # {{{
@@ -355,6 +354,7 @@ class TagsView(QTreeView): # {{{
                 self.delete_user_category.emit(key)
                 return
             if action == 'delete_search':
+                from calibre.gui2.ui import saved_searches
                 saved_searches().delete(key)
                 self.rebuild_saved_searches.emit()
                 return
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/ui.py b/src/calibre/gui2/ui.py
index 229ed0933d..e54d06e671 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/ui.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/ui.py
@@ -98,6 +98,16 @@ _gui = None
 def get_gui():
     return _gui
 
+def saved_searches():
+    'Return the saved searches defined in the currently open library'
+    try:
+        return _gui.library_view.model().db.get_saved_searches()
+    except AttributeError:
+        # Happens during initialization of the gui
+        from calibre.utils.search_query_parser import saved_searches
+        return saved_searches()
+
+
 class Main(MainWindow, MainWindowMixin, DeviceMixin, EmailMixin,  # {{{
         TagBrowserMixin, CoverFlowMixin, LibraryViewMixin, SearchBoxMixin,
         SavedSearchBoxMixin, SearchRestrictionMixin, LayoutMixin, UpdateMixin,
diff --git a/src/calibre/library/cli.py b/src/calibre/library/cli.py
index 547cc5bc08..7e7a234724 100644
--- a/src/calibre/library/cli.py
+++ b/src/calibre/library/cli.py
@@ -1028,10 +1028,8 @@ def command_saved_searches(args, dbpath):
         print
         prints(_('Error: You must specify an action (add|remove|list)'), file=sys.stderr)
         return 1
-    from calibre.utils.search_query_parser import saved_searches
     db = get_db(dbpath, opts)
-    db
-    ss = saved_searches()
+    ss = db.get_saved_searches()
     if args[0] == 'list':
         for name in ss.names():
             prints(_('Name:'), name)
diff --git a/src/calibre/library/database2.py b/src/calibre/library/database2.py
index 9022605024..8ea7e75b59 100644
--- a/src/calibre/library/database2.py
+++ b/src/calibre/library/database2.py
@@ -537,6 +537,9 @@ class LibraryDatabase2(LibraryDatabase, SchemaUpgrade, CustomColumns):
         if self.user_version == 0:
             self.user_version = 1
 
+    def get_saved_searches(self):
+        return saved_searches()
+
     def last_modified(self):
         ''' Return last modified time as a UTC datetime object'''
         return utcfromtimestamp(os.stat(self.dbpath).st_mtime)
diff --git a/src/calibre/library/server/base.py b/src/calibre/library/server/base.py
index bbd5239b42..a677b991f9 100644
--- a/src/calibre/library/server/base.py
+++ b/src/calibre/library/server/base.py
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@ from calibre.library.server.opds import OPDSServer
 from calibre.library.server.cache import Cache
 from calibre.library.server.browse import BrowseServer
 from calibre.library.server.ajax import AjaxServer
-from calibre.utils.search_query_parser import saved_searches
 from calibre import prints, as_unicode
 
 
@@ -210,7 +209,7 @@ class LibraryServer(ContentServer, MobileServer, XMLServer, OPDSServer, Cache,
         if sr:
             if sr in virt_libs:
                 sr = virt_libs[sr]
-            elif sr not in saved_searches().names():
+            elif sr not in self.db.get_saved_searches().names():
                 prints('WARNING: Content server: search restriction ',
                        sr, ' does not exist')
                 sr = ''