diff --git a/src/calibre/srv/ajax.py b/src/calibre/srv/ajax.py
index ee6e46f940..e1a6e25f93 100644
--- a/src/calibre/srv/ajax.py
+++ b/src/calibre/srv/ajax.py
@@ -519,3 +519,36 @@ def books_in(ctx, rd, encoded_category, encoded_item, library_id):
                 result['additional_fields'] = additional_fields
         return result
 # }}}
+
+
+@endpoint('/ajax/search/{library_id=None}', postprocess=json)
+def search(ctx, rd, library_id):
+    '''
+    Return the books (as list of ids) matching the specified search query.
+
+    Optional: ?num=100&offset=0&sort=title&sort_order=asc&get_additional_fields=
+    '''
+    db = get_db(ctx, library_id)
+    with db.safe_read_lock:
+        query = rd.query.get('query')
+        num, offset = get_pagination(rd.query)
+        sort, sort_order = rd.query.get('sort', 'title'), rd.query.get('sort_order')
+        sort_order = ensure_val(sort_order, 'asc', 'desc')
+        sfield = sanitize_sort_field_name(db.field_metadata, sort)
+        if sfield not in db.field_metadata.sortable_field_keys():
+            raise HTTPNotFound('%s is not a valid sort field'%sort)
+
+        if not query:
+            ids = ctx.allowed_book_ids(rd, db)
+        else:
+            ids = ctx.search(rd, db, query)
+        ids = db.multisort(fields=[(sfield, sort_order == 'asc')], ids_to_sort=ids)
+        total_num = len(ids)
+        ids = ids[offset:offset+num]
+        return {
+                'total_num': total_num, 'sort_order':sort_order,
+                'offset':offset, 'num':len(ids), 'sort':sort,
+                'base_url':ctx.url_for(search, library_id=db.server_library_id),
+                'query': query,
+                'book_ids':ids
+        }
diff --git a/src/calibre/srv/handler.py b/src/calibre/srv/handler.py
index 54502fcf85..68a254065f 100644
--- a/src/calibre/srv/handler.py
+++ b/src/calibre/srv/handler.py
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ class Context(object):
         if old is None or old[0] < db.clear_search_cache_count:
             matches = db.search(query, book_ids=restrict_to_ids)
             cache[key] = old = (db.clear_search_cache_count, matches)
-            if len(self._search_cache) > self.SEARCH_CACHE_SIZE:
+            if len(cache) > self.SEARCH_CACHE_SIZE:
                 cache.popitem(last=False)
         else:
             cache[key] = old
diff --git a/src/calibre/srv/tests/ajax.py b/src/calibre/srv/tests/ajax.py
index c76d0eb9d0..fc860a253f 100644
--- a/src/calibre/srv/tests/ajax.py
+++ b/src/calibre/srv/tests/ajax.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ __copyright__ = '2015, Kovid Goyal <kovid at kovidgoyal.net>'
 
 import httplib, zlib, json
 from functools import partial
+from urllib import urlencode
 
 from calibre.srv.tests.base import LibraryBaseTest
 
@@ -47,7 +48,7 @@ class ContentTest(LibraryBaseTest):
     # }}}
 
     def test_ajax_categories(self):  # {{{
-        'Test /ajax/categories'
+        'Test /ajax/categories and /ajax/search'
         with self.create_server() as server:
             db = server.handler.router.ctx.get_library()
             conn = server.connect()
@@ -68,4 +69,7 @@ class ContentTest(LibraryBaseTest):
             r, data = request(names['Tag One'], prefix='')
             self.ae(r.status, httplib.OK)
             self.ae(set(data['book_ids']), {1, 2})
+            r, data = request('/search?' + urlencode({'query': 'tags:"=Tag One"'}))
+            self.ae(r.status, httplib.OK)
+            self.ae(set(data['book_ids']), {1, 2})
     # }}}