diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/search_box.py b/src/calibre/gui2/search_box.py
index 15a165eb17..5f50af0e19 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/search_box.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/search_box.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ __license__   = 'GPL v3'
 __copyright__ = '2009, Kovid Goyal <kovid@kovidgoyal.net>'
 __docformat__ = 'restructuredtext en'
 
-import re
+import re, time
 from functools import partial
 
 
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ from calibre.gui2.dialogs.search import SearchDialog
 
 class SearchLineEdit(QLineEdit):  # {{{
     key_pressed = pyqtSignal(object)
-    select_on_mouse_press = False
+    select_on_mouse_press = None
 
     def keyPressEvent(self, event):
         self.key_pressed.emit(event)
@@ -41,14 +41,14 @@ class SearchLineEdit(QLineEdit):  # {{{
         return QLineEdit.paste(self)
 
     def focusInEvent(self, ev):
-        self.select_on_mouse_press = True
+        self.select_on_mouse_press = time.time()
         return QLineEdit.focusInEvent(self, ev)
 
     def mousePressEvent(self, ev):
         QLineEdit.mousePressEvent(self, ev)
-        if self.select_on_mouse_press:
-            self.select_on_mouse_press = False
+        if self.select_on_mouse_press is not None and abs(time.time() - self.select_on_mouse_press) < 0.2:
             self.selectAll()
+        self.select_on_mouse_press = None
 # }}}
 
 class SearchBox2(QComboBox):  # {{{