diff --git a/manual/url_scheme.rst b/manual/url_scheme.rst
index ae680ab783..e32c558437 100644
--- a/manual/url_scheme.rst
+++ b/manual/url_scheme.rst
@@ -90,6 +90,8 @@ Virtual library, use::
 If you want to switch to a particular Virtual library, use::
 
     calibre://search/Library_Name?virtual_library=Library%20Name
+    or
+    calibre://search/Library_Name?encoded_virtual_library=hex_encoded_virtual_library_name
 
 replacing spaces in the Virtual library name by ``%20``.
 
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/layout.py b/src/calibre/gui2/layout.py
index ef8cb17542..abfdbb89d6 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/layout.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/layout.py
@@ -172,6 +172,21 @@ class LocationManager(QObject):  # {{{
 # }}}
 
 
+def search_as_url(text):
+    if text:
+        from calibre.gui2.ui import get_gui
+        db = get_gui().current_db
+        lid = db.new_api.server_library_id
+        lid = lid.encode('utf-8').hex()
+        eq = text.encode('utf-8').hex()
+        vl = db.data.get_base_restriction_name()
+        ans = f'calibre://search/_hex_-{lid}?eq={eq}'
+        if vl:
+            vl = vl.encode('utf-8').hex()
+            ans += '&encoded_virtual_library=' + vl
+        return ans
+
+
 class SearchBar(QFrame):  # {{{
 
     def __init__(self, parent):
@@ -221,7 +236,7 @@ class SearchBar(QFrame):  # {{{
         l.addWidget(sb)
         l.addWidget(parent.sort_sep)
 
-        x = parent.search = SearchBox2(self)
+        x = parent.search = SearchBox2(self, as_url=search_as_url)
         x.setSizePolicy(QSizePolicy.Expanding, QSizePolicy.Minimum)
         x.setObjectName("search")
         x.setToolTip(_("<p>Search the list of books by title, author, publisher, "
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/search_box.py b/src/calibre/gui2/search_box.py
index 2fb21c8409..edad2304c9 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/search_box.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/search_box.py
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ class SearchLineEdit(QLineEdit):  # {{{
     key_pressed = pyqtSignal(object)
     clear_history = pyqtSignal()
     select_on_mouse_press = None
+    as_url = None
 
     def keyPressEvent(self, event):
         self.key_pressed.emit(event)
@@ -59,6 +60,10 @@ class SearchLineEdit(QLineEdit):  # {{{
         else:
             menu.addAction(ac)
         menu.addSeparator()
+        if self.as_url is not None:
+            url = self.as_url(self.text())
+            if url:
+                menu.addAction(_('Copy search as URL'), lambda : QApplication.clipboard().setText(url))
         menu.addAction(_('&Clear search history')).triggered.connect(self.clear_history)
         menu.exec_(ev.globalPos())
 
@@ -109,9 +114,10 @@ class SearchBox2(QComboBox):  # {{{
     changed = pyqtSignal()
     focus_to_library = pyqtSignal()
 
-    def __init__(self, parent=None, add_clear_action=True):
+    def __init__(self, parent=None, add_clear_action=True, as_url=None):
         QComboBox.__init__(self, parent)
         self.line_edit = SearchLineEdit(self)
+        self.line_edit.as_url = as_url
         self.setLineEdit(self.line_edit)
         self.line_edit.clear_history.connect(self.clear_history)
         if add_clear_action:
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/ui.py b/src/calibre/gui2/ui.py
index 3d4acd7c18..c92283c0f6 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/ui.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/ui.py
@@ -718,7 +718,11 @@ class Main(MainWindow, MainWindowMixin, DeviceMixin, EmailMixin,  # {{{
                 if sq:
                     sq = sq[0]
             sq = sq or ''
-            vl = (query.get('virtual_library') or ['-'])[0]
+            vl = None
+            if query.get('encoded_virtual_library'):
+                vl = bytes.fromhex(query.get('encoded_virtual_library')[0]).decode('utf-8')
+            elif query.get('virtual_library'):
+                vl = query.get('virtual_library')[0]
             if vl == '-':
                 vl = None