diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/layout.py b/src/calibre/gui2/layout.py
index 20c2588bb4..a1c8063dd8 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/layout.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/layout.py
@@ -184,6 +184,14 @@ class SearchBar(QWidget):  # {{{
         l.addWidget(x)
         parent.virtual_library = x
 
+        x = QToolButton(self)
+        x.setIcon(QIcon(I('minus.png')))
+        x.setObjectName('clear_vl')
+        l.addWidget(x)
+        x.setVisible(False)
+        x.setToolTip(_('Close the Virtual Library'))
+        parent.clear_vl = x
+
         x = QLabel(self)
         x.setObjectName("search_count")
         l.addWidget(x)
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/search_restriction_mixin.py b/src/calibre/gui2/search_restriction_mixin.py
index ceed4f1928..528289e320 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/search_restriction_mixin.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/search_restriction_mixin.py
@@ -316,6 +316,7 @@ class SearchRestrictionMixin(object):
         self.virtual_library_menu = QMenu()
 
         self.virtual_library.clicked.connect(self.virtual_library_clicked)
+        self.clear_vl.clicked.connect(lambda x: (self.apply_virtual_library(), self.clear_additional_restriction()))
 
         self.virtual_library_tooltip = \
             _('Use a "virtual library" to show only a subset of the books present in this library')
@@ -589,10 +590,12 @@ class SearchRestrictionMixin(object):
             self.search_count.setStyleSheet(
                     'QLabel { border-radius: 6px; background-color: %s }' %
                     tweaks['highlight_virtual_library'])
+            self.clear_vl.setVisible(True)
         else:  # No restriction or not library view
             t = ''
             self.search_count.setStyleSheet(
                     'QLabel { background-color: transparent; }')
+            self.clear_vl.setVisible(False)
         self.search_count.setText(t)
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':