diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/store/search/models.py b/src/calibre/gui2/store/search/models.py
index 9028acb142..1a2327fc45 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/store/search/models.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/store/search/models.py
@@ -294,6 +294,7 @@ class SearchFilter(SearchQueryParser):
         return self.srs
 
     def get_matches(self, location, query):
+        query = query.strip()
         location = location.lower().strip()
         if location == 'authors':
             location = 'author'