diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/convert/metadata.py b/src/calibre/gui2/convert/metadata.py
index de03033060..5f39202e26 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/convert/metadata.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/convert/metadata.py
@@ -68,6 +68,9 @@ class MetadataWidget(Widget, Ui_Form):
     def initialize_metadata_options(self):
         self.initialize_combos()
         self.author.editTextChanged.connect(self.deduce_author_sort)
+        self.author.set_separator('&')
+        self.author.set_space_before_sep(True)
+        self.author.update_items_cache(self.db.all_author_names())
 
         mi = self.db.get_metadata(self.book_id, index_is_id=True)
         self.title.setText(mi.title)
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/convert/metadata.ui b/src/calibre/gui2/convert/metadata.ui
index 5735193424..24b7c0904a 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/convert/metadata.ui
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/convert/metadata.ui
@@ -20,38 +20,8 @@
       <string>Book Cover</string>
      </property>
      <layout class="QGridLayout" name="_2">
-      <item row="0" column="0">
-       <layout class="QHBoxLayout" name="_3">
-        <item>
-         <widget class="ImageView" name="cover" native="true">
-          <property name="sizePolicy">
-           <sizepolicy hsizetype="Expanding" vsizetype="Expanding">
-            <horstretch>0</horstretch>
-            <verstretch>0</verstretch>
-           </sizepolicy>
-          </property>
-         </widget>
-        </item>
-       </layout>
-      </item>
-      <item row="2" column="0">
-       <widget class="QCheckBox" name="opt_prefer_metadata_cover">
-        <property name="text">
-         <string>Use cover from &amp;source file</string>
-        </property>
-        <property name="checked">
-         <bool>true</bool>
-        </property>
-       </widget>
-      </item>
       <item row="1" column="0">
        <layout class="QVBoxLayout" name="_4">
-        <property name="spacing">
-         <number>6</number>
-        </property>
-        <property name="margin">
-         <number>0</number>
-        </property>
         <item>
          <widget class="QLabel" name="label_5">
           <property name="text">
@@ -64,12 +34,6 @@
         </item>
         <item>
          <layout class="QHBoxLayout" name="_5">
-          <property name="spacing">
-           <number>6</number>
-          </property>
-          <property name="margin">
-           <number>0</number>
-          </property>
           <item>
            <widget class="QLineEdit" name="cover_path">
             <property name="readOnly">
@@ -86,7 +50,7 @@
              <string>...</string>
             </property>
             <property name="icon">
-             <iconset resource="../../../../resources/images.qrc">
+             <iconset>
               <normaloff>:/images/document_open.png</normaloff>:/images/document_open.png</iconset>
             </property>
            </widget>
@@ -95,6 +59,30 @@
         </item>
        </layout>
       </item>
+      <item row="2" column="0">
+       <widget class="QCheckBox" name="opt_prefer_metadata_cover">
+        <property name="text">
+         <string>Use cover from &amp;source file</string>
+        </property>
+        <property name="checked">
+         <bool>true</bool>
+        </property>
+       </widget>
+      </item>
+      <item row="0" column="0">
+       <layout class="QHBoxLayout" name="_3">
+        <item>
+         <widget class="ImageView" name="cover" native="true">
+          <property name="sizePolicy">
+           <sizepolicy hsizetype="Expanding" vsizetype="Expanding">
+            <horstretch>0</horstretch>
+            <verstretch>0</verstretch>
+           </sizepolicy>
+          </property>
+         </widget>
+        </item>
+       </layout>
+      </item>
      </layout>
      <zorder>opt_prefer_metadata_cover</zorder>
      <zorder></zorder>
@@ -255,7 +243,7 @@
         </widget>
        </item>
        <item row="1" column="1">
-        <widget class="EnComboBox" name="author">
+        <widget class="CompleteComboBox" name="author">
          <property name="editable">
           <bool>true</bool>
          </property>
@@ -320,6 +308,11 @@
    <header>calibre/gui2/widgets.h</header>
    <container>1</container>
   </customwidget>
+  <customwidget>
+   <class>CompleteComboBox</class>
+   <extends>QComboBox</extends>
+   <header>widgets.h</header>
+  </customwidget>
  </customwidgets>
  <tabstops>
   <tabstop>title</tabstop>
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/metadata_bulk.py b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/metadata_bulk.py
index c7d5add912..2b3a319663 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/metadata_bulk.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/metadata_bulk.py
@@ -726,6 +726,10 @@ class MetadataBulkDialog(ResizableDialog, Ui_MetadataBulkDialog):
             name = name.strip().replace('|', ',')
             self.authors.addItem(name)
         self.authors.setEditText('')
+        
+        self.authors.set_separator('&')
+        self.authors.set_space_before_sep(True)
+        self.authors.update_items_cache(self.db.all_author_names())
 
     def initialize_series(self):
         all_series = self.db.all_series()
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/metadata_bulk.ui b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/metadata_bulk.ui
index b826f8d48d..3950026325 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/metadata_bulk.ui
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/metadata_bulk.ui
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
    <string>Edit Meta information</string>
   </property>
   <property name="windowIcon">
-   <iconset resource="../../../../resources/images.qrc">
+   <iconset>
     <normaloff>:/images/edit_input.png</normaloff>:/images/edit_input.png</iconset>
   </property>
   <layout class="QGridLayout" name="gridLayout_2">
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@
         <x>0</x>
         <y>0</y>
         <width>842</width>
-        <height>589</height>
+        <height>553</height>
        </rect>
       </property>
       <layout class="QVBoxLayout" name="verticalLayout_2">
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@
             </widget>
            </item>
            <item row="0" column="1">
-            <widget class="EnComboBox" name="authors">
+            <widget class="CompleteComboBox" name="authors">
              <property name="editable">
               <bool>true</bool>
              </property>
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@
               <string>Open Tag Editor</string>
              </property>
              <property name="icon">
-              <iconset resource="../../../../resources/images.qrc">
+              <iconset>
                <normaloff>:/images/chapters.png</normaloff>:/images/chapters.png</iconset>
              </property>
             </widget>
@@ -381,7 +381,7 @@ from the value in the box</string>
                 <string>...</string>
                </property>
                <property name="icon">
-                <iconset resource="../../../../resources/images.qrc">
+                <iconset>
                  <normaloff>:/images/trash.png</normaloff>:/images/trash.png</iconset>
                </property>
               </widget>
@@ -874,8 +874,8 @@ not multiple and the destination field is multiple</string>
                <rect>
                 <x>0</x>
                 <y>0</y>
-                <width>197</width>
-                <height>60</height>
+                <width>231</width>
+                <height>82</height>
                </rect>
               </property>
               <layout class="QGridLayout" name="testgrid">
@@ -964,6 +964,11 @@ not multiple and the destination field is multiple</string>
    <extends>QLineEdit</extends>
    <header>widgets.h</header>
   </customwidget>
+  <customwidget>
+   <class>CompleteComboBox</class>
+   <extends>QComboBox</extends>
+   <header>widgets.h</header>
+  </customwidget>
  </customwidgets>
  <tabstops>
   <tabstop>authors</tabstop>
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/metadata_single.py b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/metadata_single.py
index 139b8a2ebe..4ca2072317 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/metadata_single.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/metadata_single.py
@@ -724,6 +724,10 @@ class MetadataSingleDialog(ResizableDialog, Ui_MetadataSingleDialog):
             au = _('Unknown')
         au = ' & '.join([a.strip().replace('|', ',') for a in au.split(',')])
         self.authors.setEditText(au)
+        
+        self.authors.set_separator('&')
+        self.authors.set_space_before_sep(True)
+        self.authors.update_items_cache(self.db.all_author_names())
 
     def initialize_series(self):
         self.series.setSizeAdjustPolicy(self.series.AdjustToContentsOnFirstShow)
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/metadata_single.ui b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/metadata_single.ui
index b95267a618..b2f42937da 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/metadata_single.ui
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/metadata_single.ui
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
    <string>Edit Meta Information</string>
   </property>
   <property name="windowIcon">
-   <iconset resource="../../../../resources/images.qrc">
+   <iconset>
     <normaloff>:/images/edit_input.png</normaloff>:/images/edit_input.png</iconset>
   </property>
   <property name="sizeGripEnabled">
@@ -43,8 +43,8 @@
        <rect>
         <x>0</x>
         <y>0</y>
-        <width>986</width>
-        <height>677</height>
+        <width>955</width>
+        <height>665</height>
        </rect>
       </property>
       <layout class="QVBoxLayout" name="verticalLayout_5">
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ Using this button to create title sort will change title sort from red to green.
                        <string>...</string>
                       </property>
                       <property name="icon">
-                       <iconset resource="../../../../resources/images.qrc">
+                       <iconset>
                         <normaloff>:/images/auto_author_sort.png</normaloff>:/images/auto_author_sort.png</iconset>
                       </property>
                      </widget>
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ Using this button to create title sort will change title sort from red to green.
                        <string>...</string>
                       </property>
                       <property name="icon">
-                       <iconset resource="../../../../resources/images.qrc">
+                       <iconset>
                         <normaloff>:/images/swap.png</normaloff>:/images/swap.png</iconset>
                       </property>
                       <property name="iconSize">
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ Using this button to create author sort will change author sort from red to gree
                        <string>...</string>
                       </property>
                       <property name="icon">
-                       <iconset resource="../../../../resources/images.qrc">
+                       <iconset>
                         <normaloff>:/images/auto_author_sort.png</normaloff>:/images/auto_author_sort.png</iconset>
                       </property>
                      </widget>
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@ Using this button to create author sort will change author sort from red to gree
                    </widget>
                   </item>
                   <item row="2" column="1">
-                   <widget class="EnComboBox" name="authors">
+                   <widget class="CompleteComboBox" name="authors">
                     <property name="editable">
                      <bool>true</bool>
                     </property>
@@ -352,7 +352,7 @@ If the box is colored green, then text matches the individual author's sort stri
                      <string>Open Tag Editor</string>
                     </property>
                     <property name="icon">
-                     <iconset resource="../../../../resources/images.qrc">
+                     <iconset>
                       <normaloff>:/images/chapters.png</normaloff>:/images/chapters.png</iconset>
                     </property>
                    </widget>
@@ -405,7 +405,7 @@ If the box is colored green, then text matches the individual author's sort stri
                      <string>...</string>
                     </property>
                     <property name="icon">
-                     <iconset resource="../../../../resources/images.qrc">
+                     <iconset>
                       <normaloff>:/images/trash.png</normaloff>:/images/trash.png</iconset>
                     </property>
                    </widget>
@@ -491,7 +491,7 @@ If the box is colored green, then text matches the individual author's sort stri
                      <string>Clear published date</string>
                     </property>
                     <property name="icon">
-                     <iconset resource="../../../../resources/images.qrc">
+                     <iconset>
                       <normaloff>:/images/trash.png</normaloff>:/images/trash.png</iconset>
                     </property>
                    </widget>
@@ -550,15 +550,9 @@ If the box is colored green, then text matches the individual author's sort stri
                   </item>
                   <item>
                    <layout class="QVBoxLayout" name="_4">
-                    <property name="spacing">
-                     <number>6</number>
-                    </property>
                     <property name="sizeConstraint">
                      <enum>QLayout::SetMaximumSize</enum>
                     </property>
-                    <property name="margin">
-                     <number>0</number>
-                    </property>
                     <item>
                      <widget class="QLabel" name="label_5">
                       <property name="text">
@@ -571,19 +565,13 @@ If the box is colored green, then text matches the individual author's sort stri
                     </item>
                     <item>
                      <layout class="QHBoxLayout" name="_5">
-                      <property name="spacing">
-                       <number>6</number>
-                      </property>
-                      <property name="margin">
-                       <number>0</number>
-                      </property>
                       <item>
                        <widget class="QPushButton" name="cover_button">
                         <property name="text">
                          <string>&amp;Browse</string>
                         </property>
                         <property name="icon">
-                         <iconset resource="../../../../resources/images.qrc">
+                         <iconset>
                           <normaloff>:/images/document_open.png</normaloff>:/images/document_open.png</iconset>
                         </property>
                        </widget>
@@ -597,7 +585,7 @@ If the box is colored green, then text matches the individual author's sort stri
                          <string>T&amp;rim</string>
                         </property>
                         <property name="icon">
-                         <iconset resource="../../../../resources/images.qrc">
+                         <iconset>
                           <normaloff>:/images/trim.png</normaloff>:/images/trim.png</iconset>
                         </property>
                        </widget>
@@ -611,7 +599,7 @@ If the box is colored green, then text matches the individual author's sort stri
                          <string>&amp;Remove</string>
                         </property>
                         <property name="icon">
-                         <iconset resource="../../../../resources/images.qrc">
+                         <iconset>
                           <normaloff>:/images/trash.png</normaloff>:/images/trash.png</iconset>
                         </property>
                        </widget>
@@ -702,7 +690,7 @@ If the box is colored green, then text matches the individual author's sort stri
                        <string>...</string>
                       </property>
                       <property name="icon">
-                       <iconset resource="../../../../resources/images.qrc">
+                       <iconset>
                         <normaloff>:/images/add_book.png</normaloff>:/images/add_book.png</iconset>
                       </property>
                       <property name="iconSize">
@@ -722,7 +710,7 @@ If the box is colored green, then text matches the individual author's sort stri
                        <string>...</string>
                       </property>
                       <property name="icon">
-                       <iconset resource="../../../../resources/images.qrc">
+                       <iconset>
                         <normaloff>:/images/trash.png</normaloff>:/images/trash.png</iconset>
                       </property>
                       <property name="iconSize">
@@ -742,7 +730,7 @@ If the box is colored green, then text matches the individual author's sort stri
                        <string>...</string>
                       </property>
                       <property name="icon">
-                       <iconset resource="../../../../resources/images.qrc">
+                       <iconset>
                         <normaloff>:/images/book.png</normaloff>:/images/book.png</iconset>
                       </property>
                       <property name="iconSize">
@@ -762,7 +750,7 @@ If the box is colored green, then text matches the individual author's sort stri
                        <string/>
                       </property>
                       <property name="icon">
-                       <iconset resource="../../../../resources/images.qrc">
+                       <iconset>
                         <normaloff>:/images/edit_input.png</normaloff>:/images/edit_input.png</iconset>
                       </property>
                       <property name="iconSize">
@@ -863,6 +851,11 @@ If the box is colored green, then text matches the individual author's sort stri
    <header location="global">calibre/gui2/comments_editor.h</header>
    <container>1</container>
   </customwidget>
+  <customwidget>
+   <class>CompleteComboBox</class>
+   <extends>QComboBox</extends>
+   <header>widgets.h</header>
+  </customwidget>
  </customwidgets>
  <tabstops>
   <tabstop>title</tabstop>
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/search.py b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/search.py
index 4f72fa915e..95c7cf9225 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/search.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/search.py
@@ -31,6 +31,9 @@ class SearchDialog(QDialog, Ui_Dialog):
         self.authors_box.setEditText('')
         self.authors_box.completer().setCompletionMode(QCompleter.PopupCompletion)
         self.authors_box.setAutoCompletionCaseSensitivity(Qt.CaseInsensitive)
+        self.authors_box.set_separator('&')
+        self.authors_box.set_space_before_sep(True)
+        self.authors_box.update_items_cache(self.db.all_author_names())
 
         all_series = db.all_series()
         all_series.sort(key=lambda x : sort_key(x[1]))
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/search.ui b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/search.ui
index 519ae8c462..06ea9de379 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/search.ui
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/search.ui
@@ -6,15 +6,15 @@
    <rect>
     <x>0</x>
     <y>0</y>
-    <width>731</width>
-    <height>411</height>
+    <width>752</width>
+    <height>472</height>
    </rect>
   </property>
   <property name="windowTitle">
    <string>Advanced Search</string>
   </property>
   <property name="windowIcon">
-   <iconset resource="../../../../resources/images.qrc">
+   <iconset>
     <normaloff>:/images/search.png</normaloff>:/images/search.png</iconset>
   </property>
   <layout class="QGridLayout" name="gridLayout_2">
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@
         </widget>
        </item>
        <item row="2" column="1">
-        <widget class="EnComboBox" name="authors_box">
+        <widget class="CompleteComboBox" name="authors_box">
          <property name="toolTip">
           <string>Enter an author's name. Only one author can be used.</string>
          </property>
@@ -364,6 +364,11 @@
    <extends>QLineEdit</extends>
    <header>widgets.h</header>
   </customwidget>
+  <customwidget>
+   <class>CompleteComboBox</class>
+   <extends>QComboBox</extends>
+   <header>widgets.h</header>
+  </customwidget>
  </customwidgets>
  <tabstops>
   <tabstop>all</tabstop>
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/widgets.py b/src/calibre/gui2/widgets.py
index 6e2d52f835..0bb5ee7634 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/widgets.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/widgets.py
@@ -540,6 +540,22 @@ class EnComboBox(QComboBox):
             idx = 0
         self.setCurrentIndex(idx)
 
+class CompleteComboBox(EnComboBox):
+    
+    def __init__(self, *args):
+        EnComboBox.__init__(self, *args)
+        self.setLineEdit(CompleteLineEdit(self))
+
+    def update_items_cache(self, complete_items):
+        self.lineEdit().update_items_cache(complete_items)
+        
+    def set_separator(self, sep):
+        self.lineEdit().set_separator(sep)
+        
+    def set_space_before_sep(self, space_before):
+        self.lineEdit().set_space_before_sep(space_before)
+
+
 class HistoryLineEdit(QComboBox):
 
     lost_focus = pyqtSignal()