diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/viewer/highlights.py b/src/calibre/gui2/viewer/highlights.py
index 394f5024e2..7702ba146b 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/viewer/highlights.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/viewer/highlights.py
@@ -4,9 +4,15 @@
 
 from __future__ import absolute_import, division, print_function, unicode_literals
 
-from PyQt5.Qt import QListWidget, QListWidgetItem, Qt, QVBoxLayout, QWidget
+from itertools import chain
 
+from PyQt5.Qt import (
+    QItemSelectionModel, QListWidget, QListWidgetItem, Qt, QVBoxLayout, QWidget
+)
+
+from calibre.gui2 import error_dialog
 from calibre.gui2.viewer.search import SearchInput
+from polyglot.builtins import range
 
 
 class Highlights(QListWidget):
@@ -22,6 +28,28 @@ class Highlights(QListWidget):
             i = QListWidgetItem(h['highlighted_text'], self)
             i.setData(Qt.UserRole, h)
 
+    def find_query(self, query):
+        cr = self.currentRow()
+        pat = query.regex
+        if query.backwards:
+            if cr < 0:
+                cr = self.count()
+            indices = chain(range(cr - 1, -1, -1), range(self.count() - 1, cr, -1))
+        else:
+            if cr < 0:
+                cr = -1
+            indices = chain(range(cr + 1, self.count()), range(0, cr + 1))
+        for i in indices:
+            item = self.item(i)
+            h = item.data(Qt.UserRole)
+            if pat.search(h['highlighted_text']) is not None or pat.search(h.get('notes') or '') is not None:
+                self.set_current_row(i)
+                return True
+        return False
+
+    def set_current_row(self, row):
+        self.setCurrentRow(row, QItemSelectionModel.ClearAndSelect)
+
 
 class HighlightsPanel(QWidget):
 
@@ -38,7 +66,9 @@ class HighlightsPanel(QWidget):
         self.load = h.load
 
     def search_requested(self, query):
-        pass
+        if not self.highlights.find_query(query):
+            error_dialog(self, _('No matches'), _(
+                'No highlights match the search: {}').format(query.text), show=True)
 
     def focus(self):
         self.highlights_list.setFocus(Qt.OtherFocusReason)