diff --git a/eos/db/gamedata/queries.py b/eos/db/gamedata/queries.py
index db333fdbdf..d0ca8a5657 100644
--- a/eos/db/gamedata/queries.py
+++ b/eos/db/gamedata/queries.py
@@ -249,6 +249,22 @@ def searchItems(nameLike, where=None, join=None, eager=None):
     return items
 
 
+@cachedQuery(3, "where", "nameLike", "join")
+def searchSkills(nameLike, where=None, eager=None):
+    if not isinstance(nameLike, basestring):
+        raise TypeError("Need string as argument")
+
+    items = gamedata_session.query(Item).options(*processEager(eager)).join(Item.group, Group.category)
+    for token in nameLike.split(' '):
+        token_safe = u"%{0}%".format(sqlizeString(token))
+        if where is not None:
+            items = items.filter(and_(Item.name.like(token_safe, escape="\\"), Category.ID == 16, where))
+        else:
+            items = items.filter(and_(Item.name.like(token_safe, escape="\\"), Category.ID == 16))
+    items = items.limit(100).all()
+    return items
+
+
 @cachedQuery(2, "where", "itemids")
 def getVariations(itemids, groupIDs=None, where=None, eager=None):
     for itemid in itemids:
diff --git a/gui/characterEditor.py b/gui/characterEditor.py
index ab9874fe78..529ee3577b 100644
--- a/gui/characterEditor.py
+++ b/gui/characterEditor.py
@@ -64,6 +64,28 @@ def Validate(self, win):
             return False
 
 
+class PlaceholderTextCtrl(wx.TextCtrl):
+    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        self.default_text = kwargs.pop("placeholder", "")
+        kwargs["value"] = self.default_text
+        wx.TextCtrl.__init__(self, *args, **kwargs)
+        self.Bind(wx.EVT_SET_FOCUS, self.OnFocus)
+        self.Bind(wx.EVT_KILL_FOCUS, self.OnKillFocus)
+
+    def OnFocus(self, evt):
+        if self.GetValue() == self.default_text:
+            self.SetValue("")
+        evt.Skip()
+
+    def OnKillFocus(self, evt):
+        if self.GetValue().strip() == "":
+            self.SetValue(self.default_text)
+        evt.Skip()
+
+    def Reset(self):
+        self.SetValue(self.default_text)
+
+
 class CharacterEntityEditor(EntityEditor):
     def __init__(self, parent):
         EntityEditor.__init__(self, parent, "Character")
@@ -253,10 +275,16 @@ def __init__(self, parent):
 
         pmainSizer = wx.BoxSizer(wx.VERTICAL)
 
+        hSizer = wx.BoxSizer(wx.HORIZONTAL)
+
         self.clonesChoice = wx.Choice(self, wx.ID_ANY, style=0)
         i = self.clonesChoice.Append("Omega Clone", None)
         self.clonesChoice.SetSelection(i)
-        pmainSizer.Add(self.clonesChoice, 0, wx.ALL | wx.EXPAND, 5)
+        hSizer.Add(self.clonesChoice, 5, wx.ALL | wx.EXPAND, 5)
+
+        self.searchInput = PlaceholderTextCtrl(self, wx.ID_ANY, placeholder="Search...")
+        hSizer.Add(self.searchInput, 1, wx.ALL | wx.EXPAND, 5)
+        self.searchInput.Bind(wx.EVT_TEXT, self.delaySearch)
 
         sChar = Character.getInstance()
         self.alphaClones = sChar.getAlphaCloneList()
@@ -269,6 +297,12 @@ def __init__(self, parent):
 
         self.clonesChoice.Bind(wx.EVT_CHOICE, self.cloneChanged)
 
+        pmainSizer.Add(hSizer, 0, wx.EXPAND | wx.ALL, 5)
+
+        # Set up timer for skill search
+        self.searchTimer = wx.Timer(self)
+        self.Bind(wx.EVT_TIMER, self.populateSkillTreeSkillSearch, self.searchTimer)
+
         tree = self.skillTreeListCtrl = wx.gizmos.TreeListCtrl(self, wx.ID_ANY, style=wx.TR_DEFAULT_STYLE | wx.TR_HIDE_ROOT)
         pmainSizer.Add(tree, 1, wx.EXPAND | wx.ALL, 5)
 
@@ -342,12 +376,20 @@ def onSecStatus(self, event):
             self.btnSecStatus.SetLabel("Sec Status: {0:.2f}".format(value))
         myDlg.Destroy()
 
+    def delaySearch(self, evt):
+        if self.searchInput.GetValue() == "" or self.searchInput.GetValue() == self.searchInput.default_text:
+            self.populateSkillTree()
+        else:
+            self.searchTimer.Stop()
+            self.searchTimer.Start(150, True)  # 150ms
+
     def cloneChanged(self, event):
         sChar = Character.getInstance()
         sChar.setAlphaClone(self.charEditor.entityEditor.getActiveEntity(), event.ClientData)
         self.populateSkillTree()
 
     def charChanged(self, event=None):
+        self.searchInput.Reset()
         char = self.charEditor.entityEditor.getActiveEntity()
         for i in range(self.clonesChoice.GetCount()):
             cloneID = self.clonesChoice.GetClientData(i)
@@ -358,6 +400,23 @@ def charChanged(self, event=None):
 
         self.populateSkillTree(event)
 
+    def populateSkillTreeSkillSearch(self, event=None):
+        sChar = Character.getInstance()
+        char = self.charEditor.entityEditor.getActiveEntity()
+        search = self.searchInput.GetLineText(0)
+
+        root = self.root
+        tree = self.skillTreeListCtrl
+        tree.DeleteChildren(root)
+
+        for id, name in sChar.getSkillsByName(search):
+            iconId = self.skillBookImageId
+            childId = tree.AppendItem(root, name, iconId, data=wx.TreeItemData(id))
+            level, dirty = sChar.getSkillLevel(char.ID, id)
+            tree.SetItemText(childId, "Level %d" % level if isinstance(level, int) else level, 1)
+            if dirty:
+                tree.SetItemTextColour(childId, wx.BLUE)
+
     def populateSkillTree(self, event=None):
         sChar = Character.getInstance()
         char = self.charEditor.entityEditor.getActiveEntity()
@@ -444,6 +503,7 @@ def changeLevel(self, event):
         # After saving the skill, we need to update not just the selected skill, but all open skills due to strict skill
         # level setting. We don't want to refresh tree, as that will lose all expanded categories and users location
         # within the tree. Thus, we loop through the tree and refresh the info.
+        # @todo: when collapsing branch, remove the data. This will make this loop more performant
         child, cookie = self.skillTreeListCtrl.GetFirstChild(self.root)
         while child.IsOk():
             # child = Skill category
diff --git a/service/character.py b/service/character.py
index f1bdfb8d38..ab8736c35f 100644
--- a/service/character.py
+++ b/service/character.py
@@ -277,6 +277,15 @@ def getSkills(groupID):
                 skills.append((skill.ID, skill.name))
         return skills
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def getSkillsByName(text):
+        items = eos.db.searchSkills(text)
+        skills = []
+        for skill in items:
+            if skill.published is True:
+                skills.append((skill.ID, skill.name))
+        return skills
+
     @staticmethod
     def setAlphaClone(char, cloneID):
         char.alphaCloneID = cloneID