diff --git a/python/core/qgssearchtreenode.sip b/python/core/qgssearchtreenode.sip
index a8e093c76dc..e3b75c4ebfd 100644
--- a/python/core/qgssearchtreenode.sip
+++ b/python/core/qgssearchtreenode.sip
@@ -68,8 +68,7 @@ class QgsSearchTreeNode
     Type type();
 
     //! node value getters
-    // TODO: for some reason this function is not found by dynamic linker
-    //Operator op();
+    Operator op();
     double number();
     QString columnRef();
     QString string();
@@ -108,6 +107,10 @@ class QgsSearchTreeNode
     //! @note added in 1.5
     QStringList referencedColumns();
 
+    //! check whether there are any operators that need geometry (for area, length)
+    //! @note added in 1.5
+    bool needsGeometry();
+
   protected:
 
 
diff --git a/src/app/attributetable/qgsattributetabledialog.cpp b/src/app/attributetable/qgsattributetabledialog.cpp
index ba408dd2e07..b7c6a37ce01 100644
--- a/src/app/attributetable/qgsattributetabledialog.cpp
+++ b/src/app/attributetable/qgsattributetabledialog.cpp
@@ -533,15 +533,19 @@ void QgsAttributeTableDialog::doSearch( QString searchString )
     return;
   }
 
+  // TODO: fetch only necessary columns
+  // QStringList columns = searchTree->referencedColumns();
+  bool fetchGeom = searchTree->needsGeometry();
+
   QApplication::setOverrideCursor( Qt::WaitCursor );
   mSelectedFeatures.clear();
 
   if ( cbxSearchSelectedOnly->isChecked() )
   {
     QgsFeatureList selectedFeatures = mLayer->selectedFeatures();
-    for ( QgsFeatureList::ConstIterator it = selectedFeatures.begin(); it != selectedFeatures.end(); ++it )
+    for ( QgsFeatureList::Iterator it = selectedFeatures.begin(); it != selectedFeatures.end(); ++it )
     {
-      if ( searchTree->checkAgainst( mLayer->pendingFields(), it->attributeMap() ) )
+      if ( searchTree->checkAgainst( mLayer->pendingFields(), it->attributeMap(), it->geometry() ) )
         mSelectedFeatures << it->id();
 
       // check if there were errors during evaluating
@@ -551,12 +555,12 @@ void QgsAttributeTableDialog::doSearch( QString searchString )
   }
   else
   {
-    mLayer->select( mLayer->pendingAllAttributesList(), QgsRectangle(), false );
+    mLayer->select( mLayer->pendingAllAttributesList(), QgsRectangle(), fetchGeom );
     QgsFeature f;
 
     while ( mLayer->nextFeature( f ) )
     {
-      if ( searchTree->checkAgainst( mLayer->pendingFields(), f.attributeMap() ) )
+      if ( searchTree->checkAgainst( mLayer->pendingFields(), f.attributeMap(), f.geometry() ) )
         mSelectedFeatures << f.id();
 
       // check if there were errors during evaluating
diff --git a/src/app/qgssearchquerybuilder.cpp b/src/app/qgssearchquerybuilder.cpp
index 867c7d32657..3998d84c964 100644
--- a/src/app/qgssearchquerybuilder.cpp
+++ b/src/app/qgssearchquerybuilder.cpp
@@ -190,6 +190,8 @@ long QgsSearchQueryBuilder::countRecords( QString searchString )
     return mLayer->featureCount();
   }
 
+  bool fetchGeom = searchTree->needsGeometry();
+
   QApplication::setOverrideCursor( Qt::WaitCursor );
 
   int count = 0;
@@ -198,11 +200,11 @@ long QgsSearchQueryBuilder::countRecords( QString searchString )
   const QgsFieldMap& fields = provider->fields();
   QgsAttributeList allAttributes = provider->attributeIndexes();
 
-  provider->select( allAttributes, QgsRectangle(), false );
+  provider->select( allAttributes, QgsRectangle(), fetchGeom );
 
   while ( provider->nextFeature( feat ) )
   {
-    if ( searchTree->checkAgainst( fields, feat.attributeMap() ) )
+    if ( searchTree->checkAgainst( fields, feat.attributeMap(), feat.geometry() ) )
     {
       count++;
     }
diff --git a/src/core/qgssearchtreenode.cpp b/src/core/qgssearchtreenode.cpp
index 8d58a2346b8..4439f91a51d 100644
--- a/src/core/qgssearchtreenode.cpp
+++ b/src/core/qgssearchtreenode.cpp
@@ -249,6 +249,25 @@ QStringList QgsSearchTreeNode::referencedColumns()
 
 }
 
+bool QgsSearchTreeNode::needsGeometry()
+{
+  if ( mType == tOperator )
+  {
+    if ( mOp == opLENGTH || mOp == opAREA )
+      return true;
+
+    if ( mLeft && mLeft->needsGeometry() )
+      return true;
+    if ( mRight && mRight->needsGeometry() )
+      return true;
+    return false;
+  }
+  else
+  {
+    return false;
+  }
+}
+
 
 bool QgsSearchTreeNode::checkAgainst( const QgsFieldMap& fields, const QgsAttributeMap& attributes, QgsGeometry* geom )
 {
diff --git a/src/core/qgssearchtreenode.h b/src/core/qgssearchtreenode.h
index d94b92d07f0..ee204ad9a0c 100644
--- a/src/core/qgssearchtreenode.h
+++ b/src/core/qgssearchtreenode.h
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ class CORE_EXPORT QgsSearchTreeNode
     Type type()   { return mType; }
 
     //! node value getters
-    Operator op();
+    Operator op() { return mOp; }
     double number() { return mNumber; }
     QString columnRef() { return mText; }
     QString string() { return mText; }
@@ -145,6 +145,10 @@ class CORE_EXPORT QgsSearchTreeNode
     //! @note added in 1.5
     QStringList referencedColumns();
 
+    //! check whether there are any operators that need geometry (for area, length)
+    //! @note added in 1.5
+    bool needsGeometry();
+
   protected: