diff --git a/chatcommands.lua b/chatcommands.lua
index 044d246..284c49c 100644
--- a/chatcommands.lua
+++ b/chatcommands.lua
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 minetest.register_chatcommand("mail",{
 	description = "Open the mail interface",
 	func = function(name)
-		mail.show_inbox(name)
+		mail.show_inbox(name, "3", "1", "")
 	end
 })
diff --git a/storage.lua b/storage.lua
index 2a0e103..b2a33d1 100644
--- a/storage.lua
+++ b/storage.lua
@@ -98,6 +98,22 @@ function mail.sort_messages(unsorted_messages, sortfield, sortdirection)
 	return sorted_messages
 end
 
+function mail.filter_messages(unfiltered_messages, filter)
+	if not filter or filter == "" then
+		return unfiltered_messages
+	end
+
+	local filtered_messages = {}
+
+	for _, msg in ipairs(unfiltered_messages) do
+		if string.find(msg.from, filter) or string.find(msg.to, filter) or string.find(msg.subject, filter) then
+			table.insert(filtered_messages, msg)
+		end
+	end
+
+	return filtered_messages
+end
+
 -- marks a mail read by its id
 function mail.mark_read(playername, msg_id)
 	local entry = mail.get_storage_entry(playername)
diff --git a/ui/events.lua b/ui/events.lua
index 8bdd966..a7826d7 100644
--- a/ui/events.lua
+++ b/ui/events.lua
@@ -8,6 +8,22 @@ minetest.register_on_player_receive_fields(function(player, formname, fields)
     -- split inbox and sent msgs for different tests
     local entry = mail.get_storage_entry(name)
     
+    local messagesInboxUnAnalyzed = entry.inbox
+    local messagesOutBoxUnAnalyzed = entry.outbox
+    local messagesDrafts = entry.drafts
+
+    -- filter inbox/outbox messages
+
+    local filter = fields.filter
+    if not filter then
+        filter = ""
+    end
+
+    local messagesInboxFiltered = mail.filter_messages(messagesInboxUnAnalyzed, filter)
+    local messagesOutboxFiltered = mail.filter_messages(messagesOutBoxUnAnalyzed, filter)
+
+    -- then sort them
+
     local sortfield = fields.sortfield
     local sortdirection = fields.sortdirection
     if not sortfield or sortfield == "" or sortfield == "0" then
@@ -17,9 +33,8 @@ minetest.register_on_player_receive_fields(function(player, formname, fields)
         sortdirection = 1
     end
 
-    local messagesInbox = mail.sort_messages(entry.inbox, tostring(sortfield), tostring(sortdirection))
-    local messagesSent = mail.sort_messages(entry.outbox, tostring(sortfield), tostring(sortdirection))
-    local messagesDrafts = entry.drafts
+    local messagesInbox = mail.sort_messages(messagesInboxFiltered, tostring(sortfield), tostring(sortdirection), filter)
+    local messagesSent = mail.sort_messages(messagesOutboxFiltered, tostring(sortfield), tostring(sortdirection), filter)
 
     if fields.inbox then -- inbox table
         local evt = minetest.explode_table_event(fields.inbox)
@@ -154,8 +169,8 @@ minetest.register_on_player_receive_fields(function(player, formname, fields)
     elseif fields.about then
         mail.show_about(name)
 
-    elseif fields.sortfield or fields.sortdirection then
-        mail.show_mail_menu(name, fields.sortfield, fields.sortdirection)
+    elseif fields.sortfield or fields.sortdirection or fields.filter then
+        mail.show_mail_menu(name, sortfield, sortdirection, filter)
     end
 
     return true
diff --git a/ui/inbox.lua b/ui/inbox.lua
index d9b1f08..96f5890 100644
--- a/ui/inbox.lua
+++ b/ui/inbox.lua
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 local S = minetest.get_translator("mail")
 
 
-function mail.show_inbox(name, sortfield, sortdirection)
+function mail.show_inbox(name, sortfield, sortdirection, filter)
     if not sortfield or sortfield == "" or sortfield == "0" then
         sortfield = 3
     end
@@ -10,6 +10,10 @@ function mail.show_inbox(name, sortfield, sortdirection)
         sortdirection = 1
     end
 
+    if not filter then
+        filter = ""
+    end
+
     local inbox_formspec = "size[8.5,10;]" .. mail.theme .. [[
         tabheader[0.3,1;boxtab;]] .. S("Inbox") .. "," .. S("Sent messages").. "," .. S("Drafts") .. [[;1;false;false]
 
@@ -27,13 +31,15 @@ function mail.show_inbox(name, sortfield, sortdirection)
         button_exit[6,9.5;2.5,0.5;quit;]] .. S("Close") .. [[]
 
         dropdown[0,9.4;2,0.5;sortfield;]] .. S("From") .. "," .. S("Subject") .. "," .. S("Date") .. [[;]] .. tostring(sortfield) .. [[;1]
-        dropdown[2.2,9.4;2,0.5;sortdirection;]] .. S("Ascending") .. "," .. S("Descending") .. [[;]] .. tostring(sortdirection) .. [[;1]
+        dropdown[2.0,9.4;2,0.5;sortdirection;]] .. S("Ascending") .. "," .. S("Descending") .. [[;]] .. tostring(sortdirection) .. [[;1]
+        field[4.25,9.85;1.4,0.5;filter;]] .. S("Filter") .. [[:;]] .. filter .. [[]
+        button[5.14,9.52;0.85,0.5;search;Q]
 
         tablecolumns[color;text;text]
         table[0,0.7;5.75,8.35;inbox;#999,]] .. S("From") .. "," .. S("Subject")
     local formspec = { inbox_formspec }
     local entry = mail.get_storage_entry(name)
-    local messages = mail.sort_messages(entry.inbox, tostring(sortfield), tostring(sortdirection))
+    local messages = mail.sort_messages(mail.filter_messages(entry.inbox, filter), tostring(sortfield), tostring(sortdirection))
 
     mail.message_drafts[name] = nil
 
diff --git a/ui/mail.lua b/ui/mail.lua
index 6548550..3f685e9 100644
--- a/ui/mail.lua
+++ b/ui/mail.lua
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 -- helper function for tabbed overview
 
-function mail.show_mail_menu(playername, sortfield, sortdirection)
+function mail.show_mail_menu(playername, sortfield, sortdirection, filter)
     local index = mail.selected_idxs.boxtab[playername] or 1
     if index == 1 then
-        mail.show_inbox(playername, sortfield, sortdirection)
+        mail.show_inbox(playername, sortfield, sortdirection, filter)
     elseif index == 2 then
-        mail.show_sent(playername, sortfield, sortdirection)
+        mail.show_sent(playername, sortfield, sortdirection, filter)
     elseif index == 3 then
         mail.show_drafts(playername)
     end
diff --git a/ui/outbox.lua b/ui/outbox.lua
index 93e504c..05972f4 100644
--- a/ui/outbox.lua
+++ b/ui/outbox.lua
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 local S = minetest.get_translator("mail")
 
 
-function mail.show_sent(name, sortfield, sortdirection)
+function mail.show_sent(name, sortfield, sortdirection, filter)
     if not sortfield or sortfield == "" or sortfield == "0" then
         sortfield = 3
     end
@@ -10,6 +10,10 @@ function mail.show_sent(name, sortfield, sortdirection)
         sortdirection = 1
     end
 
+    if not filter then
+        filter = ""
+    end
+
 	local sent_formspec = "size[8.5,10;]" .. mail.theme .. [[
 		tabheader[0.3,1;boxtab;]] .. S("Inbox") .. "," .. S("Sent messages").. "," .. S("Drafts") .. [[;2;false;false]
 
@@ -25,13 +29,15 @@ function mail.show_sent(name, sortfield, sortdirection)
 		button_exit[6,9.5;2.5,0.5;quit;]] .. S("Close") .. [[]
 
         dropdown[0,9.4;2,0.5;sortfield;]] .. S("To") .. "," .. S("Subject") .. "," .. S("Date") .. [[;]] .. tostring(sortfield) .. [[;1]
-        dropdown[2.2,9.4;2,0.5;sortdirection;]] .. S("Ascending") .. "," .. S("Descending") .. [[;]] .. tostring(sortdirection) .. [[;1]
+        dropdown[2.0,9.4;2,0.5;sortdirection;]] .. S("Ascending") .. "," .. S("Descending") .. [[;]] .. tostring(sortdirection) .. [[;1]
+        field[4.25,9.85;2,0.5;filter;]] .. S("Filter") .. [[:;]] .. filter .. [[]
+        button[5.75,9.4;0.5,0.5;search;Q]
 
 		tablecolumns[color;text;text]
 		table[0,0.7;5.75,8.35;sent;#999,]] .. S("To") .. "," .. S("Subject")
 	local formspec = { sent_formspec }
 	local entry = mail.get_storage_entry(name)
-    local messages = mail.sort_messages(entry.outbox, tostring(sortfield), tostring(sortdirection))
+    local messages = mail.sort_messages(mail.filter_messages(entry.outbox, filter), tostring(sortfield), tostring(sortdirection))
 
 	mail.message_drafts[name] = nil