diff --git a/application/ui.extkeywidget.class.inc.php b/application/ui.extkeywidget.class.inc.php
index fbca8f231..ba67ea3a8 100644
--- a/application/ui.extkeywidget.class.inc.php
+++ b/application/ui.extkeywidget.class.inc.php
@@ -406,18 +406,20 @@ EOF
 		$oBlock->Display($oP, $this->iId.'_results', array('this' => $oObj, 'cssCount'=> '#count_'.$this->iId, 'menu' => false, 'selection_mode' => true, 'selection_type' => 'single', 'table_id' => 'select_'.$this->sAttCode)); // Don't display the 'Actions' menu on the results
 	}
 
-	/**
-	 * Search for objects to be selected
-	 *
-	 * @param WebPage $oP The page used for the output (usually an AjaxWebPage)
-	 * @param string $sFilter The OQL expression used to define/limit limit the scope of possible values
-	 * @param DBObject $oObj The current object for the OQL context
-	 * @param string $sContains The text of the autocomplete to filter the results
-	 * @param string $sOutputFormat
-	 *
-	 * @throws \CoreException
-	 */
-	public function AutoComplete(WebPage $oP, $sFilter, $oObj = null, $sContains, $sOutputFormat = self::ENUM_OUTPUT_FORMAT_CSV)
+    /**
+     * Search for objects to be selected
+     *
+     * @param WebPage  $oP        The page used for the output (usually an AjaxWebPage)
+     * @param string   $sFilter   The OQL expression used to define/limit limit the scope of possible values
+     * @param DBObject $oObj      The current object for the OQL context
+     * @param string   $sContains The text of the autocomplete to filter the results
+     * @param string   $sOutputFormat
+     * @param null     $sOperation for the values @see ValueSetObjects->LoadValues()
+     *
+     * @throws CoreException
+     * @throws OQLException
+     */
+	public function AutoComplete(WebPage $oP, $sFilter, $oObj = null, $sContains, $sOutputFormat = self::ENUM_OUTPUT_FORMAT_CSV, $sOperation = null)
 	{
 		if (is_null($sFilter))
 		{
@@ -433,9 +435,17 @@ EOF
 		$oValuesSet->SetSort(false);
 		$oValuesSet->SetModifierProperty('UserRightsGetSelectFilter', 'bSearchMode', $this->bSearchMode);
 
-		$aValues = $oValuesSet->GetValues(array('this' => $oObj, 'current_extkey_id' => $iCurrentExtKeyId), $sContains, 'equals_start_with');
+		if (empty($sOperation) || 'equals_start_with' == $sOperation)
+        {
+            $aValues = $oValuesSet->GetValues(array('this' => $oObj, 'current_extkey_id' => $iCurrentExtKeyId), $sContains, 'equals_start_with');
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            $aValues = array();
+        }
+
 		$iMax -= count($aValues);
-		if ($iMax > 0)
+		if ($iMax > 0 && (empty($sOperation) || 'contains' == $sOperation))
 		{
 			$oValuesSet->SetLimit($iMax);
 			$aValuesContains = $oValuesSet->GetValues(array('this' => $oObj, 'current_extkey_id' => $iCurrentExtKeyId), $sContains, 'contains');
diff --git a/core/config.class.inc.php b/core/config.class.inc.php
index 16c19599b..063f681ed 100644
--- a/core/config.class.inc.php
+++ b/core/config.class.inc.php
@@ -265,8 +265,8 @@ class Config
 		'min_autocomplete_chars' => array(
 			'type' => 'integer',
 			'description' => 'The minimum number of characters to type in order to trigger the "autocomplete" behavior',
-			'default' => 3,
-			'value' => 3,
+			'default' => 2,
+			'value' => 2,
 			'source_of_value' => '',
 			'show_in_conf_sample' => false,
 		),
diff --git a/core/valuesetdef.class.inc.php b/core/valuesetdef.class.inc.php
index 251083762..9e71ae3f9 100644
--- a/core/valuesetdef.class.inc.php
+++ b/core/valuesetdef.class.inc.php
@@ -170,7 +170,16 @@ class ValueSetObjects extends ValueSetDefinition
 		return new DBObjectSet($oFilter, $this->m_aOrderBy, $aArgs);
 	}
 
-	public function GetValues($aArgs, $sContains = '', $sOperation = 'contains')
+    /**
+     * @param        $aArgs
+     * @param string $sContains
+     * @param string $sOperation for the values @see self::LoadValues()
+     *
+     * @return array
+     * @throws CoreException
+     * @throws OQLException
+     */
+    public function GetValues($aArgs, $sContains = '', $sOperation = 'contains')
 	{
 		if (!$this->m_bIsLoaded || ($sContains != $this->m_sContains) || ($sOperation != $this->m_sOperation))
 		{
diff --git a/js/search/search_form_criteria_enum.js b/js/search/search_form_criteria_enum.js
index 15fe9da9c..d14870639 100644
--- a/js/search/search_form_criteria_enum.js
+++ b/js/search/search_form_criteria_enum.js
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ $(function()
 			// Autocomplete
 			'autocomplete': {
 				'xhr_throttle': 200,
-				'min_autocomplete_chars': 3,
+				'min_autocomplete_chars': 2,
 			},
 		},
 
@@ -322,6 +322,13 @@ $(function()
 			// - Autocomplete
 			var oACXHR = null;
 			var oACTimeout = null;
+
+            oFilterElem.find('input').on('keydown', function(event) {
+                //this filter should not close the criteria when the enter button is triggered
+            	event.stopPropagation();
+                // return false;
+			});
+
 			oFilterElem.find('input').on('keyup itop.search.criteria_enum.autocomplete.submit', function(oEvent){
 				// TODO: Move on values with up and down arrow keys; select with space or enter.
 				if(me._isFilteredKey(oEvent.keyCode))
@@ -356,9 +363,41 @@ $(function()
 								bSearchMode: 'true',
 								sOutputFormat: 'json',
 								operation: 'ac_extkey',
+                                sAutocompleteOperation: 'equals_start_with'
 							}
 							)
-							.done(function(oResponse, sStatus, oXHR){ me._onACSearchSuccess(oResponse); })
+							.done(function(oResponse, sStatus, oXHR){
+								me._onACSearchSuccess(oResponse);
+
+
+								if (oResponse.length > 150)
+								{
+                                    this._emptyACTempHint();
+
+									return;
+								}
+
+                                oACXHR = $.post(
+                                    AddAppContext(GetAbsoluteUrlAppRoot()+'pages/ajax.render.php'),
+                                    {
+                                        sTargetClass: me.options.field.target_class,
+                                        sFilter: 'SELECT ' + me.options.field.target_class,
+                                        q: sQuery,
+                                        bSearchMode: 'true',
+                                        sOutputFormat: 'json',
+                                        operation: 'ac_extkey',
+                                        sAutocompleteOperation: 'contains'
+                                    }
+                                )
+								.done(function(oResponseContains, sStatus, oXHR){
+                                    //filter duplicates
+                                    $.each(oResponse, function(index, value) {
+                                        delete oResponseContains[index];
+									});
+
+                                    me._onACSearchContainsSuccess(oResponseContains);
+                                });
+							})
 							.fail(function(oResponse, sStatus, oXHR){  me._onACSearchFail(oResponse, sStatus); })
 							.always(function(oResponse, sStatus, oXHR){ me._onACSearchAlways(); });
 
@@ -550,6 +589,12 @@ $(function()
 		{
 			this._setACHint(Dict.S('UI:Search:Value:Autocomplete:NoResult'));
 		},
+        _setACWaitTempHint: function() {
+            this.element.find('.sfc_opc_mc_items_dynamic').append('<div class="sfc_opc_mc_placeholder">'+Dict.S('UI:Search:Value:Autocomplete:Wait')+'</div>');
+        },
+        _emptyACTempHint: function() {
+            this.element.find('.sfc_opc_mc_items_dynamic .sfc_opc_mc_placeholder').remove();
+        },
 		// Autocomplete callbacks
 		_onACSearchSuccess: function(oResponse)
 		{
@@ -575,11 +620,43 @@ $(function()
 					oValueElem.appendTo(oDynamicListElem);
 				}
 			}
-			else
-			{
-				this._setACNoResultHint();
-			}
+            this._setACWaitTempHint();
 		},
+
+        // Autocomplete CONTAINS callbacks
+        _onACSearchContainsSuccess: function(oResponse)
+        {
+            if(typeof oResponse !== 'object')
+            {
+                this._emptyACTempHint();
+            	return false;
+            }
+
+            var oDynamicListElem = this.element.find('.sfc_opc_mc_items_dynamic');
+            if(Object.keys(oResponse).length > 0)
+            {
+                // Note: Response is indexed by labels from server so the JSON is always ordered on decoding.
+                for(var sLabel in oResponse)
+                {
+                    var sValue = oResponse[sLabel];
+                    // Note: We don't use the _isSelectedValue() method here as it only returns "applied" values; at this moment will could have a checked value that is not among selected (me.options.values) yet. The result would be an hidden item from the AC results.
+                    var bSelected = (this.element.find(this._getSelectedValuesWrapperSelector() + ' .sfc_opc_mc_item[data-value-code="' + sValue + '"]').length > 0);
+                    var bInitChecked = bSelected;
+                    var bInitHidden = bSelected;
+                    var oValueElem = this._makeListItemElement(sLabel, sValue, bInitChecked, bInitHidden);
+                    oValueElem.appendTo(oDynamicListElem);
+                }
+            }
+
+            if (oDynamicListElem.find('.sfc_opc_mc_item').length == 0)
+            {
+            	this._setACNoResultHint();
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                this._emptyACTempHint();
+			}
+        },
 		_onACSearchFail: function(oResponse, sStatus)
 		{
 			if(sStatus !== 'abort')
diff --git a/js/search/search_form_handler.js b/js/search/search_form_handler.js
index 057b94dfe..38f2e5e39 100644
--- a/js/search/search_form_handler.js
+++ b/js/search/search_form_handler.js
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ $(function()
 			},
 			'default_criteria_type': 'raw',
 			'conf_parameters': {
-				'min_autocomplete_chars': 3,
+				'min_autocomplete_chars': 2,
 				'datepicker': {
 					'dayNamesMin': ['Su','Mo','Tu','We','Th','Fr','Sa'],
 					'monthNamesShort': ['Jan','Feb','Mar','Apr','May','Jun','Jul','Aug','Sep','Oct','Nov','Dec'],
diff --git a/pages/ajax.render.php b/pages/ajax.render.php
index 01d08f096..9f41451b9 100644
--- a/pages/ajax.render.php
+++ b/pages/ajax.render.php
@@ -467,6 +467,7 @@ try
 			$sContains = utils::ReadParam('q', '', false, 'raw_data');
 			$bSearchMode = (utils::ReadParam('bSearchMode', 'false') == 'true');
 			$sOutputFormat = utils::ReadParam('sOutputFormat', UIExtKeyWidget::ENUM_OUTPUT_FORMAT_CSV, false, 'raw_data');
+            $sAutocompleteOperation = utils::ReadParam('sAutocompleteOperation', null, false, 'raw_data');
 			if ($sContains != '')
 			{
 				if (!empty($sJson))
@@ -480,7 +481,7 @@ try
 					$oObj = null;
 				}
 				$oWidget = new UIExtKeyWidget($sTargetClass, $iInputId, '', $bSearchMode);
-				$oWidget->AutoComplete($oPage, $sFilter, $oObj, $sContains, $sOutputFormat);
+				$oWidget->AutoComplete($oPage, $sFilter, $oObj, $sContains, $sOutputFormat, $sAutocompleteOperation);
 			}
 			break;