diff --git a/browser/components/places/content/places.js b/browser/components/places/content/places.js
index 4598c4bc9d2..dd5b014e60b 100755
--- a/browser/components/places/content/places.js
+++ b/browser/components/places/content/places.js
@@ -290,6 +290,14 @@ var PlacesOrganizer = {
     return asQuery(this._content.getResult().root).queryOptions;
   },
 
+  /**
+   * Returns the queries associated with the query currently loaded in the
+   * main places pane.
+   */
+  getCurrentQueries: function PO_getCurrentQueries() {
+    return asQuery(this._content.getResult().root).getQueries({});
+  },
+
   /**
    * Show the migration wizard for importing from a file.
    */
@@ -1042,9 +1050,7 @@ var PlacesQueryBuilder = {
       var searchTermsField = document.getElementById("advancedSearch1Textbox");
       if (searchTermsField)
         setTimeout(function() { searchTermsField.value = PlacesSearchBox.value; }, 10);
-      var query = PlacesUtils.history.getNewQuery();
-      query.searchTerms = PlacesSearchBox.value;
-      this.queries = [query];
+      this.queries = PlacesOrganizer.getCurrentQueries();
       return;
     }