diff --git a/pagure/lib/__init__.py b/pagure/lib/__init__.py
index 6731d21..4657093 100644
--- a/pagure/lib/__init__.py
+++ b/pagure/lib/__init__.py
@@ -3863,3 +3863,41 @@ def add_metadata_update_notif(session, issue, messages, user, ticketfolder):
     session.add(issue_comment)
     # Make sure we won't have SQLAlchemy error before we continue
     session.commit()
+
+
+def tokenize_search_string(pattern):
+    """This function tokenizes search patterns into key:value and rest.
+
+    It will also correctly parse key values between quotes.
+    """
+    if pattern is None:
+        return {}, None
+    def finalize_token(token, custom_search):
+        if ':' in token:
+            # This was a "key:value" parameter
+            key, value = token.split(':', 1)
+            custom_search[key] = value
+            return ''
+        else:
+            # This was a token without colon, thus a search pattern
+            return '%s ' % token
+
+    custom_search = {}
+    # Remaining is the remaining real search_pattern (aka, non-key:values)
+    remaining = ''
+    # Token is the current "search token" we are processing
+    token = ''
+    in_quotes = False
+    for char in pattern:
+        if char == ' ' and not in_quotes:
+            remaining += finalize_token(token, custom_search)
+            token = ''
+        elif char == '"':
+            in_quotes = not in_quotes
+        else:
+            token += char
+
+    # Parse the final token
+    remaining += finalize_token(token, custom_search)
+
+    return custom_search, remaining.strip()
diff --git a/pagure/ui/issues.py b/pagure/ui/issues.py
index 3220229..710b659 100644
--- a/pagure/ui/issues.py
+++ b/pagure/ui/issues.py
@@ -603,6 +603,11 @@ def view_issues(repo, username=None, namespace=None):
         for idx, key in enumerate(custom_keys):
             custom_search[key] = custom_values[idx]
 
+    search_string = search_pattern
+    extra_fields, search_pattern = pagure.lib.tokenize_search_string(
+        search_pattern)
+    custom_search.update(extra_fields)
+
     repo = flask.g.repo
 
     if not repo.settings.get('issue_tracker', True):
@@ -710,7 +715,7 @@ def view_issues(repo, username=None, namespace=None):
         priority=priority,
         total_page=total_page,
         add_report_form=pagure.forms.AddReportForm(),
-        search_pattern=search_pattern,
+        search_pattern=search_string,
     )