diff --git a/layerindex/views.py b/layerindex/views.py
index 03d47f2..414c770 100644
--- a/layerindex/views.py
+++ b/layerindex/views.py
@@ -656,7 +656,10 @@ class MachineSearchView(ListView):
 
     def get_queryset(self):
         _check_url_branch(self.kwargs)
-        query_string = self.request.GET.get('q', '')
+        if self.request.GET.get('search', ''):
+            query_string = self.request.GET.get('q', '')
+        else:
+            query_string = ""
         init_qs = Machine.objects.filter(layerbranch__branch__name=self.kwargs['branch'])
         if query_string.strip():
             entry_query = simplesearch.get_query(query_string, ['name', 'description'])
@@ -705,7 +708,10 @@ class DistroSearchView(ListView):
 
     def get_queryset(self):
         _check_url_branch(self.kwargs)
-        query_string = self.request.GET.get('q', '')
+        if self.request.GET.get('search', ''):
+            query_string = self.request.GET.get('q', '')
+        else:
+            query_string = ""
         init_qs = Distro.objects.filter(layerbranch__branch__name=self.kwargs['branch'])
         if query_string.strip():
             entry_query = simplesearch.get_query(query_string, ['name', 'description'])
@@ -730,7 +736,10 @@ class ClassSearchView(ListView):
 
     def get_queryset(self):
         _check_url_branch(self.kwargs)
-        query_string = self.request.GET.get('q', '')
+        if self.request.GET.get('search', ''):
+            query_string = self.request.GET.get('q', '')
+        else:
+            query_string = ""
         init_qs = BBClass.objects.filter(layerbranch__branch__name=self.kwargs['branch'])
         if query_string.strip():
             entry_query = simplesearch.get_query(query_string, ['name'])
diff --git a/templates/layerindex/classes.html b/templates/layerindex/classes.html
index 34ac5aa..574cdb8 100644
--- a/templates/layerindex/classes.html
+++ b/templates/layerindex/classes.html
@@ -35,7 +35,8 @@
                     <div class="input-append">
                         <form id="filter-form" action="{% url 'class_search' url_branch %}" method="get">
                             <input type="text" class="input-xxlarge" id="appendedInputButtons" placeholder="Search classes" name="q" value="{{ search_keyword }}" />
-                            <button class="btn" type="submit">search</button>
+                            <button class="btn" type="submit" name="search" value="1">search</button>
+                            <button class="btn" type="submit" name="browse" value="1">browse</button>
                         </form>
                     </div>
                 </div>
diff --git a/templates/layerindex/distros.html b/templates/layerindex/distros.html
index 5b6995a..3266bf6 100644
--- a/templates/layerindex/distros.html
+++ b/templates/layerindex/distros.html
@@ -35,7 +35,8 @@
                     <div class="input-append">
                         <form id="filter-form" action="{% url 'distro_search' url_branch %}" method="get">
                             <input type="text" class="input-xxlarge" id="appendedInputButtons" placeholder="Search distros" name="q" value="{{ search_keyword }}" />
-                            <button class="btn" type="submit">search</button>
+                            <button class="btn" type="submit" name="search" value="1">search</button>
+                            <button class="btn" type="submit" name="browse" value="1">browse</button>
                         </form>
                     </div>
                 </div>
diff --git a/templates/layerindex/machines.html b/templates/layerindex/machines.html
index c0c6f33..e963376 100644
--- a/templates/layerindex/machines.html
+++ b/templates/layerindex/machines.html
@@ -34,7 +34,8 @@
                     <div class="input-append">
                         <form id="filter-form" action="{% url 'machine_search' url_branch %}" method="get">
                             <input type="text" class="input-xxlarge" id="appendedInputButtons" placeholder="Search machines" name="q" value="{{ search_keyword }}" />
-                            <button class="btn" type="submit">search</button>
+                            <button class="btn" type="submit" name="search" value="1">search</button>
+                            <button class="btn" type="submit" name="browse" value="1">browse</button>
                         </form>
                     </div>
                 </div>
diff --git a/templates/layerindex/recipes.html b/templates/layerindex/recipes.html
index 1322750..5ff92ab 100644
--- a/templates/layerindex/recipes.html
+++ b/templates/layerindex/recipes.html
@@ -32,14 +32,20 @@
 
 
                 <div class="row-fluid">
-                    <div class="input-append">
-                        <form id="filter-form" action="{% url 'recipe_search' url_branch %}" method="get">
-                            <input type="text" class="input-xxlarge" id="appendedInputButtons" placeholder="Search recipes" name="q" value="{{ search_keyword }}" />
-                            <button class="btn" type="submit">search</button>
-                        </form>
-                    </div>
+                    <form id="filter-form" action="{% url 'recipe_search' url_branch %}" method="get" onsubmit="return validate()">
+                        <div class="control-group"  id="searchfield">
+                            <div class="controls">
+                                <div class="input-append">
+                                    <input type="text" class="input-xxlarge" id="appendedInputButtons" placeholder="Search recipes" name="q" value="{{ search_keyword }}" />
+                                    <button class="btn" type="submit">search</button>
+                                </div>
+                                <span class="help-inline" id="errortext"></span>
+                            </div>
+                        </div>
+                    </form>
                 </div>
 
+                <div id="error"> </div>
 {% if recipe_list %}
                 <table class="table table-striped table-bordered recipestable">
                     <thead>
@@ -88,5 +94,14 @@
         $('.icon-hdd').tooltip({title:"Inherits image"});
         $('.label-inverse').tooltip();
     });
+
+    function validate(){
+        if (!$("#appendedInputButtons").val()){
+            $("#errortext").html("<p>Please specify search text</p>");
+            $("#searchfield").addClass("error");
+            return false;
+        }
+    }
+
 </script>
 {% endblock %}