diff --git a/gluon/sqlhtml.py b/gluon/sqlhtml.py
index 717858e1..88bcab5f 100644
--- a/gluon/sqlhtml.py
+++ b/gluon/sqlhtml.py
@@ -1756,10 +1756,16 @@ class SQLFORM(FORM):
             keywords = keywords[0]
             request.vars.keywords = keywords
         key = keywords.strip()
-        if key and ' ' not in key and not '"' in key and not "'" in key:
+        if not '"' in key:
             SEARCHABLE_TYPES = ('string', 'text', 'list:string')
-            parts = [field.contains(
-                key) for field in fields if field.type in SEARCHABLE_TYPES]
+            sfields = [field for field in fields if field.type in SEARCHABLE_TYPES]
+            if settings.global_settings.web2py_runtime_gae:
+                return reduce(lambda a,b: a|b, [field.contains(key) for field in sfields])
+            else:
+                return reduce(lambda a,b:a&b,[
+                        reduce(lambda a,b: a|b, [
+                                field.contains(k) for field in sfields]
+                               ) for k in key.split()])
 
             # from https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/web2py/hKe6lI25Bv4
             # needs testing...
@@ -1773,10 +1779,6 @@ class SQLFORM(FORM):
             #        filters.append(reduce(lambda a, b: (a & b), all_words_filters))
             #parts = filters
 
-        else:
-            parts = None
-        if parts:
-            return reduce(lambda a, b: a | b, parts)
         else:
             return smart_query(fields, key)