diff --git a/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/ui/ConversationActivity.java b/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/ui/ConversationActivity.java
index eb9ccb6bd..c7fa2d288 100644
--- a/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/ui/ConversationActivity.java
+++ b/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/ui/ConversationActivity.java
@@ -953,6 +953,9 @@ public class ConversationActivity extends XmppActivity
 		if (modifier && key == KeyEvent.KEYCODE_TAB && isConversationsOverviewHideable()) {
 			toggleConversationsOverview();
 			return true;
+		} else if (modifier && key == KeyEvent.KEYCODE_SPACE) {
+			startActivity(new Intent(this, StartConversationActivity.class));
+			return true;
 		} else if (modifier && key == downKey) {
 			if (isConversationsOverviewHideable() && !isConversationsOverviewVisable()) {
 				showConversationsOverview();
diff --git a/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/ui/StartConversationActivity.java b/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/ui/StartConversationActivity.java
index 78c05e41d..3ab6d1d2e 100644
--- a/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/ui/StartConversationActivity.java
+++ b/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/ui/StartConversationActivity.java
@@ -91,7 +91,6 @@ public class StartConversationActivity extends XmppActivity implements OnRosterU
 	private List<String> mKnownHosts;
 	private List<String> mKnownConferenceHosts;
 	private Invite mPendingInvite = null;
-	private Menu mOptionsMenu;
 	private EditText mSearchEditText;
 	private AtomicBoolean mRequestedContactsPermission = new AtomicBoolean(false);
 	private final int REQUEST_SYNC_CONTACTS = 0x3b28cf;
@@ -116,9 +115,7 @@ public class StartConversationActivity extends XmppActivity implements OnRosterU
 
 		@Override
 		public boolean onMenuItemActionCollapse(MenuItem item) {
-			InputMethodManager imm = (InputMethodManager) getSystemService(Context.INPUT_METHOD_SERVICE);
-			imm.hideSoftInputFromWindow(mSearchEditText.getWindowToken(),
-					InputMethodManager.HIDE_IMPLICIT_ONLY);
+			hideKeyboard();
 			mSearchEditText.setText("");
 			filter(null);
 			return true;
@@ -169,6 +166,28 @@ public class StartConversationActivity extends XmppActivity implements OnRosterU
 				int count) {
 		}
 	};
+
+	private  TextView.OnEditorActionListener mSearchDone = new TextView.OnEditorActionListener() {
+		@Override
+		public boolean onEditorAction(TextView v, int actionId, KeyEvent event) {
+			if (getActionBar().getSelectedNavigationIndex() == 0) {
+				if (contacts.size() == 1) {
+					openConversationForContact((Contact) contacts.get(0));
+				} else {
+					hideKeyboard();
+					mContactsListFragment.getListView().requestFocus();
+				}
+			} else {
+				if (conferences.size() == 1) {
+					openConversationsForBookmark((Bookmark) conferences.get(0));
+				} else {
+					hideKeyboard();
+					mConferenceListFragment.getListView().requestFocus();
+				}
+			}
+			return true;
+		}
+	};
 	private MenuItem mMenuSearchView;
 	private ListItemAdapter.OnTagClickedListener mOnTagClickedListener = new ListItemAdapter.OnTagClickedListener() {
 		@Override
@@ -260,6 +279,10 @@ public class StartConversationActivity extends XmppActivity implements OnRosterU
 
 	protected void openConversationForContact(int position) {
 		Contact contact = (Contact) contacts.get(position);
+		openConversationForContact(contact);
+	}
+
+	protected void openConversationForContact(Contact contact) {
 		Conversation conversation = xmppConnectionService
 			.findOrCreateConversation(contact.getAccount(),
 					contact.getJid(), false);
@@ -277,6 +300,10 @@ public class StartConversationActivity extends XmppActivity implements OnRosterU
 
 	protected void openConversationForBookmark(int position) {
 		Bookmark bookmark = (Bookmark) conferences.get(position);
+		openConversationsForBookmark(bookmark);
+	}
+
+	protected void openConversationsForBookmark(Bookmark bookmark) {
 		Jid jid = bookmark.getJid();
 		if (jid == null) {
 			Toast.makeText(this,R.string.invalid_jid,Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
@@ -503,7 +530,6 @@ public class StartConversationActivity extends XmppActivity implements OnRosterU
 
 	@Override
 	public boolean onCreateOptionsMenu(Menu menu) {
-		this.mOptionsMenu = menu;
 		getMenuInflater().inflate(R.menu.start_conversation, menu);
 		MenuItem menuCreateContact = menu.findItem(R.id.action_create_contact);
 		MenuItem menuCreateConference = menu.findItem(R.id.action_join_conference);
@@ -515,6 +541,7 @@ public class StartConversationActivity extends XmppActivity implements OnRosterU
 		mSearchEditText = (EditText) mSearchView
 			.findViewById(R.id.search_field);
 		mSearchEditText.addTextChangedListener(mSearchTextWatcher);
+		mSearchEditText.setOnEditorActionListener(mSearchDone);
 		if (getActionBar().getSelectedNavigationIndex() == 0) {
 			menuCreateConference.setVisible(false);
 		} else {
@@ -554,12 +581,26 @@ public class StartConversationActivity extends XmppActivity implements OnRosterU
 	@Override
 	public boolean onKeyUp(int keyCode, KeyEvent event) {
 		if (keyCode == KeyEvent.KEYCODE_SEARCH && !event.isLongPress()) {
-			mOptionsMenu.findItem(R.id.action_search).expandActionView();
+			openSearch();
 			return true;
 		}
+		int c = event.getUnicodeChar();
+		if (c > 32) {
+			if (mSearchEditText != null && !mSearchEditText.isFocused()) {
+				openSearch();
+				mSearchEditText.append(Character.toString((char) c));
+				return true;
+			}
+		}
 		return super.onKeyUp(keyCode, event);
 	}
 
+	private void openSearch() {
+		if (mMenuSearchView != null) {
+			mMenuSearchView.expandActionView();
+		}
+	}
+
 	@Override
 	public void onActivityResult(int requestCode, int resultCode, Intent intent) {
 		if ((requestCode & 0xFFFF) == IntentIntegrator.REQUEST_CODE) {
diff --git a/src/main/res/layout/actionview_search.xml b/src/main/res/layout/actionview_search.xml
index 8b657f4a1..50becfc68 100644
--- a/src/main/res/layout/actionview_search.xml
+++ b/src/main/res/layout/actionview_search.xml
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
         android:layout_height="wrap_content"
         android:focusable="true"
         android:inputType="textEmailAddress|textNoSuggestions"
+        android:imeOptions="actionSearch"
         android:textColor="@color/white"
         android:textColorHint="@color/white70"
         android:hint="@string/search_for_contacts_or_groups"/>