diff --git a/fotos/models.py b/fotos/models.py
index 92c643a9f792df44d0e4797924964dbc629f427b..0d69c5e829a4a21bcd82e8f1ff3cadc291c2e3e7 100644
--- a/fotos/models.py
+++ b/fotos/models.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ from babel.dates import format_datetime
 from datetime import datetime, timezone, timedelta
 
 from fotos.util import get_image_metadata, get_month_name, get_year_name, \
-    normalize, free, restrict
+    normalize, free, restrict, getquote
 
 def float2degrees(d):
     i = math.floor(d)
@@ -486,12 +486,26 @@ class Album(models.Model):
         if s == '':
             return empty
         photos = Photo.objects.all().order_by('timestamp')
+        phrases = []
+        query = None
+        while '"' in s:
+            p = getquote(s)
+            if p is None:
+                break
+            s = s.replace(p, '', 1)
+            p = p[1:-1].strip()
+            if p == '':
+                continue
+            phrases.append(p)
+            query = Album._add_query_term(query, p)
         terms = s.split(' ')
-        before = after = query = None
-        sterms = []
+        before = after = None
+        sterms = phrases
         try:
             for t in terms:
-                if t.startswith('before:'):
+                if t == '':
+                    continue
+                elif t.startswith('before:'):
                     before = Album._get_bound_time(t)
                 elif t.startswith('after:'):
                     after = Album._get_bound_time(t)