diff --git a/g10/call-keyboxd.c b/g10/call-keyboxd.c
index 9042c833c..e2fede235 100644
--- a/g10/call-keyboxd.c
+++ b/g10/call-keyboxd.c
@@ -759,7 +759,8 @@ keydb_search (KEYDB_HANDLE hd, KEYDB_SEARCH_DESC *desc,
           break;
 
         case KEYDB_SEARCH_MODE_MAIL:
-          snprintf (line, sizeof line, "SEARCH %s -- <%s", more, desc->u.name);
+          snprintf (line, sizeof line, "SEARCH %s -- <%s",
+                    more, desc->u.name+(desc->u.name[0] == '<') );
           break;
 
         case KEYDB_SEARCH_MODE_MAILSUB:
diff --git a/kbx/backend-sqlite.c b/kbx/backend-sqlite.c
index ae2530d1a..202897e91 100644
--- a/kbx/backend-sqlite.c
+++ b/kbx/backend-sqlite.c
@@ -839,6 +839,8 @@ run_select_statement (ctrl_t ctrl, be_sqlite_local_t ctx,
   unsigned int descidx;
   const char *extra = NULL;
   unsigned char kidbuf[8];
+  const char *s;
+  size_t n;
 
 
   descidx = ctx->descidx;
@@ -916,7 +918,20 @@ run_select_statement (ctrl_t ctrl, be_sqlite_local_t ctx,
                                " WHERE p.ubid = u.ubid AND u.addrspec = ?1",
                                extra, " ORDER BY p.ubid", &ctx->select_stmt);
       if (!err)
-        err = run_sql_bind_text (ctx->select_stmt, 1, desc[descidx].u.name);
+        {
+          s = desc[descidx].u.name;
+          if (s && *s == '<' && s[1])
+            { /* It is common that the indicator for exact addrspec
+               * search has not been removed.  We do this here.  */
+              s++;
+              n = strlen (s);
+              if (n > 1 && s[n-1] == '>')
+                n--;
+            }
+          else
+            n = s? strlen (s):0;
+          err = run_sql_bind_ntext (ctx->select_stmt, 1, s, n);
+        }
       break;
 
     case KEYDB_SEARCH_MODE_MAILSUB:
diff --git a/kbx/kbxserver.c b/kbx/kbxserver.c
index 8a75035a5..55b478586 100644
--- a/kbx/kbxserver.c
+++ b/kbx/kbxserver.c
@@ -336,7 +336,7 @@ cmd_search (assuan_context_t ctx, char *line)
     }
   else
     {
-      err = classify_user_id (line, &ctrl->server_local->search_desc, 0);
+      err = classify_user_id (line, &ctrl->server_local->search_desc, 1);
       if (err)
         goto leave;
     }
diff --git a/sm/keydb.c b/sm/keydb.c
index e092e4a01..990f63a61 100644
--- a/sm/keydb.c
+++ b/sm/keydb.c
@@ -1617,7 +1617,8 @@ keydb_search (ctrl_t ctrl, KEYDB_HANDLE hd,
           break;
 
         case KEYDB_SEARCH_MODE_MAIL:
-          snprintf (line, sizeof line, "SEARCH --x509 <%s", desc[0].u.name);
+          snprintf (line, sizeof line, "SEARCH --x509 <%s",
+                    desc[0].u.name + (desc[0].u.name[0] == '<'));
           break;
 
         case KEYDB_SEARCH_MODE_MAILSUB: