diff --git a/search/archive.py b/search/archive.py
index 9f333d9..e6b18b7 100644
--- a/search/archive.py
+++ b/search/archive.py
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ class Archive():
 	def search_message(self, keyword, msg, index_str, results, field='content'):
 
 		nbr_hits = 0
-		if msg[field].find(keyword) > 0:
+		if msg[field] is not None and msg[field].lower().find(keyword.lower()) > 0:
 			nbr_hits += 1
 			results.append({ "index_str": index_str, "subject": msg['subject'], "date": msg['date'], "author_name": msg['author_name'], "url": msg['url'] })
 
diff --git a/www/routes.py b/www/routes.py
index 9212258..9db53c6 100644
--- a/www/routes.py
+++ b/www/routes.py
@@ -90,11 +90,12 @@ def searh():
 	
 	if len(request.args) < 1:
 		k = archives.archives_data.keys()
-		return render_template("search.html", archives=k)
+		return render_template("search.html", archives=k, fields=['content', 'from(name)', 'from(email)'])
 
 	k_arg = request.args.get('keyword')
 	l_arg = request.args.get('list')
 	sl_arg = request.args.get('sublist')
+	f_arg = request.args.get('field')
 
 	if k_arg is None or k_arg.strip() == '':
 		return "no keyword..."
@@ -109,6 +110,11 @@ def searh():
 		if not sl_arg in archives.archives_data[l]:
 			return "sublist '" + sl_arg + "' does not exist in list '" + l_arg + "'"
 
+	if f_arg == "from(name)":
+		f_arg = 'author_name'
+	elif f_arg == "from(email)":
+		f_arg = 'from'
+
 	lists = []
 	if l_arg == "all":
 		for k in archives.archives_data.keys():
@@ -118,15 +124,16 @@ def searh():
 
 	################################
 	##
-	##	need to cache all the below??
+	##	need to cache all the below
 	##
 	################################
 
 	results = []
 	for l in lists:
+		# this makes no sense...
 		a = search.archive.Archive()
 		a.load(l)
-		results.append(a.search(k_arg))
+		results.append(a.search(keyword=k_arg, field=f_arg))
 
 	## -- sort results?
 	search_results = sorted(results, key=get_result_key)
diff --git a/www/static/search.js b/www/static/search.js
index 437ca59..fc23154 100644
--- a/www/static/search.js
+++ b/www/static/search.js
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ $(document).ready(function(){
 		$('#results').empty();		
 
 		$('#loading').show()
-		$.get('/search?'+args, function(data) {
+		$.get('/search?'+ args, function(data) {
 			$('#loading').hide()
 			console.log(data);
 			// $('#graph').empty();
diff --git a/www/templates/search.html b/www/templates/search.html
index 472ba68..c5b5715 100644
--- a/www/templates/search.html
+++ b/www/templates/search.html
@@ -15,6 +15,11 @@
 			 <option value="{{ a }}">{{ a }}</option>
 			 {% endfor %}
 		</select>
+		<select form="search" name="field">
+			 {% for a in fields %}
+			 <option value="{{ a }}">{{ a }}</option>
+			 {% endfor %}
+		</select>		
 		<input type="submit" value="search" id="submit">
 		<div id="loading">Loading...</div>
 	</form>