diff --git a/src/app/project_group/controller/project_group_list_controller.js b/src/app/project_group/controller/project_group_list_controller.js
index 865d90de..13f52603 100644
--- a/src/app/project_group/controller/project_group_list_controller.js
+++ b/src/app/project_group/controller/project_group_list_controller.js
@@ -18,7 +18,8 @@
  * A Project
  */
 angular.module('sb.project_group').controller('ProjectGroupListController',
-    function ($scope, $modal, SubscriptionList, CurrentUser, $state) {
+    function ($scope, $modal, SubscriptionList, CurrentUser, $state,
+              $location, SearchHelper) {
         'use strict';
 
         // search results must be of type "ProjectGroup"
@@ -27,6 +28,9 @@ angular.module('sb.project_group').controller('ProjectGroupListController',
         // Projects have no default criteria
         $scope.defaultCriteria = [];
 
+        var params = $location.search();
+        SearchHelper.parseParameters(params, $scope.defaultCriteria);
+
         /**
          * Create a new project-group.
          */
diff --git a/src/app/projects/controller/project_list_controller.js b/src/app/projects/controller/project_list_controller.js
index 333c9e11..d0fb94cd 100644
--- a/src/app/projects/controller/project_list_controller.js
+++ b/src/app/projects/controller/project_list_controller.js
@@ -20,7 +20,8 @@
  * rather than a browse (exclusive) approach.
  */
 angular.module('sb.projects').controller('ProjectListController',
-    function ($scope, $modal, isSuperuser, SubscriptionList, CurrentUser) {
+    function ($scope, $modal, isSuperuser, SubscriptionList, CurrentUser,
+              $location, SearchHelper) {
         'use strict';
 
         // inject superuser flag to properly adjust UI.
@@ -32,6 +33,9 @@ angular.module('sb.projects').controller('ProjectListController',
         // Projects have no default criteria
         $scope.defaultCriteria = [];
 
+        var params = $location.search();
+        SearchHelper.parseParameters(params, $scope.defaultCriteria);
+
         /**
          * Launches the add-project modal.
          */
diff --git a/src/app/search/controller/search_controller.js b/src/app/search/controller/search_controller.js
index 796f4a1b..86108ed6 100644
--- a/src/app/search/controller/search_controller.js
+++ b/src/app/search/controller/search_controller.js
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
  * This controller provides initialization logic for the generic search view.
  */
 angular.module('sb.search').controller('SearchController',
-    function ($log, $q, $scope, Criteria, $location) {
+    function ($log, $q, $scope, Criteria, $location, SearchHelper) {
         'use strict';
 
         /**
@@ -40,10 +40,6 @@ angular.module('sb.search').controller('SearchController',
          * If a 'q' exists in the state params, go ahead and add it.
          */
         var params = $location.search();
-        if (params.hasOwnProperty('q') && !!params.q) {
-            $scope.defaultCriteria.push(
-                Criteria.create('Text', params.q)
-            );
-        }
+        SearchHelper.parseParameters(params, $scope.defaultCriteria);
     }
 );