diff --git a/ietf/person/views.py b/ietf/person/views.py
index 84c563899..eee4f4a8f 100644
--- a/ietf/person/views.py
+++ b/ietf/person/views.py
@@ -5,10 +5,18 @@ from ietf.person.models import Email
 from ietf.person.fields import json_emails
 
 def ajax_search_emails(request):
-    q = request.GET.get('q', '').strip()
-    emails = Email.objects.filter(Q(person__alias__name__icontains=q) |
-                                  Q(address__icontains=q))
+    q = [w.strip() for w in request.GET.get('q', '').split() if w.strip()]
+    if not q:
+        emails = Email.objects.none()
+    else:
+        query = Q()
+        for t in q:
+            query &= Q(person__alias__name__icontains=t) | Q(address__icontains=t)
+
+        emails = Email.objects.filter(query).exclude(person=None)
+
     if request.GET.get("user") == "1":
         emails = emails.exclude(person__user=None) # require an account at the Datatracker
+
     emails = emails.filter(active=True).order_by('person__name').distinct()[:10]
     return HttpResponse(json_emails(emails), content_type='application/json')