diff --git a/tests/xapian_tests/tests/xapian_backend.py b/tests/xapian_tests/tests/xapian_backend.py
index a8a708b..bcf63ca 100644
--- a/tests/xapian_tests/tests/xapian_backend.py
+++ b/tests/xapian_tests/tests/xapian_backend.py
@@ -373,6 +373,14 @@ class LiveXapianSearchQueryTestCase(TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(self.sq.get_spelling_suggestion(), u'indexed')
         self.assertEqual(self.sq.get_spelling_suggestion('indxd'), u'indexed')
 
+    def test_startswith(self):
+        self.sq.add_filter(SQ(name__startswith='da*'))
+        self.assertEqual([result.pk for result in self.sq.get_results()], [1, 2, 3])
+
+        self.sq = SearchQuery(backend=SearchBackend())
+        self.sq.add_filter(SQ(name__startswith='daniel1'))
+        self.assertEqual([result.pk for result in self.sq.get_results()], [1])
+
     def test_log_query(self):
         backends.reset_search_queries()
         self.assertEqual(len(backends.queries), 0)
diff --git a/xapian_backend.py b/xapian_backend.py
index f6d36bc..6bed2ed 100755
--- a/xapian_backend.py
+++ b/xapian_backend.py
@@ -480,6 +480,11 @@ class SearchBackend(BaseSearchBackend):
             
         Returns a xapian.Query
         """
+        if query_string == '*':
+            return xapian.Query('') # Match everything
+        elif query_string == '':
+            return xapian.Query()   # Match nothing
+
         flags = xapian.QueryParser.FLAG_PARTIAL \
               | xapian.QueryParser.FLAG_PHRASE \
               | xapian.QueryParser.FLAG_BOOLEAN \
@@ -969,10 +974,12 @@ class SearchQuery(BaseSearchQuery):
             A xapian.Query
         """
         sb = SearchBackend()
+        term_list = set()
         for t in sb._database().allterms():
-            print t
-        term_list = [term, 'foo']
-        return self._filter_in(term_list, field, is_not)
+            if t.term.startswith(term.rstrip('*')):
+                term_list.add(t.term)
+
+        return self._filter_in(list(term_list), field, is_not)
 
 
     def _all_query(self):