diff --git a/mousepad/mousepad-replace-dialog.c b/mousepad/mousepad-replace-dialog.c
index 8911b5a..a4ff068 100644
--- a/mousepad/mousepad-replace-dialog.c
+++ b/mousepad/mousepad-replace-dialog.c
@@ -651,3 +651,11 @@ mousepad_replace_dialog_page_switched (MousepadReplaceDialog *dialog)
 {
   mousepad_replace_dialog_changed (dialog);
 }
+
+
+
+void
+mousepad_replace_dialog_set_text (MousepadReplaceDialog *dialog, gchar *text)
+{
+  gtk_entry_set_text (GTK_ENTRY (dialog->search_entry), text);
+}
diff --git a/mousepad/mousepad-replace-dialog.h b/mousepad/mousepad-replace-dialog.h
index b3e7d2f..15db2ce 100644
--- a/mousepad/mousepad-replace-dialog.h
+++ b/mousepad/mousepad-replace-dialog.h
@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@ void            mousepad_replace_dialog_history_clean  (void);
 
 void            mousepad_replace_dialog_page_switched  (MousepadReplaceDialog *dialog);
 
+void            mousepad_replace_dialog_set_text       (MousepadReplaceDialog *dialog, gchar *text);
+
 G_END_DECLS
 
 #endif /* !__MOUSEPAD_REPLACE_DIALOG_H__ */
diff --git a/mousepad/mousepad-search-bar.c b/mousepad/mousepad-search-bar.c
index ab97fec..2c608a1 100644
--- a/mousepad/mousepad-search-bar.c
+++ b/mousepad/mousepad-search-bar.c
@@ -534,3 +534,13 @@ mousepad_search_bar_find_previous (MousepadSearchBar *bar)
   /* search */
   mousepad_search_bar_find_string (bar, flags);
 }
+
+
+
+void
+mousepad_search_bar_set_text (MousepadSearchBar *bar, gchar *text)
+{
+  mousepad_return_if_fail (MOUSEPAD_IS_SEARCH_BAR (bar));
+
+  gtk_entry_set_text (GTK_ENTRY (bar->entry), text);
+}
diff --git a/mousepad/mousepad-search-bar.h b/mousepad/mousepad-search-bar.h
index 4dbfe11..d2ea0e3 100644
--- a/mousepad/mousepad-search-bar.h
+++ b/mousepad/mousepad-search-bar.h
@@ -41,6 +41,8 @@ void            mousepad_search_bar_find_next       (MousepadSearchBar *bar);
 
 void            mousepad_search_bar_find_previous   (MousepadSearchBar *bar);
 
+void            mousepad_search_bar_set_text        (MousepadSearchBar *bar, gchar *text);
+
 G_END_DECLS
 
 #endif /* !__MOUSEPAD_SEARCH_BAR_H__ */
diff --git a/mousepad/mousepad-window.c b/mousepad/mousepad-window.c
index b789d71..386f106 100644
--- a/mousepad/mousepad-window.c
+++ b/mousepad/mousepad-window.c
@@ -4299,6 +4299,10 @@ static void
 mousepad_window_action_find (GtkAction      *action,
                              MousepadWindow *window)
 {
+  GtkTextIter selection_start;
+  GtkTextIter selection_end;
+  gchar       *selection;
+
   mousepad_return_if_fail (MOUSEPAD_IS_WINDOW (window));
   mousepad_return_if_fail (MOUSEPAD_IS_DOCUMENT (window->active));
 
@@ -4314,6 +4318,22 @@ mousepad_window_action_find (GtkAction      *action,
       g_signal_connect_swapped (G_OBJECT (window->search_bar), "search", G_CALLBACK (mousepad_window_search), window);
     }
 
+  /* set the search entry text if the search bar is hidden*/
+  if (GTK_WIDGET_VISIBLE (window->search_bar) == FALSE)
+    {
+      if (gtk_text_buffer_get_has_selection (window->active->buffer) == TRUE)
+        {
+          gtk_text_buffer_get_selection_bounds (window->active->buffer, &selection_start, &selection_end);
+          selection = gtk_text_buffer_get_text (window->active->buffer, &selection_start, &selection_end, 0);
+
+          /* selection should be one line */
+          if (g_strrstr (selection, "\n") == NULL && g_strrstr (selection, "\r") == NULL)
+            mousepad_search_bar_set_text (MOUSEPAD_SEARCH_BAR (window->search_bar), selection);
+
+          g_free (selection);
+        }
+    }
+
   /* show the search bar */
   gtk_widget_show (window->search_bar);
 
@@ -4379,6 +4399,10 @@ static void
 mousepad_window_action_replace (GtkAction      *action,
                                 MousepadWindow *window)
 {
+  GtkTextIter selection_start;
+  GtkTextIter selection_end;
+  gchar       *selection;
+
   mousepad_return_if_fail (MOUSEPAD_IS_WINDOW (window));
   mousepad_return_if_fail (MOUSEPAD_IS_DOCUMENT (window->active));
 
@@ -4392,6 +4416,19 @@ mousepad_window_action_replace (GtkAction      *action,
       gtk_window_set_transient_for (GTK_WINDOW (window->replace_dialog), GTK_WINDOW (window));
       gtk_widget_show (window->replace_dialog);
 
+      /* set the search entry text */
+      if (gtk_text_buffer_get_has_selection (window->active->buffer) == TRUE)
+        {
+          gtk_text_buffer_get_selection_bounds (window->active->buffer, &selection_start, &selection_end);
+          selection = gtk_text_buffer_get_text (window->active->buffer, &selection_start, &selection_end, 0);
+
+          /* selection should be one line */
+          if (g_strrstr(selection, "\n") == NULL && g_strrstr(selection, "\r") == NULL)
+            mousepad_replace_dialog_set_text (MOUSEPAD_REPLACE_DIALOG (window->replace_dialog), selection);
+
+          g_free (selection);
+        }
+
       /* connect signals */
       g_signal_connect_swapped (G_OBJECT (window->replace_dialog), "destroy", G_CALLBACK (mousepad_window_action_replace_destroy), window);
       g_signal_connect_swapped (G_OBJECT (window->replace_dialog), "search", G_CALLBACK (mousepad_window_search), window);