diff --git a/mozilla/extensions/help/resources/content/help.js b/mozilla/extensions/help/resources/content/help.js
index 1aac42b0af5..9d68a35b732 100644
--- a/mozilla/extensions/help/resources/content/help.js
+++ b/mozilla/extensions/help/resources/content/help.js
@@ -503,14 +503,19 @@ function doFind() {
   // clear any previous results.
   clearDatabases(searchTree.database);
 
-  // split search string into separate terms and compile into regexp's
-  RE = findText.value.split(/\s+/);
-  for (var i=0; i < RE.length; ++i) {
-    if (RE[i] == "")
-      continue;
-    RE[i] = new RegExp(RE[i], "i");
+    // if the search string is empty or contains only whitespace, purge the results tree and return
+    RE = findText.value.match(/\S+/g);
+    if (!RE) {
+      searchTree.builder.rebuild();
+      return;
+    }
+
+    // compile the search string, which has already been split up above, into regexps
+    for (var i=0; i < RE.length; ++i) {
+      RE[i] = new RegExp(RE[i], "i");
   }
- emptySearch = true;
+  emptySearch = true;
+
   // search TOC
   var resultsDS =  Components.classes["@mozilla.org/rdf/datasource;1?name=in-memory-datasource"].createInstance(Components.interfaces.nsIRDFDataSource);
   var tree = document.getElementById("help-toc-panel");
@@ -545,12 +550,6 @@ function doFind() {
   searchTree.builder.rebuild();
 }
 
-function doEnabling() {
-  var findButton = document.getElementById("findButton");
-  var findTextbox = document.getElementById("findText");
-  findButton.disabled = !findTextbox.value;
-}
-
 function clearDatabases(compositeDataSource) {
   var enumDS = compositeDataSource.GetDataSources()
   while (enumDS.hasMoreElements()) {
diff --git a/mozilla/extensions/help/resources/content/help.xul b/mozilla/extensions/help/resources/content/help.xul
index b534a14ff08..b2a6507b5d7 100644
--- a/mozilla/extensions/help/resources/content/help.xul
+++ b/mozilla/extensions/help/resources/content/help.xul
@@ -209,14 +209,8 @@
              accesskey="&searchtab.accesskey;"/>
 
              <vbox id="help-search-panel" hidden="true" flex="1">
-                <hbox align="center">
-                  <textbox id="findText" 
-                     flex="1" 
-                     oninput="doEnabling();"
-                     onkeypress="if (event.keyCode == KeyEvent.DOM_VK_ENTER || event.keyCode == KeyEvent.DOM_VK_RETURN) doFind();"/>
-
-                  <button id="findButton" default="true" disabled="true" label="&gobtn.label;" oncommand="doFind()" flex="0"/>
-                </hbox>
+                <textbox id="findText" type="timed" timeout="500"
+                         oncommand="doFind();"/>
                 <tree id="help-search-tree" class="focusring"
                       flex="1" hidecolumnpicker="true"
                       datasources="rdf:null" ref="urn:root"
diff --git a/mozilla/extensions/help/resources/locale/en-US/help.dtd b/mozilla/extensions/help/resources/locale/en-US/help.dtd
index b621a76d3d3..e95f2f6203a 100644
--- a/mozilla/extensions/help/resources/locale/en-US/help.dtd
+++ b/mozilla/extensions/help/resources/locale/en-US/help.dtd
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@
 <!-- Left panel -->
 <!ENTITY glossarytab.label        "Glossary">
 <!ENTITY glossarytab.accesskey    "G">
-<!ENTITY gobtn.label              "Search">
 <!ENTITY indextab.label           "Index">
 <!ENTITY indextab.accesskey       "I">
 <!ENTITY searchtab.label          "Search">