diff --git a/PBGitDefaults.h b/PBGitDefaults.h
index c7c494a..46b28b5 100644
--- a/PBGitDefaults.h
+++ b/PBGitDefaults.h
@@ -34,5 +34,7 @@
 + (void) removePreviousDocumentPaths;
 + (NSInteger) branchFilter;
 + (void) setBranchFilter:(NSInteger)state;
++ (NSInteger)historySearchMode;
++ (void)setHistorySearchMode:(NSInteger)mode;
 
 @end
diff --git a/PBGitDefaults.m b/PBGitDefaults.m
index 0e042a5..ccc2162 100644
--- a/PBGitDefaults.m
+++ b/PBGitDefaults.m
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 //
 
 #import "PBGitDefaults.h"
+#import "PBHistorySearchController.h"
 
 #define kDefaultVerticalLineLength 50
 #define kCommitMessageViewVerticalLineLength @"PBCommitMessageViewVerticalLineLength"
@@ -25,6 +26,7 @@
 #define kOpenPreviousDocumentsOnLaunch @"PBOpenPreviousDocumentsOnLaunch"
 #define kPreviousDocumentPaths @"PBPreviousDocumentPaths"
 #define kBranchFilterState @"PBBranchFilter"
+#define kHistorySearchMode @"PBHistorySearchMode"
 
 @implementation PBGitDefaults
 
@@ -53,6 +55,8 @@
 					  forKey:kShouldCheckoutBranch];
 	[defaultValues setObject:[NSNumber numberWithBool:NO]
                       forKey:kOpenPreviousDocumentsOnLaunch];
+	[defaultValues setObject:[NSNumber numberWithInteger:kGitXBasicSeachMode]
+                      forKey:kHistorySearchMode];
 	[[NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults] registerDefaults:defaultValues];
 }
 
@@ -170,4 +174,15 @@
 	[[NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults] setInteger:state forKey:kBranchFilterState];
 }
 
++ (NSInteger)historySearchMode
+{
+	return [[NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults] integerForKey:kHistorySearchMode];
+}
+
++ (void)setHistorySearchMode:(NSInteger)mode
+{
+	[[NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults] setInteger:mode forKey:kHistorySearchMode];
+}
+
+
 @end
diff --git a/PBGitHistoryView.xib b/PBGitHistoryView.xib
index b6bf807..f9e2774 100644
--- a/PBGitHistoryView.xib
+++ b/PBGitHistoryView.xib
@@ -702,6 +702,15 @@
 										<int key="NSvFlags">266</int>
 										<object class="NSMutableArray" key="NSSubviews">
 											<bool key="EncodedWithXMLCoder">YES</bool>
+											<object class="NSProgressIndicator" id="354339555">
+												<reference key="NSNextResponder" ref="428755155"/>
+												<int key="NSvFlags">-2147482359</int>
+												<object class="NSPSMatrix" key="NSDrawMatrix"/>
+												<string key="NSFrame">{{637, 3}, {16, 16}}</string>
+												<reference key="NSSuperview" ref="428755155"/>
+												<int key="NSpiFlags">20746</int>
+												<double key="NSMaxValue">100</double>
+											</object>
 											<object class="NSSearchField" id="354285291">
 												<reference key="NSNextResponder" ref="428755155"/>
 												<int key="NSvFlags">265</int>
@@ -2096,6 +2105,14 @@
 					</object>
 					<int key="connectionID">437</int>
 				</object>
+				<object class="IBConnectionRecord">
+					<object class="IBOutletConnection" key="connection">
+						<string key="label">progressIndicator</string>
+						<reference key="source" ref="596748029"/>
+						<reference key="destination" ref="354339555"/>
+					</object>
+					<int key="connectionID">448</int>
+				</object>
 			</object>
 			<object class="IBMutableOrderedSet" key="objectRecords">
 				<object class="NSArray" key="orderedObjects">
@@ -2439,6 +2456,7 @@
 							<reference ref="627778713"/>
 							<reference ref="354285291"/>
 							<reference ref="563692607"/>
+							<reference ref="354339555"/>
 						</object>
 						<reference key="parent" ref="24227530"/>
 						<string key="objectName">Commits Scope Bar</string>
@@ -2695,6 +2713,11 @@
 						<reference key="object" ref="349876124"/>
 						<reference key="parent" ref="627778713"/>
 					</object>
+					<object class="IBObjectRecord">
+						<int key="objectID">447</int>
+						<reference key="object" ref="354339555"/>
+						<reference key="parent" ref="428755155"/>
+					</object>
 				</object>
 			</object>
 			<object class="NSMutableDictionary" key="flattenedProperties">
@@ -2803,6 +2826,7 @@
 					<string>428.IBSegmentedControlInspectorSelectedSegmentMetadataKey</string>
 					<string>430.IBPluginDependency</string>
 					<string>431.IBPluginDependency</string>
+					<string>447.IBPluginDependency</string>
 					<string>46.IBEditorWindowLastContentRect</string>
 					<string>46.IBPluginDependency</string>
 					<string>48.IBPluginDependency</string>
@@ -2987,6 +3011,7 @@
 					<integer value="0"/>
 					<string>com.apple.InterfaceBuilder.CocoaPlugin</string>
 					<string>com.apple.InterfaceBuilder.CocoaPlugin</string>
+					<string>com.apple.InterfaceBuilder.CocoaPlugin</string>
 					<string>{{9, 486}, {852, 432}}</string>
 					<string>com.apple.InterfaceBuilder.CocoaPlugin</string>
 					<string>com.apple.InterfaceBuilder.CocoaPlugin</string>
@@ -3023,7 +3048,7 @@
 				</object>
 			</object>
 			<nil key="sourceID"/>
-			<int key="maxID">437</int>
+			<int key="maxID">448</int>
 		</object>
 		<object class="IBClassDescriber" key="IBDocument.Classes">
 			<object class="NSMutableArray" key="referencedPartialClassDescriptions">
@@ -3480,6 +3505,9 @@
 						<bool key="EncodedWithXMLCoder">YES</bool>
 						<object class="NSArray" key="dict.sortedKeys">
 							<bool key="EncodedWithXMLCoder">YES</bool>
+							<string>selectBasicSearch:</string>
+							<string>selectPickaxeSearch:</string>
+							<string>selectRegexSearch:</string>
 							<string>stepperPressed:</string>
 							<string>updateSearch:</string>
 						</object>
@@ -3487,17 +3515,35 @@
 							<bool key="EncodedWithXMLCoder">YES</bool>
 							<string>id</string>
 							<string>id</string>
+							<string>id</string>
+							<string>id</string>
+							<string>id</string>
 						</object>
 					</object>
 					<object class="NSMutableDictionary" key="actionInfosByName">
 						<bool key="EncodedWithXMLCoder">YES</bool>
 						<object class="NSArray" key="dict.sortedKeys">
 							<bool key="EncodedWithXMLCoder">YES</bool>
+							<string>selectBasicSearch:</string>
+							<string>selectPickaxeSearch:</string>
+							<string>selectRegexSearch:</string>
 							<string>stepperPressed:</string>
 							<string>updateSearch:</string>
 						</object>
 						<object class="NSMutableArray" key="dict.values">
 							<bool key="EncodedWithXMLCoder">YES</bool>
+							<object class="IBActionInfo">
+								<string key="name">selectBasicSearch:</string>
+								<string key="candidateClassName">id</string>
+							</object>
+							<object class="IBActionInfo">
+								<string key="name">selectPickaxeSearch:</string>
+								<string key="candidateClassName">id</string>
+							</object>
+							<object class="IBActionInfo">
+								<string key="name">selectRegexSearch:</string>
+								<string key="candidateClassName">id</string>
+							</object>
 							<object class="IBActionInfo">
 								<string key="name">stepperPressed:</string>
 								<string key="candidateClassName">id</string>
@@ -3515,6 +3561,7 @@
 							<string>commitController</string>
 							<string>historyController</string>
 							<string>numberOfMatchesField</string>
+							<string>progressIndicator</string>
 							<string>searchField</string>
 							<string>stepper</string>
 						</object>
@@ -3523,6 +3570,7 @@
 							<string>NSArrayController</string>
 							<string>PBGitHistoryController</string>
 							<string>NSTextField</string>
+							<string>NSProgressIndicator</string>
 							<string>NSSearchField</string>
 							<string>NSSegmentedControl</string>
 						</object>
@@ -3534,6 +3582,7 @@
 							<string>commitController</string>
 							<string>historyController</string>
 							<string>numberOfMatchesField</string>
+							<string>progressIndicator</string>
 							<string>searchField</string>
 							<string>stepper</string>
 						</object>
@@ -3551,6 +3600,10 @@
 								<string key="name">numberOfMatchesField</string>
 								<string key="candidateClassName">NSTextField</string>
 							</object>
+							<object class="IBToOneOutletInfo">
+								<string key="name">progressIndicator</string>
+								<string key="candidateClassName">NSProgressIndicator</string>
+							</object>
 							<object class="IBToOneOutletInfo">
 								<string key="name">searchField</string>
 								<string key="candidateClassName">NSSearchField</string>
@@ -4360,13 +4413,6 @@
 						<string key="minorKey">QuartzCore.framework/Headers/CIImageProvider.h</string>
 					</object>
 				</object>
-				<object class="IBPartialClassDescription">
-					<string key="className">NSObject</string>
-					<object class="IBClassDescriptionSource" key="sourceIdentifier">
-						<string key="majorKey">IBFrameworkSource</string>
-						<string key="minorKey">ScriptingBridge.framework/Headers/SBApplication.h</string>
-					</object>
-				</object>
 				<object class="IBPartialClassDescription">
 					<string key="className">NSObject</string>
 					<object class="IBClassDescriptionSource" key="sourceIdentifier">
@@ -4472,6 +4518,14 @@
 						<string key="minorKey">AppKit.framework/Headers/NSPopUpButton.h</string>
 					</object>
 				</object>
+				<object class="IBPartialClassDescription">
+					<string key="className">NSProgressIndicator</string>
+					<string key="superclassName">NSView</string>
+					<object class="IBClassDescriptionSource" key="sourceIdentifier">
+						<string key="majorKey">IBFrameworkSource</string>
+						<string key="minorKey">AppKit.framework/Headers/NSProgressIndicator.h</string>
+					</object>
+				</object>
 				<object class="IBPartialClassDescription">
 					<string key="className">NSResponder</string>
 					<object class="IBClassDescriptionSource" key="sourceIdentifier">
diff --git a/PBHistorySearchController.h b/PBHistorySearchController.h
index 75bd250..e51ba47 100644
--- a/PBHistorySearchController.h
+++ b/PBHistorySearchController.h
@@ -9,6 +9,13 @@
 #import <Cocoa/Cocoa.h>
 
 
+typedef enum historySearchModes {
+	kGitXBasicSeachMode = 1,
+	kGitXPickaxeSearchMode,
+	kGitXRegexSearchMode,
+	kGitXMaxSearchMode    // always keep this item last
+} PBHistorySearchMode;
+
 @class PBGitHistoryController;
 
 
@@ -16,11 +23,16 @@
 	PBGitHistoryController *historyController;
 	NSArrayController *commitController;
 
+	PBHistorySearchMode searchMode;
 	NSIndexSet *results;
 
 	NSSearchField *searchField;
 	NSSegmentedControl *stepper;
 	NSTextField *numberOfMatchesField;
+	NSProgressIndicator *progressIndicator;
+	NSTimer *searchTimer;
+
+	NSTask *backgroundSearchTask;
 
 	NSPanel *rewindPanel;
 }
@@ -31,11 +43,16 @@
 @property (assign) IBOutlet NSSearchField *searchField;
 @property (assign) IBOutlet NSSegmentedControl *stepper;
 @property (assign) IBOutlet NSTextField *numberOfMatchesField;
+@property (assign) IBOutlet NSProgressIndicator *progressIndicator;
+
+@property (assign) PBHistorySearchMode searchMode;
 
 
 - (BOOL)isRowInSearchResults:(NSInteger)rowIndex;
 - (BOOL)hasSearchResults;
 
+- (void)selectSearchMode:(id)sender;
+
 - (void)selectNextResult;
 - (void)selectPreviousResult;
 - (IBAction)stepperPressed:(id)sender;
diff --git a/PBHistorySearchController.m b/PBHistorySearchController.m
index 1aa3313..8a48320 100644
--- a/PBHistorySearchController.m
+++ b/PBHistorySearchController.m
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 #import "PBHistorySearchController.h"
 #import "PBGitHistoryController.h"
 #import "PBGitRepository.h"
+#import "PBGitDefaults.h"
 #import <QuartzCore/CoreAnimation.h>
 
 
@@ -20,6 +21,8 @@
 - (void)setupSearchMenuTemplate;
 
 - (void)startBasicSearch;
+- (void)startBackgroundSearch;
+- (void)clearProgressIndicator;
 
 - (void)showSearchRewindPanelReverse:(BOOL)isReversed;
 
@@ -30,6 +33,8 @@
 #define kGitXSearchDirectionPrevious -1
 
 #define kGitXBasicSearchLabel @"Subject, Author, SHA"
+#define kGitXPickaxeSearchLabel @"Commit (pickaxe)"
+#define kGitXRegexSearchLabel @"Commit (pickaxe regex)"
 
 #define kGitXSearchArrangedObjectsContext @"GitXSearchArrangedObjectsContext"
 
@@ -42,6 +47,9 @@
 @synthesize searchField;
 @synthesize stepper;
 @synthesize numberOfMatchesField;
+@synthesize progressIndicator;
+
+@synthesize searchMode;
 
 
 
@@ -58,6 +66,12 @@
 	return ([results count] > 0);
 }
 
+- (void)selectSearchMode:(id)sender
+{
+	self.searchMode = [sender tag];
+	[self updateSearch:self];
+}
+
 - (void)selectNextResult
 {
 	[self selectNextResultInDirection:kGitXSearchDirectionNext];
@@ -90,13 +104,16 @@
 
 - (IBAction)updateSearch:(id)sender
 {
-	[self startBasicSearch];
+	if (self.searchMode == kGitXBasicSeachMode)
+		[self startBasicSearch];
+	else
+		[self startBackgroundSearch];
 }
 
 - (void)awakeFromNib
 {
 	[self setupSearchMenuTemplate];
-	[[searchField cell] setPlaceholderString:@"Subject, Author, SHA"];
+	self.searchMode = [PBGitDefaults historySearchMode];
 
 	[self updateUI];
 
@@ -181,6 +198,7 @@
 		[stepper setHidden:NO];
 		[historyController.commitList reloadData];
 	}
+	[self clearProgressIndicator];
 }
 
 // changes the selection to the next match after the current selected row unless the current row is already a match
@@ -203,6 +221,24 @@
 	NSMenu *searchMenu = [[NSMenu alloc] initWithTitle:@"Search Menu"];
     NSMenuItem *item;
 
+	item = [[NSMenuItem alloc] initWithTitle:kGitXBasicSearchLabel action:@selector(selectSearchMode:) keyEquivalent:@""];
+	[item setTarget:self];
+    [item setTag:kGitXBasicSeachMode];
+    [searchMenu addItem:item];
+
+	item = [[NSMenuItem alloc] initWithTitle:kGitXPickaxeSearchLabel action:@selector(selectSearchMode:) keyEquivalent:@""];
+	[item setTarget:self];
+    [item setTag:kGitXPickaxeSearchMode];
+    [searchMenu addItem:item];
+
+	item = [[NSMenuItem alloc] initWithTitle:kGitXRegexSearchLabel action:@selector(selectSearchMode:) keyEquivalent:@""];
+	[item setTarget:self];
+    [item setTag:kGitXRegexSearchMode];
+    [searchMenu addItem:item];
+
+    item = [NSMenuItem separatorItem];
+    [searchMenu addItem:item];
+
 	item = [[NSMenuItem alloc] initWithTitle:@"Recent Searches" action:NULL keyEquivalent:@""];
     [item setTag:NSSearchFieldRecentsTitleMenuItemTag];
     [searchMenu addItem:item];
@@ -226,6 +262,77 @@
     [[searchField cell] setSearchMenuTemplate:searchMenu];
 }
 
+- (void)updateSearchMenuState
+{
+	NSMenu *searchMenu = [[searchField cell] searchMenuTemplate];
+	if (!searchMenu)
+		return;
+
+	NSMenuItem *item;
+
+	item = [searchMenu itemWithTag:kGitXBasicSeachMode];
+	[item setState:(searchMode == kGitXBasicSeachMode) ? NSOnState : NSOffState];
+
+	item = [searchMenu itemWithTag:kGitXPickaxeSearchMode];
+	[item setState:(searchMode == kGitXPickaxeSearchMode) ? NSOnState : NSOffState];
+
+	item = [searchMenu itemWithTag:kGitXRegexSearchMode];
+	[item setState:(searchMode == kGitXRegexSearchMode) ? NSOnState : NSOffState];
+
+    [[searchField cell] setSearchMenuTemplate:searchMenu];
+
+	[PBGitDefaults setHistorySearchMode:searchMode];
+}
+
+- (void)updateSearchPlaceholderString
+{
+	switch (self.searchMode) {
+		case kGitXPickaxeSearchMode:
+			[[searchField cell] setPlaceholderString:kGitXPickaxeSearchLabel];
+			break;
+		case kGitXRegexSearchMode:
+			[[searchField cell] setPlaceholderString:kGitXRegexSearchLabel];
+			break;
+		default:
+			[[searchField cell] setPlaceholderString:kGitXBasicSearchLabel];
+			break;
+	}
+}
+
+- (void)setSearchMode:(PBHistorySearchMode)mode
+{
+	if ((mode < kGitXBasicSeachMode) || (mode >= kGitXMaxSearchMode))
+		mode = kGitXBasicSeachMode;
+
+	searchMode = mode;
+	[PBGitDefaults setHistorySearchMode:searchMode];
+
+	[self updateSearchMenuState];
+	[self updateSearchPlaceholderString];
+}
+
+- (void)searchTimerFired:(NSTimer*)theTimer
+{
+	[self.progressIndicator setHidden:NO];
+	[self.progressIndicator startAnimation:self];
+}
+
+- (void)clearProgressIndicator
+{
+	[searchTimer invalidate];
+	searchTimer = nil;
+	[self.progressIndicator setHidden:YES];
+	[self.progressIndicator stopAnimation:self];
+}
+
+- (void)startProgressIndicator
+{
+	[self clearProgressIndicator];
+	[numberOfMatchesField setHidden:YES];
+	[stepper setHidden:YES];
+	searchTimer = [NSTimer scheduledTimerWithTimeInterval:0.25 target:self selector:@selector(searchTimerFired:) userInfo:nil repeats:NO];
+}
+
 
 
 #pragma mark Basic Search
@@ -255,6 +362,67 @@
 
 
 
+#pragma mark Pickaxe/Regex Search
+
+- (void)startBackgroundSearch
+{
+	if (backgroundSearchTask) {
+		NSFileHandle *handle = [[backgroundSearchTask standardOutput] fileHandleForReading];
+		[[NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter] removeObserver:self name:NSFileHandleReadToEndOfFileCompletionNotification object:handle];
+		[backgroundSearchTask terminate];
+	}
+
+	NSString *searchString = [[searchField stringValue] stringByTrimmingCharactersInSet:[NSCharacterSet whitespaceAndNewlineCharacterSet]];
+	if ([searchString isEqualToString:@""]) {
+		[self clearSearch];
+		return;
+	}
+
+	results = nil;
+
+	NSMutableArray *searchArguments = [NSMutableArray arrayWithObjects:@"log", @"--pretty=format:%H", [NSString stringWithFormat:@"-S%@", searchString], nil];
+	if (self.searchMode == kGitXRegexSearchMode)
+		[searchArguments insertObject:@"--pickaxe-regex" atIndex:1];
+
+	backgroundSearchTask = [PBEasyPipe taskForCommand:[PBGitBinary path] withArgs:searchArguments inDir:[[historyController.repository fileURL] path]];
+	[backgroundSearchTask launch];
+
+	NSFileHandle *handle = [[backgroundSearchTask standardOutput] fileHandleForReading];
+	[[NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter] addObserver:self selector:@selector(parseBackgroundSearchResults:) name:NSFileHandleReadToEndOfFileCompletionNotification object:handle];
+	[handle readToEndOfFileInBackgroundAndNotify];
+
+	[self startProgressIndicator];
+}
+
+- (void)parseBackgroundSearchResults:(NSNotification *)notification
+{
+	[[NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter] removeObserver:self name:NSFileHandleReadToEndOfFileCompletionNotification object:[notification object]];
+	backgroundSearchTask = nil;
+
+	NSMutableIndexSet *indexes = [NSMutableIndexSet indexSet];
+	NSData *data = [[notification userInfo] valueForKey:NSFileHandleNotificationDataItem];
+
+	NSString *resultsString = [[NSString alloc] initWithData:data encoding:NSUTF8StringEncoding];
+	NSArray *resultsArray = [resultsString componentsSeparatedByString:@"\n"];
+
+	for (NSString *resultSHA in resultsArray) {
+		NSUInteger index = 0;
+		for (PBGitCommit *commit in [commitController arrangedObjects]) {
+			if ([resultSHA isEqualToString:commit.sha.string]) {
+				[indexes addIndex:index];
+				break;
+			}
+			index++;
+		}
+	}
+
+	results = indexes;
+	[self clearProgressIndicator];
+	[self updateSelectedResult];
+}
+
+
+
 #pragma mark -
 #pragma mark Rewind Panel