diff --git a/common/fs-mgr.c b/common/fs-mgr.c
index 7f81ec0..bb74809 100644
--- a/common/fs-mgr.c
+++ b/common/fs-mgr.c
@@ -3174,9 +3174,10 @@ search_files_recursive (SeafFSManager *mgr,
 }
 
 GList *
-seaf_fs_manager_search_files (SeafFSManager *mgr,
-                              const char *repo_id,
-                              const char *str)
+seaf_fs_manager_search_files_by_path  (SeafFSManager *mgr,
+                                       const char *repo_id,
+                                       const char *path,
+                                       const char *str)
 {
     GList *file_list = NULL;
     SeafCommit *head = NULL;
@@ -3193,8 +3194,20 @@ seaf_fs_manager_search_files (SeafFSManager *mgr,
         goto out;
     }
 
-    search_files_recursive (mgr, repo->store_id, "", head->root_id,
-                            str, repo->version, &file_list);
+    if (!path || g_strcmp0 (path, "/") == 0) {
+        search_files_recursive (mgr, repo->store_id, "", head->root_id,
+                                str, repo->version, &file_list);
+    } else {
+        char *dir_id = seaf_fs_manager_get_seafdir_id_by_path (mgr, repo->store_id, repo->version,
+                                                               head->root_id, path, NULL);
+        if (!dir_id) {
+            seaf_warning ("Path %s doesn't exist or is not a dir in repo %.10s.\n", path, repo->store_id);
+            goto out;
+        }
+        search_files_recursive (mgr, repo->store_id, path, dir_id,
+                                str, repo->version, &file_list);
+        g_free (dir_id);
+    }
 
 out:
     seaf_repo_unref (repo);
diff --git a/common/fs-mgr.h b/common/fs-mgr.h
index 8283605..42d2440 100644
--- a/common/fs-mgr.h
+++ b/common/fs-mgr.h
@@ -437,8 +437,9 @@ seaf_fs_manager_get_file_count_info_by_path (SeafFSManager *mgr,
                                              GError **error);
 
 GList *
-seaf_fs_manager_search_files (SeafFSManager *mgr,
-                              const char *repo_id,
-                              const char *str);
+seaf_fs_manager_search_files_by_path (SeafFSManager *mgr,
+                                      const char *repo_id,
+                                      const char *path,
+                                      const char *str);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/common/rpc-service.c b/common/rpc-service.c
index 9d2a1f8..8e1c3ac 100644
--- a/common/rpc-service.c
+++ b/common/rpc-service.c
@@ -4516,13 +4516,19 @@ seafile_get_repo_status(const char *repo_id, GError **error)
 
 GList *
 seafile_search_files (const char *repo_id, const char *str, GError **error)
+{
+    return seafile_search_files_by_path (repo_id, NULL, str, error);
+}
+
+GList *
+seafile_search_files_by_path (const char *repo_id, const char *path, const char *str, GError **error)
 {
     if (!is_uuid_valid (repo_id)) {
         g_set_error (error, SEAFILE_DOMAIN, SEAF_ERR_BAD_ARGS, "Invalid repo id");
         return NULL;
     }
 
-    GList *file_list = seaf_fs_manager_search_files (seaf->fs_mgr, repo_id, str);
+    GList *file_list = seaf_fs_manager_search_files_by_path (seaf->fs_mgr, repo_id, path, str);
     GList *ret = NULL, *ptr;
 
     for (ptr = file_list; ptr; ptr=ptr->next) {
diff --git a/include/seafile-rpc.h b/include/seafile-rpc.h
index 5656fd3..18943e4 100644
--- a/include/seafile-rpc.h
+++ b/include/seafile-rpc.h
@@ -1141,6 +1141,9 @@ seafile_pop_event(const char *channel, GError **error);
 GList *
 seafile_search_files (const char *repo_id, const char *str, GError **error);
 
+GList *
+seafile_search_files_by_path (const char *repo_id, const char *path, const char *str, GError **error);
+
 /*Following is ccnet rpc*/
 int
 ccnet_rpc_add_emailuser (const char *email, const char *passwd,
diff --git a/python/seafile/rpcclient.py b/python/seafile/rpcclient.py
index 4a56933..4747b1e 100644
--- a/python/seafile/rpcclient.py
+++ b/python/seafile/rpcclient.py
@@ -817,6 +817,10 @@ class SeafServerThreadedRpcClient(NamedPipeClient):
     def search_files(self, repo_id, search_str):
         pass
 
+    @searpc_func("objlist", ["string", "string", "string"])
+    def search_files_by_path(self, repo_id, path, search_str):
+        pass
+
     #user management
     @searpc_func("int", ["string", "string", "int", "int"])
     def add_emailuser(self, email, passwd, is_staff, is_active):
diff --git a/python/seaserv/api.py b/python/seaserv/api.py
index 60614ad..6985f9c 100644
--- a/python/seaserv/api.py
+++ b/python/seaserv/api.py
@@ -856,6 +856,9 @@ class SeafileAPI(object):
 
     def search_files(self, repo_id, search_str):
         return seafserv_threaded_rpc.search_files(repo_id, search_str)
+
+    def search_files_by_path (self, repo_id, path, search_str):
+        return seafserv_threaded_rpc.search_files_by_path(repo_id, path, search_str)
     
 seafile_api = SeafileAPI()
 
diff --git a/server/seaf-server.c b/server/seaf-server.c
index 6a3dc54..7b6ef33 100644
--- a/server/seaf-server.c
+++ b/server/seaf-server.c
@@ -344,6 +344,11 @@ static void start_rpc_service (const char *seafile_dir,
                                      "search_files",
                                      searpc_signature_objlist__string_string());
 
+    searpc_server_register_function ("seafserv-threaded-rpcserver",
+                                     seafile_search_files_by_path,
+                                     "search_files_by_path",
+                                     searpc_signature_objlist__string_string_string());
+
     /* share repo to user */
     searpc_server_register_function ("seafserv-threaded-rpcserver",
                                      seafile_add_share,