diff --git a/client/app/scripts/actions/app-actions.js b/client/app/scripts/actions/app-actions.js
index f87d25d01..949393517 100644
--- a/client/app/scripts/actions/app-actions.js
+++ b/client/app/scripts/actions/app-actions.js
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import ActionTypes from '../constants/action-types';
 import { saveGraph } from '../utils/file-utils';
 import { modulo } from '../utils/math-utils';
 import { updateRoute } from '../utils/router-utils';
+import { parseQuery } from '../utils/search-utils';
 import { bufferDeltaUpdate, resumeUpdate,
   resetUpdateBuffer } from '../utils/update-buffer-utils';
 import { doControlRequest, getAllNodes, getNodesDelta, getNodeDetails,
@@ -69,6 +70,20 @@ export function pinNextMetric(delta) {
   };
 }
 
+export function pinSearch(query) {
+  return {
+    type: ActionTypes.PIN_SEARCH,
+    query
+  };
+}
+
+export function unpinSearch(query) {
+  return {
+    type: ActionTypes.UNPIN_SEARCH,
+    query
+  };
+}
+
 export function blurSearch() {
   return { type: ActionTypes.BLUR_SEARCH };
 }
@@ -301,6 +316,22 @@ export function focusSearch() {
   };
 }
 
+export function hitEnter() {
+  return (dispatch, getState) => {
+    const state = getState();
+    // pin query based on current search field
+    if (state.get('searchFocused')) {
+      const query = state.get('searchQuery');
+      if (query && parseQuery(query)) {
+        dispatch({
+          type: ActionTypes.PIN_SEARCH,
+          query
+        });
+      }
+    }
+  };
+}
+
 export function hitEsc() {
   return (dispatch, getState) => {
     const state = getState();
diff --git a/client/app/scripts/charts/nodes-chart-edges.js b/client/app/scripts/charts/nodes-chart-edges.js
index d646a2c71..b643d79fa 100644
--- a/client/app/scripts/charts/nodes-chart-edges.js
+++ b/client/app/scripts/charts/nodes-chart-edges.js
@@ -7,8 +7,9 @@ import EdgeContainer from './edge-container';
 
 class NodesChartEdges extends React.Component {
   render() {
-    const { hasSelectedNode, highlightedEdgeIds, layoutEdges, layoutPrecision,
-      searchNodeMatches = makeMap(), searchQuery, selectedNodeId } = this.props;
+    const { hasSelectedNode, highlightedEdgeIds, layoutEdges,
+      layoutPrecision, searchNodeMatches = makeMap(), searchQuery,
+      selectedNodeId } = this.props;
 
     return (
       <g className="nodes-chart-edges">
diff --git a/client/app/scripts/charts/nodes-chart-nodes.js b/client/app/scripts/charts/nodes-chart-nodes.js
index 1a2d8ca62..1a7a6bc49 100644
--- a/client/app/scripts/charts/nodes-chart-nodes.js
+++ b/client/app/scripts/charts/nodes-chart-nodes.js
@@ -7,10 +7,10 @@ import NodeContainer from './node-container';
 
 class NodesChartNodes extends React.Component {
   render() {
-    const { adjacentNodes, highlightedNodeIds, layoutNodes, layoutPrecision,
-      nodeScale, scale, searchNodeMatches = makeMap(), searchQuery,
-      selectedMetric, selectedNodeScale,
-      selectedNodeId, topCardNode } = this.props;
+    const { adjacentNodes, highlightedNodeIds, layoutNodes,
+      layoutPrecision, nodeScale, scale, searchNodeMatches = makeMap(),
+      searchQuery, selectedMetric, selectedNodeScale, selectedNodeId,
+      topCardNode } = this.props;
 
     const zoomScale = scale;
 
diff --git a/client/app/scripts/charts/nodes-chart.js b/client/app/scripts/charts/nodes-chart.js
index 9a88e7847..59ed21351 100644
--- a/client/app/scripts/charts/nodes-chart.js
+++ b/client/app/scripts/charts/nodes-chart.js
@@ -198,17 +198,14 @@ class NodesChart extends React.Component {
           if (!edges.has(edgeId)) {
             const source = edge[0];
             const target = edge[1];
-
-            if (!stateNodes.has(source) || !stateNodes.has(target)) {
-              log('Missing edge node', edge[0], edge[1]);
+            if (stateNodes.has(source) && stateNodes.has(target)) {
+              edges = edges.set(edgeId, makeMap({
+                id: edgeId,
+                value: 1,
+                source,
+                target
+              }));
             }
-
-            edges = edges.set(edgeId, makeMap({
-              id: edgeId,
-              value: 1,
-              source,
-              target
-            }));
           }
         });
       }
@@ -404,7 +401,7 @@ function mapStateToProps(state) {
   return {
     adjacentNodes: getAdjacentNodes(state),
     forceRelayout: state.get('forceRelayout'),
-    nodes: state.get('nodes'),
+    nodes: state.get('nodes').filter(node => !node.get('filtered')),
     selectedNodeId: state.get('selectedNodeId'),
     topologyId: state.get('topologyId'),
     topologyOptions: getActiveTopologyOptions(state)
diff --git a/client/app/scripts/components/app.js b/client/app/scripts/components/app.js
index d50aaf601..271b07672 100644
--- a/client/app/scripts/components/app.js
+++ b/client/app/scripts/components/app.js
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import Status from './status.js';
 import Topologies from './topologies.js';
 import TopologyOptions from './topology-options.js';
 import { getApiDetails, getTopologies } from '../utils/web-api-utils';
-import { pinNextMetric, hitEsc, unpinMetric,
+import { pinNextMetric, hitEnter, hitEsc, unpinMetric,
   selectMetric, toggleHelp } from '../actions/app-actions';
 import Details from './details';
 import Nodes from './nodes';
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import DebugToolbar, { showingDebugToolbar,
 import { getUrlState } from '../utils/router-utils';
 import { getActiveTopologyOptions } from '../utils/topology-utils';
 
+const ENTER_KEY_CODE = 13;
 const ESC_KEY_CODE = 27;
 const keyPressLog = debug('scope:app-key-press');
 
@@ -55,6 +56,8 @@ class App extends React.Component {
     // don't get esc in onKeyPress
     if (ev.keyCode === ESC_KEY_CODE) {
       this.props.dispatch(hitEsc());
+    } else if (ev.keyCode === ENTER_KEY_CODE) {
+      this.props.dispatch(hitEnter());
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/client/app/scripts/components/search-item.js b/client/app/scripts/components/search-item.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..518ffa11c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/app/scripts/components/search-item.js
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+import React from 'react';
+import { connect } from 'react-redux';
+
+import { unpinSearch } from '../actions/app-actions';
+
+class SearchItem extends React.Component {
+
+  constructor(props, context) {
+    super(props, context);
+    this.handleClick = this.handleClick.bind(this);
+  }
+
+  handleClick(ev) {
+    ev.preventDefault();
+    this.props.unpinSearch(this.props.query);
+  }
+
+  render() {
+    return (
+      <span className="search-item">
+        <span className="search-item-label">{this.props.query}</span>
+        <span className="search-item-icon fa fa-close" onClick={this.handleClick} />
+      </span>
+    );
+  }
+}
+
+export default connect(null, { unpinSearch })(SearchItem);
diff --git a/client/app/scripts/components/search.js b/client/app/scripts/components/search.js
index 39691b74e..e0bb7e3c3 100644
--- a/client/app/scripts/components/search.js
+++ b/client/app/scripts/components/search.js
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import _ from 'lodash';
 import { blurSearch, doSearch, focusSearch } from '../actions/app-actions';
 import { slugify } from '../utils/string-utils';
 import { isTopologyEmpty } from '../utils/topology-utils';
+import SearchItem from './search-item';
 
 // dynamic hint based on node names
 function getHint(nodes) {
@@ -18,12 +19,20 @@ function getHint(nodes) {
     label = node.get('label');
     if (node.get('metadata')) {
       const metadataField = node.get('metadata').first();
-      metadataLabel = slugify(metadataField.get('label')).toLowerCase();
-      metadataValue = metadataField.get('value').toLowerCase();
+      metadataLabel = slugify(metadataField.get('label'))
+        .toLowerCase()
+        .split(' ')[0]
+        .split('.').pop()
+        .substr(0, 20);
+      metadataValue = metadataField.get('value')
+        .toLowerCase()
+        .split(' ')[0]
+        .substr(0, 12);
     }
   }
 
-  return `Try "${label}" or "${metadataLabel}:${metadataValue}".`;
+  return `Try "${label}" or "${metadataLabel}:${metadataValue}".
+   Hit enter to apply the search as a filter.`;
 }
 
 class Search extends React.Component {
@@ -65,14 +74,17 @@ class Search extends React.Component {
   }
 
   render() {
-    const inputId = this.props.inputId || 'search';
-    const disabled = this.props.isTopologyEmpty || !this.props.topologiesLoaded;
-    const matchCount = this.props.searchNodeMatches
+    const { inputId = 'search', nodes, pinnedSearches, searchFocused,
+      searchNodeMatches, topologiesLoaded } = this.props;
+    const disabled = this.props.isTopologyEmpty || !topologiesLoaded;
+    const matchCount = searchNodeMatches
       .reduce((count, topologyMatches) => count + topologyMatches.size, 0);
+    const showPinnedSearches = pinnedSearches.size > 0;
     const classNames = cx('search', {
+      'search-pinned': showPinnedSearches,
       'search-matched': matchCount,
       'search-filled': this.state.value,
-      'search-focused': this.props.searchFocused,
+      'search-focused': searchFocused,
       'search-disabled': disabled
     });
     const title = matchCount ? `${matchCount} matches` : null;
@@ -81,16 +93,22 @@ class Search extends React.Component {
       <div className="search-wrapper">
         <div className={classNames} title={title}>
           <div className="search-input">
+            <i className="fa fa-search search-input-icon"></i>
+            <label className="search-input-label" htmlFor={inputId}>
+              Search
+            </label>
+            {showPinnedSearches && <span className="search-input-items">
+              {pinnedSearches.toIndexedSeq()
+                .map(query => <SearchItem query={query} key={query} />)}
+            </span>}
             <input className="search-input-field" type="text" id={inputId}
               value={this.state.value} onChange={this.handleChange}
               onBlur={this.handleBlur} onFocus={this.handleFocus}
               disabled={disabled} />
-            <label className="search-input-label" htmlFor={inputId}>
-              <i className="fa fa-search search-input-label-icon"></i>
-              <span className="search-input-label-text">Search</span>
-            </label>
           </div>
-          <div className="search-hint">{getHint(this.props.nodes)}</div>
+          {!showPinnedSearches && <div className="search-hint">
+            {getHint(nodes)}
+          </div>}
         </div>
       </div>
     );
@@ -101,6 +119,7 @@ export default connect(
   state => ({
     nodes: state.get('nodes'),
     isTopologyEmpty: isTopologyEmpty(state),
+    pinnedSearches: state.get('pinnedSearches'),
     searchFocused: state.get('searchFocused'),
     searchQuery: state.get('searchQuery'),
     searchNodeMatches: state.get('searchNodeMatches'),
diff --git a/client/app/scripts/constants/action-types.js b/client/app/scripts/constants/action-types.js
index 731b675ba..18e42a69f 100644
--- a/client/app/scripts/constants/action-types.js
+++ b/client/app/scripts/constants/action-types.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import _ from 'lodash';
 
 const ACTION_TYPES = [
+  'ADD_QUERY_FILTER',
   'BLUR_SEARCH',
   'CHANGE_TOPOLOGY_OPTION',
   'CLEAR_CONTROL_ERROR',
@@ -28,7 +29,9 @@ const ACTION_TYPES = [
   'LEAVE_EDGE',
   'LEAVE_NODE',
   'PIN_METRIC',
+  'PIN_SEARCH',
   'UNPIN_METRIC',
+  'UNPIN_SEARCH',
   'OPEN_WEBSOCKET',
   'RECEIVE_CONTROL_NODE_REMOVED',
   'RECEIVE_CONTROL_PIPE',
diff --git a/client/app/scripts/reducers/root.js b/client/app/scripts/reducers/root.js
index c785aaf75..062e92e89 100644
--- a/client/app/scripts/reducers/root.js
+++ b/client/app/scripts/reducers/root.js
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import { fromJS, is as isDeepEqual, List as makeList, Map as makeMap,
 
 import ActionTypes from '../constants/action-types';
 import { EDGE_ID_SEPARATOR } from '../constants/naming';
-import { updateNodeMatches } from '../utils/search-utils';
+import { applyPinnedSearches, updateNodeMatches } from '../utils/search-utils';
 import { findTopologyById, getAdjacentNodes, setTopologyUrlsById,
   updateTopologyIds, filterHiddenTopologies } from '../utils/topology-utils';
 
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ export const initialState = makeMap({
   // allows us to keep the same metric "type" selected when the topology changes.
   pinnedMetricType: null,
   plugins: makeList(),
+  pinnedSearches: makeList(), // list of node filters
   routeSet: false,
   searchFocused: false,
   searchNodeMatches: makeMap(),
@@ -398,6 +399,13 @@ export function rootReducer(state = initialState, action) {
       return state.set('searchFocused', true);
     }
 
+    case ActionTypes.PIN_SEARCH: {
+      state = state.set('searchQuery', '');
+      const pinnedSearches = state.get('pinnedSearches');
+      state = state.setIn(['pinnedSearches', pinnedSearches.size], action.query);
+      return applyPinnedSearches(state);
+    }
+
     case ActionTypes.RECEIVE_CONTROL_NODE_REMOVED: {
       return closeNodeDetails(state, action.nodeId);
     }
@@ -476,6 +484,9 @@ export function rootReducer(state = initialState, action) {
         state = state.setIn(['nodes', node.id], fromJS(makeNode(node)));
       });
 
+      // apply pinned searches, filters nodes that dont match
+      state = applyPinnedSearches(state);
+
       state = state.set('availableCanvasMetrics', state.get('nodes')
         .valueSeq()
         .flatMap(n => (n.get('metrics') || makeList()).map(m => (
@@ -578,6 +589,12 @@ export function rootReducer(state = initialState, action) {
       return state;
     }
 
+    case ActionTypes.UNPIN_SEARCH: {
+      const pinnedSearches = state.get('pinnedSearches').filter(query => query !== action.query);
+      state = state.set('pinnedSearches', pinnedSearches);
+      return applyPinnedSearches(state);
+    }
+
     default: {
       return state;
     }
diff --git a/client/app/scripts/utils/search-utils.js b/client/app/scripts/utils/search-utils.js
index e5b7ba26e..88f9b88bf 100644
--- a/client/app/scripts/utils/search-utils.js
+++ b/client/app/scripts/utils/search-utils.js
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ function findNodeMatch(nodeMatches, keyPath, text, query, prefix, label) {
   return nodeMatches;
 }
 
-function searchTopology(nodes, prefix, query) {
+export function searchTopology(nodes, { prefix, query }) {
   let nodeMatches = makeMap();
   nodes.forEach((node, nodeId) => {
     // top level fields
@@ -67,24 +67,36 @@ function searchTopology(nodes, prefix, query) {
   return nodeMatches;
 }
 
+export function parseQuery(query) {
+  if (query) {
+    const prefixQuery = query.split(PREFIX_DELIMITER);
+    const isPrefixQuery = prefixQuery && prefixQuery.length === 2;
+    const valid = !isPrefixQuery || prefixQuery.every(s => s);
+    if (valid) {
+      let prefix = null;
+      if (isPrefixQuery) {
+        prefix = prefixQuery[0];
+        query = prefixQuery[1];
+      }
+      return {
+        query,
+        prefix
+      };
+    }
+  }
+  return null;
+}
+
 /**
  * Returns {topologyId: {nodeId: matches}}
  */
 export function updateNodeMatches(state) {
-  let query = state.get('searchQuery');
-  const prefixQuery = query && query.split(PREFIX_DELIMITER);
-  const isPrefixQuery = prefixQuery && prefixQuery.length === 2;
-  const isValidPrefixQuery = isPrefixQuery && prefixQuery.every(s => s);
-
-  if (query && (isPrefixQuery === isValidPrefixQuery)) {
-    const prefix = isValidPrefixQuery ? prefixQuery[0] : null;
-    if (isPrefixQuery) {
-      query = prefixQuery[1];
-    }
+  const parsed = parseQuery(state.get('searchQuery'));
+  if (parsed) {
     state.get('topologyUrlsById').forEach((url, topologyId) => {
       const topologyNodes = state.getIn(['nodesByTopology', topologyId]);
       if (topologyNodes) {
-        const nodeMatches = searchTopology(topologyNodes, prefix, query);
+        const nodeMatches = searchTopology(topologyNodes, parsed);
         state = state.setIn(['searchNodeMatches', topologyId], nodeMatches);
       }
     });
@@ -94,3 +106,30 @@ export function updateNodeMatches(state) {
 
   return state;
 }
+
+/**
+ * Set `filtered:true` in state's nodes if a pinned search matches
+ */
+export function applyPinnedSearches(state) {
+  // clear old filter state
+  state = state.update('nodes',
+    nodes => nodes.map(node => node.set('filtered', false)));
+
+  const pinnedSearches = state.get('pinnedSearches');
+  if (pinnedSearches.size > 0) {
+    state.get('pinnedSearches').forEach(query => {
+      const parsed = parseQuery(query);
+      if (parsed) {
+        const nodeMatches = searchTopology(state.get('nodes'), parsed);
+        const filteredNodes = state.get('nodes')
+          .map(node => node.set('filtered',
+            node.get('filtered') // matched by previous pinned search
+            || nodeMatches.size === 0 // no match, filter all nodes
+            || !nodeMatches.has(node.get('id')))); // filter matches
+        state = state.set('nodes', filteredNodes);
+      }
+    });
+  }
+
+  return state;
+}
diff --git a/client/app/styles/main.less b/client/app/styles/main.less
index 43db6a9cc..b6ce58573 100644
--- a/client/app/styles/main.less
+++ b/client/app/styles/main.less
@@ -1213,7 +1213,7 @@ h2 {
   &-hint {
     font-size: 0.7rem;
     position: absolute;
-    padding: 0 1em 0 3em;
+    padding: 0 1em;
     color: @text-tertiary-color;
     top: 0;
     opacity: 0;
@@ -1226,89 +1226,76 @@ h2 {
     background: #fff;
     position: relative;
     z-index: 1;
-    display: inline-block;
+    display: flex;
     border-radius: @border-radius;
     width: 100%;
     border: 1px solid transparent;
+    padding: 2px 4px;
+    text-align: left;
+
+    &-items {
+      padding: 2px 4px;
+    }
 
     &-field {
       font-size: 0.8rem;
       line-height: 150%;
       position: relative;
-      display: block;
-      float: right;
-      padding: 4px 8px 4px 32px;
-      width: 100%;
+      padding: 1px 4px 1px 0.75em;
       border: none;
       border-radius: 0;
       background: transparent;
       color: @text-color;
+      flex: 1;
 
       &:focus {
         outline: none;
       }
     }
 
+    &-icon {
+      position: relative;
+      width: 1.285em;
+      text-align: center;
+      color: @text-secondary-color;
+      position: relative;
+      top: 4px;
+      left: 4px;
+    }
+
     &-label {
       user-select: none;
       display: inline-block;
-      float: right;
-      padding: 0 0.75em;
+      padding: 2px 1em;
       font-size: 0.8rem;
       position: absolute;
-      top: -10px;
-      width: 100%;
       text-align: left;
       pointer-events: none;
       color: @text-secondary-color;
-
-      &-icon {
-        top: 10px;
-        position: relative;
-        width: 1.285em;
-        text-align: center;
-        color: @text-secondary-color;
-        transition: opacity 0.3s 0.4s @base-ease;
-        opacity: 0;
-        display: inline-block;
-      }
-
-      &-text {
-        color: @text-secondary-color;
-        text-align: left;
-        padding: 4px 0;
-        top: 10px;
-        position: relative;
-        left: -1.2em;
-        transition: opacity 0.3s 0.5s @base-ease;
-        opacity: 1;
-        display: inline-block;
-        text-transform: uppercase;
-      }
+      text-transform: uppercase;
+      transition: opacity 0.3s 0.5s @base-ease;
+      opacity: 1;
     }
   }
 
-  &-focused &-input-label-icon,
-  &-filled &-input-label-icon {
-    transition: opacity 0.3s 0s @base-ease;
-    opacity: 1;
-  }
-
-  &-focused &-input-label-text,
-  &-filled &-input-label-text {
+  &-focused &-input-label,
+  &-pinned &-input-label,
+  &-filled &-input-label {
     transition: opacity 0.1s 0s @base-ease;
     opacity: 0;
   }
 
   &-focused &-hint,
-  &-filled &-hint {
+  &-filled &-hint,
+  &-pinned &-hint {
     opacity: 1;
     transform: translate3d(0, 2.75em, 0);
     transition: transform 0.3s 0.3s @base-ease, opacity 0.3s 0.3s @base-ease;
   }
 
   &-focused,
-  &-filled {
+  &-filled,
+  &-pinned {
     width: 100%;
   }
 
@@ -1318,6 +1305,25 @@ h2 {
 
 }
 
+.search-item {
+  background-color: fade(@weave-blue, 20%);
+  border-radius: @border-radius / 2;
+  margin-left: 4px;
+
+  &-label {
+    padding: 2px 4px;
+  }
+
+  &-icon {
+    .btn-opacity;
+    padding: 2px 4px 2px 2px;
+    cursor: pointer;
+    font-size: 80%;
+    position: relative;
+    top: -1px;
+  }
+}
+
 @keyframes focusing {
   0% {
     opacity: 0;