diff --git a/core/um-filters-members.php b/core/um-filters-members.php
index 6473146b..547634d4 100644
--- a/core/um-filters-members.php
+++ b/core/um-filters-members.php
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 <?php
-	
+
 	/***
 	***	@Members Filter Hooks
 	***/
@@ -7,41 +7,41 @@
 	add_filter('um_prepare_user_query_args', 'um_add_search_to_query', 50, 2);
 	add_filter('um_prepare_user_query_args', 'um_search_usernames_emails', 51, 2);
 	add_filter('um_prepare_user_query_args', 'um_remove_special_users_from_list', 99, 2);
-	
+
 	/***
 	***	@WP API user search
 	***/
 	function um_search_usernames_emails( $query_args, $args ) {
 		global $ultimatemember;
 		extract( $args );
-		
+
 		$query = $ultimatemember->permalinks->get_query_array();
-		
+
 		foreach( $ultimatemember->members->core_search_fields as $key ) {
 			if ( isset( $query[$key] ) ) {
-				$query_args['search']         = '*' . $query[$key] . '*';
+				$query_args['search']         = '*' . trim($query[$key]) . '*';
 			}
 		}
 		return $query_args;
 	}
-	
+
 	/***
 	***	@Remove users we do not need to show in directory
 	***/
 	function um_remove_special_users_from_list( $query_args, $args ) {
 		global $ultimatemember;
 		extract( $args );
-		
+
 		if ( !um_user_can('can_edit_everyone') ) {
-		
+
 			$query_args['meta_query'][] = array(
 				'key' => 'account_status',
 				'value' => 'approved',
 				'compare' => '='
 			);
-			
+
 		}
-		
+
 		$query_args['meta_query'][] = array(
 			'key' => 'hide_in_members',
 			'value' => '',
@@ -50,23 +50,23 @@
 
 		return $query_args;
 	}
-	
+
 	/***
 	***	@adds search parameters
 	***/
 	function um_add_search_to_query( $query_args, $args ){
 		global $ultimatemember;
 		extract( $args );
-		
+
 		if ( isset( $_REQUEST['um_search'] ) ) {
-			
+
 			$query = $ultimatemember->permalinks->get_query_array();
 
 			if ( $query && is_array( $query ) ) {
 				foreach( $query as $field => $value ) {
 
 					if(in_array($field, array('members_page'))) continue;
-					
+
 					if ( in_array( $field, array('gender') ) ) {
 						$operator = '=';
 					} else {
@@ -78,53 +78,53 @@
 					}
 
 					if ( $value && $field != 'um_search' && $field != 'page_id' ) {
-					
+
 						if ( !in_array( $field, $ultimatemember->members->core_search_fields ) ) {
-							
+
 							if ( strstr($field, 'role_' ) ) {
 								$field = 'role';
 								$operator = '=';
 							}
-							
+
 							$query_args['meta_query'][] = array(
 								'key' => $field,
-								'value' => $value,
+								'value' => trim($value),
 								'compare' => $operator,
 							);
-							
+
 						}
-					
+
 					}
-					
+
 				}
 			}
 
 		}
-		
+
 		// allow filtering
 		$query_args = apply_filters('um_query_args_filter', $query_args );
-		
+
 		if ( count ($query_args['meta_query']) == 1 ) {
 			unset( $query_args['meta_query'] );
 		}
 
 		return $query_args;
-		
+
 	}
-	
+
 	/***
 	***	@adds main parameters
 	***/
 	function um_prepare_user_query_args($query_args, $args){
 		global $ultimatemember;
 		extract( $args );
-		
+
 		$query_args['fields'] = 'ID';
-		
+
 		$query_args['number'] = 0;
-		
+
 		$query_args['meta_query']['relation'] = 'AND';
-		
+
 		// must have a profile photo
 		if ( $has_profile_photo == 1 ) {
 			$query_args['meta_query'][] = array(
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@
 				'compare' => '!='
 			);
 		}
-		
+
 		// must have a cover photo
 		if ( $has_cover_photo == 1 ) {
 			$query_args['meta_query'][] = array(
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@
 				'compare' => '!='
 			);
 		}
-		
+
 		// show specific usernames
 		if ( isset( $show_these_users ) && $show_these_users && is_array( $show_these_users ) ) {
 			foreach( $show_these_users as $username ) {
@@ -150,52 +150,52 @@
 			}
 			$query_args['include'] = $users_array;
 		}
-		
-		// add roles to appear in directory 
+
+		// add roles to appear in directory
 		if ( !empty( $roles ) ) {
-		
+
 			$query_args['meta_query'][] = array(
 				'key' => 'role',
 				'value' => $roles,
 				'compare' => 'IN'
 			);
-		
+
 		}
-		
+
 		// sort members by
 		$query_args['order'] = 'ASC';
-		
+
 		if ( isset( $sortby ) ) {
-			
+
 			if ( $sortby == 'other' && $sortby_custom ) {
-			
+
 				$query_args['meta_key'] = $sortby_custom;
 				$query_args['orderby'] = 'meta_value, display_name';
-				
+
 			} else if ( in_array( $sortby, array( 'last_name', 'first_name' ) ) ) {
-			
+
 				$query_args['meta_key'] = $sortby;
 				$query_args['orderby'] = 'meta_value';
-				
+
 			} else {
-			
+
 				if ( strstr( $sortby, '_desc' ) ) {$sortby = str_replace('_desc','',$sortby);$order = 'DESC';}
 				if ( strstr( $sortby, '_asc' ) ) {$sortby = str_replace('_asc','',$sortby);$order = 'ASC';}
 				$query_args['orderby'] = $sortby;
-			
+
 			}
-			
+
 			if ( isset( $order ) ) {
 				$query_args['order'] = $order;
 			}
-			
+
 			$query_args = apply_filters('um_modify_sortby_parameter', $query_args, $sortby);
 
 		}
-		
+
 		return $query_args;
 	}
-	
+
 	/***
 	***	@sorting by last login date
 	***/
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@
 		}
 		return $query_args;
 	}
-	
+
 	/***
 	***	@hook in the member results array
 	***/
@@ -220,6 +220,6 @@
 		} else {
 			$result['no_users'] = 0;
 		}
-		
+
 		return $result;
-	}
\ No newline at end of file
+	}