diff --git a/resources/languages/resources.properties b/resources/languages/resources.properties
index c85d89d9d..290393f78 100644
--- a/resources/languages/resources.properties
+++ b/resources/languages/resources.properties
@@ -278,6 +278,7 @@ service.gui.NEW_NAME=New name
 service.gui.NEW_STATUS_MESSAGE=New status message
 service.gui.NO=No
 service.gui.NO_AVAILABLE_ROOMS=The list of rooms for this server is currently not available.
+service.gui.NO_CONTACTS_FOUND=No matching contacts found. Press Ctrl+Enter to call {0} or use the buttons below.
 service.gui.NO_MESSAGE=No message
 service.gui.NO_GROUP_CHAT_ACCOUNT_AVAILABLE=No accounts, supporting multi user chat found. Check sip-communicator.org for more information on which protocols support multi user chat.
 service.gui.NO_ONLINE_TELEPHONY_ACCOUNT=At least one online telephony account is needed in order to make a call. Please login to one of your telephony accounts and try again.
diff --git a/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/gui/main/MainFrame.java b/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/gui/main/MainFrame.java
index f6d71024f..a30762c19 100644
--- a/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/gui/main/MainFrame.java
+++ b/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/gui/main/MainFrame.java
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 import java.util.List;
 
 import javax.swing.*;
+import javax.swing.event.*;
 import javax.swing.tree.*;
 
 import net.java.sip.communicator.impl.gui.*;
@@ -35,6 +36,7 @@
 import net.java.sip.communicator.service.resources.*;
 import net.java.sip.communicator.util.*;
 import net.java.sip.communicator.util.swing.*;
+import net.java.sip.communicator.util.swing.event.*;
 
 import org.osgi.framework.*;
 
@@ -729,6 +731,26 @@ public void clearCurrentSearchText()
         searchField.setText("");
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Adds the given <tt>TextFieldChangeListener</tt> to listen for any changes
+     * that occur in the search field.
+     * @param l the <tt>TextFieldChangeListener</tt> to add
+     */
+    public void addSearchFieldListener(TextFieldChangeListener l)
+    {
+        searchField.addTextChangeListener(l);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Removes the given <tt>TextFieldChangeListener</tt> that listens for any
+     * changes that occur in the search field.
+     * @param l the <tt>TextFieldChangeListener</tt> to remove
+     */
+    public void removeSearchFieldListener(TextFieldChangeListener l)
+    {
+        searchField.addTextChangeListener(l);
+    }
+
     /**
      * Checks in the configuration xml if there is already stored index for
      * this provider and if yes, returns it, otherwise creates a new account
diff --git a/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/gui/main/contactlist/UnknownContactPanel.java b/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/gui/main/contactlist/UnknownContactPanel.java
index 9db2fb00e..df702ee69 100644
--- a/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/gui/main/contactlist/UnknownContactPanel.java
+++ b/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/gui/main/contactlist/UnknownContactPanel.java
@@ -6,16 +6,19 @@
  */
 package net.java.sip.communicator.impl.gui.main.contactlist;
 
+import java.awt.*;
 import java.awt.event.*;
-import java.util.*;
+import java.util.List;
 
 import javax.swing.*;
+import javax.swing.text.*;
 
 import net.java.sip.communicator.impl.gui.*;
 import net.java.sip.communicator.impl.gui.main.*;
 import net.java.sip.communicator.impl.gui.main.call.*;
 import net.java.sip.communicator.service.protocol.*;
 import net.java.sip.communicator.util.swing.*;
+import net.java.sip.communicator.util.swing.event.*;
 
 /**
  * The <tt>UnknownContactPanel</tt> replaces the contact list, when a
@@ -27,6 +30,7 @@
  */
 public class UnknownContactPanel
     extends TransparentPanel
+    implements TextFieldChangeListener
 {
     private final JButton addContact = new JButton(
         GuiActivator.getResources().getI18NString("service.gui.ADD_CONTACT"),
@@ -38,6 +42,8 @@ public class UnknownContactPanel
         GuiActivator.getResources()
             .getImage("service.gui.icons.CALL_16x16_ICON"));
 
+    private final JTextPane textArea = new JTextPane();
+
     /**
      * The main application window.
      */
@@ -61,6 +67,9 @@ public UnknownContactPanel(MainFrame window)
         callContact.setMnemonic(GuiActivator.getResources()
             .getI18nMnemonic("service.gui.CALL_CONTACT"));
 
+        initTextArea(parentWindow.getCurrentSearchText());
+
+        this.add(textArea);
         this.add(addContact);
         this.add(callContact);
 
@@ -123,4 +132,61 @@ public void addUnknownContact()
     {
         addContact.doClick();
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Invoked when any text is inserted in the search field.
+     */
+    public void textInserted()
+    {
+        updateTextArea(parentWindow.getCurrentSearchText());
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Invoked when any text is removed from the search field.
+     */
+    public void textRemoved()
+    {
+        updateTextArea(parentWindow.getCurrentSearchText());
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Creates the text area.
+     * @param searchText the searched text
+     */
+    private void initTextArea(String searchText)
+    {
+        textArea.setText(GuiActivator.getResources()
+            .getI18NString( "service.gui.NO_CONTACTS_FOUND",
+                new String[]{'"' + searchText + '"'}));
+        textArea.setOpaque(false);
+        StyledDocument doc = textArea.getStyledDocument();
+
+        MutableAttributeSet standard = new SimpleAttributeSet();
+        StyleConstants.setAlignment(standard, StyleConstants.ALIGN_CENTER);
+        StyleConstants.setFontFamily(standard, textArea.getFont().getFamily());
+        StyleConstants.setFontSize(standard, 12);
+        doc.setParagraphAttributes(0, 0, standard, true);
+
+        textArea.setPreferredSize(
+            new Dimension(parentWindow.getWidth() - 40, 70));
+        textArea.setMinimumSize(
+            new Dimension(parentWindow.getWidth() - 40, 70));
+        textArea.setMaximumSize(
+            new Dimension(parentWindow.getWidth() - 40, 70));
+
+        parentWindow.addSearchFieldListener(this);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Updates the text area to take into account the new search text.
+     * @param searchText the search text to update
+     */
+    private void updateTextArea(String searchText)
+    {
+        textArea.setText(GuiActivator.getResources()
+            .getI18NString("service.gui.NO_CONTACTS_FOUND",
+                new String[]{'"' + searchText + '"'}));
+        this.revalidate();
+        this.repaint();
+    }
 }