diff --git a/evennia/commands/default/building.py b/evennia/commands/default/building.py
index af2bcef575..c5e66655cb 100644
--- a/evennia/commands/default/building.py
+++ b/evennia/commands/default/building.py
@@ -1819,6 +1819,7 @@ class CmdExamine(ObjManipCommand):
 
     Switch:
       player - examine a Player (same as adding *)
+      object - examine an Object (useful when OOC)
 
     The examine command shows detailed game info about an
     object and optionally a specific attribute on it.
@@ -2038,14 +2039,14 @@ class CmdExamine(ObjManipCommand):
             obj_name = objdef['name']
             obj_attrs = objdef['attrs']
 
-            self.player_mode = utils.inherits_from(caller, "evennia.players.players.Player") or \
-                           "player" in self.switches or obj_name.startswith('*')
+            self.player_mode = utils.inherits_from(caller, "evennia.players.players.DefaultPlayer") or \
+                               "player" in self.switches or obj_name.startswith('*')
             if self.player_mode:
                 try:
                     obj = caller.search_player(obj_name.lstrip('*'))
                 except AttributeError:
                     # this means we are calling examine from a player object
-                    obj = caller.search(obj_name.lstrip('*'))
+                    obj = caller.search(obj_name.lstrip('*'), search_object = 'object' in self.switches)
             else:
                 obj = caller.search(obj_name)
             if not obj:
diff --git a/evennia/players/players.py b/evennia/players/players.py
index b25df0b07b..b6e8f31c11 100644
--- a/evennia/players/players.py
+++ b/evennia/players/players.py
@@ -17,10 +17,11 @@ from django.utils import timezone
 from evennia.typeclasses.models import TypeclassBase
 from evennia.players.manager import PlayerManager
 from evennia.players.models import PlayerDB
+from evennia.objects.models import ObjectDB
 from evennia.comms.models import ChannelDB
 from evennia.commands import cmdhandler
 from evennia.utils import logger
-from evennia.utils.utils import (lazy_property, to_str,
+from evennia.utils.utils import (lazy_property,
                                  make_iter, to_unicode, is_iter,
                                  variable_from_module)
 from evennia.typeclasses.attributes import NickHandler
@@ -454,11 +455,11 @@ class DefaultPlayer(with_metaclass(TypeclassBase, PlayerDB)):
         return cmdhandler.cmdhandler(self, raw_string,
                                      callertype="player", session=session, **kwargs)
 
-    def search(self, searchdata, return_puppet=False,
+    def search(self, searchdata, return_puppet=False, search_object=False,
                nofound_string=None, multimatch_string=None, **kwargs):
         """
-        This is similar to `DefaultObject.search` but will search for
-        Players only.
+        This is similar to `DefaultObject.search` but defaults to searching
+        for Players only.
 
         Args:
             searchdata (str or int): Search criterion, the Player's
@@ -466,12 +467,18 @@ class DefaultPlayer(with_metaclass(TypeclassBase, PlayerDB)):
             return_puppet (bool, optional): Instructs the method to
                 return matches as the object the Player controls rather
                 than the Player itself (or None) if nothing is puppeted).
+            search_object (bool, optional): Search for Objects instead of
+                Players. This is used by e.g. the @examine command when
+                wanting to examine Objects while OOC.
             nofound_string (str, optional): A one-time error message
                 to echo if `searchdata` leads to no matches. If not given,
                 will fall back to the default handler.
             multimatch_string (str, optional): A one-time error
                 message to echo if `searchdata` leads to multiple matches.
                 If not given, will fall back to the default handler.
+
+        Return:
+            match (Player, Object or None): A single Player or Object match.
         Notes:
             Extra keywords are ignored, but are allowed in call in
             order to make API more consistent with
@@ -483,7 +490,10 @@ class DefaultPlayer(with_metaclass(TypeclassBase, PlayerDB)):
             # handle wrapping of common terms
             if searchdata.lower() in ("me", "*me", "self", "*self",):
                 return self
-        matches = self.__class__.objects.player_search(searchdata)
+        if search_object:
+            matches = ObjectDB.objects.object_search(searchdata)
+        else:
+            matches = self.__class__.objects.player_search(searchdata)
         matches = _AT_SEARCH_RESULT(matches, self, query=searchdata,
                                     nofound_string=nofound_string,
                                     multimatch_string=multimatch_string)