diff --git a/src/typeclasses/managers.py b/src/typeclasses/managers.py
index 2c3b0afb9f..5cfd34d623 100644
--- a/src/typeclasses/managers.py
+++ b/src/typeclasses/managers.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ from django.db import models
 from django.db.models import Q
 from django.contrib.contenttypes.models import ContentType
 from src.utils import idmapper
-from src.utils.utils import make_iter
+from src.utils.utils import make_iter, variable_from_module
 from src.utils.dbserialize import to_pickle
 
 __all__ = ("AttributeManager", "TypedObjectManager")
@@ -281,13 +281,44 @@ class TypedObjectManager(idmapper.manager.SharedMemoryManager):
         return dbtotals
 
     @returns_typeclass_list
-    def typeclass_search(self, typeclass):
+    def typeclass_search(self, typeclass, include_children=False, include_parents=False):
         """
-        Searches through all objects returning those which has a certain
-        typeclass. If location is set, limit search to objects in
-        that location.
+        Searches through all objects returning those which has a
+        certain typeclass. If location is set, limit search to objects
+        in that location.
+
+        typeclass - a typeclass class or a python path to a typeclass
+        include_children - return objects with given typeclass and all
+                       children inheriting from this typeclass.
+        include_parents - return objects with given typeclass and all
+                       parents to this typeclass
+        The include_children/parents keywords are mutually exclusive.
         """
+
         if callable(typeclass):
             cls = typeclass.__class__
             typeclass = "%s.%s" % (cls.__module__, cls.__name__)
-        return self.filter(db_typeclass_path__exact=typeclass)
+        elif not isinstance(typeclass, basestring) and hasattr(typeclass, "path"):
+            typeclass = typeclass.path
+
+        # query objects of exact typeclass
+        query = Q(db_typeclass_path__exact=typeclass)
+
+        if include_children:
+            # build requests for child typeclass objects
+            clsmodule, clsname = typeclass.rsplit(".", 1)
+            cls = variable_from_module(clsmodule, clsname)
+            subclasses = cls.__subclasses__()
+            if subclasses:
+                for child in (child for child in subclasses if hasattr(child, "path")):
+                    query = query | Q(db_typeclass_path__exact=child.path)
+        elif include_parents:
+            # build requests for parent typeclass objects
+            clsmodule, clsname = typeclass.rsplit(".", 1)
+            cls = variable_from_module(clsmodule, clsname)
+            parents = cls.__mro__
+            if parents:
+                for parent in (parent for parent in parents if hasattr(parent, "path")):
+                    query = query | Q(db_typeclass_path__exact=parent.path)
+        # actually query the database
+        return self.filter(query)