diff --git a/src/objects/models.py b/src/objects/models.py
index f76638688e..6164ee58ee 100644
--- a/src/objects/models.py
+++ b/src/objects/models.py
@@ -243,7 +243,7 @@ class ObjectDB(TypedObject):
 
     def search(self, searchdata,
                global_search=False,
-               use_nicks=False,
+               use_nicks=True, # should this default to off?
                typeclass=None,
                location=None,
                attribute_name=None,
diff --git a/src/objects/objects.py b/src/objects/objects.py
index b58a673c57..1d622c8cee 100644
--- a/src/objects/objects.py
+++ b/src/objects/objects.py
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ class Object(TypeClass):
         * Helper methods (see src.objects.objects.py for full headers)
 
          search(ostring, global_search=False, global_dbref=False, attribute_name=None,
-                use_nicks=False, location=None, ignore_errors=False, player=False)
+                use_nicks=True, location=None, ignore_errors=False, player=False)
          execute_cmd(raw_string)
          msg(message, **kwargs)
          msg_contents(message, exclude=None, from_obj=None, **kwargs)
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ class Object(TypeClass):
 
     def search(self, ostring,
                global_search=False,
-               use_nicks=False,
+               use_nicks=True,
                typeclass=None,
                location=None,
                attribute_name=None,