diff --git a/lib/galaxy/webapps/galaxy/api/users.py b/lib/galaxy/webapps/galaxy/api/users.py
index fddb9e747fc..274e4cdd066 100644
--- a/lib/galaxy/webapps/galaxy/api/users.py
+++ b/lib/galaxy/webapps/galaxy/api/users.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ log = logging.getLogger( __name__ )
 class UserAPIController( BaseAPIController, UsesTagsMixin, CreatesUsersMixin, CreatesApiKeysMixin ):
 
     @web.expose_api
-    def index( self, trans, deleted='False', **kwd ):
+    def index( self, trans, deleted='False', f_email=None, **kwd ):
         """
         GET /api/users
         GET /api/users/deleted
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@ class UserAPIController( BaseAPIController, UsesTagsMixin, CreatesUsersMixin, Cr
         rval = []
         query = trans.sa_session.query( trans.app.model.User )
         deleted = util.string_as_bool( deleted )
+        if f_email:
+            query = query.filter(trans.app.model.User.email.like("%%%s%%" % f_email))
         if deleted:
             query = query.filter( trans.app.model.User.table.c.deleted == True )
             # only admins can see deleted users
diff --git a/templates/admin/impersonate.mako b/templates/admin/impersonate.mako
index a53e2034ab7..72f1b973ff2 100644
--- a/templates/admin/impersonate.mako
+++ b/templates/admin/impersonate.mako
@@ -14,11 +14,8 @@
                 <label>
                     User to impersonate:
                 </label>
-                <select name="email" class='text-and-autocomplete-select'>
-                    %for email in emails:
-                        <option>${email}</option>
-                    %endfor
-                </select>
+                <input type="hidden" id="email_select" name="email">
+                </input>
             </div>
             <div class="form-row">
                 <input type="submit" name="impersonate_button" value="Impersonate"/>
@@ -26,4 +23,35 @@
         </form>
         </div>
     </div>
+    <script type="text/javascript">
+    /*  This should be ripped out and made generic at some point for the
+     *  various API bindings available, and once the API can filter list
+     *  queries (term, below) */
+    $("#email_select").select2({
+        placeholder: "Select a user",
+        ajax: {
+            url: "/api/users/",
+            dataType: 'json',
+            quietMillis: 250,
+            matcher: function(term, text) { return text.toUpperCase().indexOf(term.toUpperCase())>=0; },
+            data: function (term) {
+                return {
+                    f_email: term
+                };
+            },
+            results: function (data) {
+              var results = [];
+              $.each(data, function(index, item){
+                    results.push({
+                      id: item.email,
+                      text: item.email
+                    });
+              });
+              return {
+                  results: results
+              };
+            }
+        }
+    });
+    </script>
 %endif