diff --git a/mailnews/base/search/resources/content/SearchDialog.js b/mailnews/base/search/resources/content/SearchDialog.js
index e6250a1c6ec8..9bdc17b0cc99 100644
--- a/mailnews/base/search/resources/content/SearchDialog.js
+++ b/mailnews/base/search/resources/content/SearchDialog.js
@@ -367,9 +367,17 @@ function updateSearchFolderPicker(folderURI)
     gCurrentFolder =
         RDF.GetResource(folderURI).QueryInterface(nsIMsgFolder);
 
+    var searchLocalSystem = document.getElementById("checkSearchLocalSystem");
+    if (searchLocalSystem)
+        searchLocalSystem.disabled = gCurrentFolder.server.searchScope == nsMsgSearchScope.offlineMail;
     setSearchScope(GetScopeForFolder(gCurrentFolder));
 }
 
+function updateSearchLocalSystem()
+{
+  setSearchScope(GetScopeForFolder(gCurrentFolder));
+}
+
 function UpdateAfterCustomHeaderChange()
 {
   updateSearchAttributes();
@@ -510,7 +518,8 @@ function AddSubFoldersToURI(folder)
 
 function GetScopeForFolder(folder) 
 {
-  return folder.server.searchScope;
+  var searchLocalSystem = document.getElementById("checkSearchLocalSystem");
+  return searchLocalSystem && searchLocalSystem.checked ? nsMsgSearchScope.offlineMail : folder.server.searchScope;
 }
 
 var nsMsgViewSortType = Components.interfaces.nsMsgViewSortType;
diff --git a/mailnews/base/search/resources/content/SearchDialog.xul b/mailnews/base/search/resources/content/SearchDialog.xul
index 2aafa3e21b1b..80b9e66546be 100644
--- a/mailnews/base/search/resources/content/SearchDialog.xul
+++ b/mailnews/base/search/resources/content/SearchDialog.xul
@@ -111,11 +111,12 @@
  
         </hbox>
         <hbox align="center">
+           <checkbox id="checkSearchSubFolders" label="&searchSubfolders.label;" checked="true" accesskey="&searchSubfolders.accesskey;"/>
            <spacer flex="2"/>
            <button label="&resetButton.label;" oncommand="onResetSearch(event);" accesskey="&resetButton.accesskey;"/>
          </hbox>
          <hbox align="center">
-           <checkbox id="checkSearchSubFolders" label="&searchSubfolders.label;" checked="true" accesskey="&searchSubfolders.accesskey;"/>
+           <checkbox id="checkSearchLocalSystem" label="&searchLocalSystem.label;" persist="checked" accesskey="&searchLocalSystem.accesskey;" oncommand="updateSearchLocalSystem();"/>
            <spacer flex="2"/>
            <button label="&helpButton.label;" align="end" oncommand="openHelp('search_messages');" accesskey="&helpButton.accesskey;"/> 
          </hbox>
diff --git a/mailnews/base/search/resources/locale/en-US/SearchDialog.dtd b/mailnews/base/search/resources/locale/en-US/SearchDialog.dtd
index ec27a6a03bf7..debc74c5667b 100644
--- a/mailnews/base/search/resources/locale/en-US/SearchDialog.dtd
+++ b/mailnews/base/search/resources/locale/en-US/SearchDialog.dtd
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
 <!ENTITY searchHeading.accesskey     "h">
 <!ENTITY searchSubfolders.label      "Search subfolders">
 <!ENTITY searchSubfolders.accesskey  "e">
+<!ENTITY searchLocalSystem.label     "Search local system">
+<!ENTITY searchLocalSystem.accesskey "y">
 <!ENTITY resetButton.label           "Clear">
 <!ENTITY resetButton.accesskey       "C">
 <!ENTITY helpButton.label            "Help">