diff --git a/AppKit/CPSearchField.j b/AppKit/CPSearchField.j
index 0feb14bcb..69da1d846 100644
--- a/AppKit/CPSearchField.j
+++ b/AppKit/CPSearchField.j
@@ -497,12 +497,45 @@ var RECENT_SEARCH_PREFIX = @"   ";
         [super mouseDown:anEvent];
 }
 
+/*!
+    Provides the common case items for a recent searches menu. If there are not recent searches,
+    displays a single disabled item:
+    
+        No Recent Searches
+        
+    If there are 1 more recent searches, it displays:
+    
+        Recent Searches
+           recent search 1
+           recent search 2
+           etc.
+        ---------------------
+        Clear Recent Searches
+        
+    If you wish to add items before or after the template, you can. If you put items
+    before, a separator will automatically be placed before the default template item.
+    If you add items after the default template, it is your responsibility to add a separator.
+    
+    To add a custom item:
+
+    item = [[CPMenuItem alloc] initWithTitle:@"google" 
+                                      action:@selector(google:) 
+                               keyEquivalent:@""];
+    [item setTag:700];
+    [item setTarget:self];
+    [template addItem:item];
+        
+    Be sure that your custom items do not use tags in the range 1000-1004 inclusive.
+    If you wish to maintain state in custom menu items that you add, you will need to maintain
+    the item state yourself, then in the action method of the custom items, modify the items
+    in the search menu template and send [searchField setSearchMenuTemplate:template] to update the menu.
+*/
 - (CPMenu)defaultSearchMenuTemplate
 {
     var template = [[CPMenu alloc] init], 
         item;
         
-    item = [[CPMenuItem alloc] initWithTitle:@"Recent searches" 
+    item = [[CPMenuItem alloc] initWithTitle:@"Recent Searches" 
                                       action:nil 
                                keyEquivalent:@""];
     [item setTag:CPSearchFieldRecentsTitleMenuItemTag];
@@ -516,36 +549,20 @@ var RECENT_SEARCH_PREFIX = @"   ";
     [item setTarget:self];
     [template addItem:item];
     
-    item = [[CPMenuItem alloc] initWithTitle:@"Clear recent searches" 
+    item = [[CPMenuItem alloc] initWithTitle:@"Clear Recent Searches" 
                                       action:@selector(_searchFieldClearRecents:) 
                                keyEquivalent:@""];
     [item setTag:CPSearchFieldClearRecentsMenuItemTag];
     [item setTarget:self];
     [template addItem:item];
     
-    item = [[CPMenuItem alloc] initWithTitle:@"No recent searches" 
+    item = [[CPMenuItem alloc] initWithTitle:@"No Recent Searches" 
                                       action:nil 
                                keyEquivalent:@""];
     [item setTag:CPSearchFieldNoRecentsMenuItemTag];
     [item setEnabled:NO];
     [template addItem:item];
     
-    /*
-        To add a separator:
-        
-        [self _addSeparatorToMenu:template];
-        
-        
-        To add a custom item:
-    
-        item = [[CPMenuItem alloc] initWithTitle:@"google" 
-                                          action:@selector(_google:) 
-                                   keyEquivalent:@""];
-        [item setTag:@"google"];
-        [item setTarget:self];
-        [template addItem:item];
-    */
-    
     return template;
 }
 
@@ -603,6 +620,9 @@ var RECENT_SEARCH_PREFIX = @"   ";
             case CPSearchFieldNoRecentsMenuItemTag:
                 if (countOfRecents !== 0)
                     continue;
+                    
+                if ([menu numberOfItems] > 0)
+                    [self _addSeparatorToMenu:menu];
                 break;
                 
             case CPSearchFieldSeparatorMenuItemTag:
diff --git a/Tests/Manual/CPSearchField/AppController.j b/Tests/Manual/CPSearchField/AppController.j
index a637de37b..d4d4abd24 100644
--- a/Tests/Manual/CPSearchField/AppController.j
+++ b/Tests/Manual/CPSearchField/AppController.j
@@ -8,22 +8,28 @@
 @import <Foundation/Foundation.j>
 @import <AppKit/AppKit.j>
 
-var categories = ["firstName","lastName"];
+var categories = ["firstName","lastName"],
+    MenuItemPrefix = @"   ";
 
 @implementation AppController : CPObject
 {
-	CPSearchField searchField;	
-	CPTableView table;
+	CPSearchField   searchField;	
+	CPTableView     table;
 	
-	CPArray tableArray;
-	CPArray filteredArray;
+	CPArray         tableArray;
+	CPArray         filteredArray;
 	
-	CPInteger searchCategoryIndex;
+	CPMenu          searchMenuTemplate;
+	
+	CPArray         searchCategoryIndexes;
+	CPInteger       searchCategoryIndex;
 }
 
 - (void)applicationDidFinishLaunching:(CPNotification)aNotification
 {
 	searchCategoryIndex = 0;
+	searchCategoryIndexes = [CPArray arrayWithArray:[1, 2]];
+	
     var theWindow = [[CPWindow alloc] initWithContentRect:CPMakeRect(0,10,500,300) styleMask:CPTitledWindowMask|CPResizableWindowMask],
         contentView = [theWindow contentView];
     
@@ -37,43 +43,32 @@ var categories = ["firstName","lastName"];
     [searchField setTarget:self];
     [searchField setAction:@selector(updateFilter:)];
     [searchField setAutoresizingMask:CPViewWidthSizable];
-       
-    var template = [[CPMenu alloc] initWithTitle:@"Search Menu"];
+    
+    searchMenuTemplate = [searchField defaultSearchMenuTemplate];
                         
-    var item; 
-    item = [[CPMenuItem alloc] initWithTitle:@"Search by"
-                                       action:nil 
-                                keyEquivalent:@""];
-    [item setEnabled:NO];
-    [template addItem:item];
+    [searchMenuTemplate insertItemWithTitle:@"Search By"
+                                     action:nil 
+                              keyEquivalent:@""
+                                    atIndex:0];
 
-    item = [[CPMenuItem alloc] initWithTitle:@"First Name"
-                                       action:@selector(changeCategory:)
-                                keyEquivalent:@""];
+    var item = [[CPMenuItem alloc] initWithTitle:MenuItemPrefix + @"First Name"
+                                          action:@selector(changeCategory:)
+                                   keyEquivalent:@""];
+                                   
     [item setTarget:self];
     [item setTag:1];
-    [template addItem:item];
+    [item setState:CPOnState];
+    [searchMenuTemplate insertItem:item atIndex:1];
  
-    item = [[CPMenuItem alloc] initWithTitle:@"Last Name"
-                                       action:@selector(changeCategory:)
+    item = [[CPMenuItem alloc] initWithTitle:MenuItemPrefix + @"Last Name"
+                                      action:@selector(changeCategory:)
                                 keyEquivalent:@""];
     [item setTarget:self];
     [item setTag:2];
-    [template addItem:item];
- 
-  	item = [[CPMenuItem alloc] initWithTitle:@"Recent searches" action:NULL keyEquivalent:@""];
-    [item setTag:CPSearchFieldRecentsTitleMenuItemTag];
-    [template addItem:item];
-    
-    item = [[CPMenuItem alloc] initWithTitle:@"" action:NULL keyEquivalent:@""];
-    [item setTag:CPSearchFieldRecentsMenuItemTag];
-    [template addItem:item];
+    [item setState:CPOffState];
+    [searchMenuTemplate insertItem:item atIndex:2];
 
-    item = [[CPMenuItem alloc] initWithTitle:@"Clear recents" action:NULL keyEquivalent:@""];
-    [item setTag:CPSearchFieldClearRecentsMenuItemTag];
-    [template addItem:item];
-
-    [searchField setSearchMenuTemplate:template];
+    [searchField setSearchMenuTemplate:searchMenuTemplate];
     
     var button = [[CPButton alloc] initWithFrame:CGRectMakeZero()];
     [button setBackgroundColor:[CPColor greenColor]];
@@ -133,16 +128,25 @@ var categories = ["firstName","lastName"];
 
 - (void)changeCategory:(CPMenuItem)menuItem
 {
-	[[[searchField menu] itemArray] makeObjectsPerformSelector:@selector(setState:) withObject:0];
-	[menuItem setState:1];
     searchCategoryIndex = [menuItem tag] - 1;
-    [searchField setPlaceholderString:[menuItem title]];
+    [searchField setPlaceholderString:[[menuItem title] substringFromIndex:[MenuItemPrefix length]]];
+	
+    [self _updateSearchMenuTemplate];
+}
+
+- (void)_updateSearchMenuTemplate
+{
+    for (var i = 0; i < searchCategoryIndexes.length; ++i)
+    	[[searchMenuTemplate itemAtIndex:i + 1] setState:CPOffState];
+    	
+	[[searchMenuTemplate itemAtIndex:searchCategoryIndex + 1] setState:CPOnState];
+    [searchField setSearchMenuTemplate:searchMenuTemplate];
 }
 
 - (void)updateFilter:(id)sender
 {
 	var searchString = [searchField stringValue];
-
+	
 	filteredArray = [self filteredArrayWithString:searchString];
 	[table reloadData];
 }