diff --git a/api.search/src/org/netbeans/modules/search/BasicSearchForm.java b/api.search/src/org/netbeans/modules/search/BasicSearchForm.java
--- a/api.search/src/org/netbeans/modules/search/BasicSearchForm.java
+++ b/api.search/src/org/netbeans/modules/search/BasicSearchForm.java
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@
 
 import java.awt.Color;
 import java.awt.Component;
+import java.awt.EventQueue;
 import java.awt.FlowLayout;
 import java.awt.ItemSelectable;
 import java.awt.event.ActionEvent;
@@ -420,10 +421,7 @@
 
             @Override
             public void stateChanged(ChangeEvent e) {
-                searchCriteria.setFileNamePattern(
-                        cboxFileNamePattern.getFileNamePattern());
-                searchCriteria.setFileNameRegexp(
-                        cboxFileNamePattern.isRegularExpression());
+                fileNamePatternChanged();
             }
         });
 
@@ -451,6 +449,32 @@
         });
     }
 
+    private void fileNamePatternChanged() {
+        final String pattern = cboxFileNamePattern.getFileNamePattern();
+        if (!fileNameWildcardsAdded && pattern.length() == 1
+                && pattern.matches("\\w")) {                            //NOI18N
+            fileNameWildcardsAdded = true;
+            // TODO: Use document filter instead, update FileNameController API.
+            EventQueue.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
+                public void run() {
+                    cboxFileNamePattern.setFileNamePattern(
+                            "*" + pattern + "*");                       //NOI18N
+                    Component ec = cboxFileNamePattern.getComponent()
+                            .getEditor().getEditorComponent();
+                    if (ec instanceof JTextComponent) {
+                        JTextComponent tc = (JTextComponent) ec;
+                        tc.setCaretPosition(2);
+                    }
+                }
+            });
+        } else {
+            searchCriteria.setFileNamePattern(
+                    cboxFileNamePattern.getFileNamePattern());
+            searchCriteria.setFileNameRegexp(
+                    cboxFileNamePattern.isRegularExpression());
+        }
+    }
+
     private void openTextPatternSandbox() {
 
         SearchPattern sp = cboxTextToFind.getSearchPattern();
@@ -759,6 +783,7 @@
     private boolean invalidTextPattern = false;
     private boolean invalidReplacePattern = false;
     private ScopeOptionsController scopeSettingsPanel;
+    private boolean fileNameWildcardsAdded = false;
 
     /**
      * Form panel to which rows can be added.