diff --git a/client/src/main/java/com/mirth/connect/client/ui/browsers/message/MessageBrowserAdvancedFilter.java b/client/src/main/java/com/mirth/connect/client/ui/browsers/message/MessageBrowserAdvancedFilter.java
index 07ce2c2c57..519f9f2032 100644
--- a/client/src/main/java/com/mirth/connect/client/ui/browsers/message/MessageBrowserAdvancedFilter.java
+++ b/client/src/main/java/com/mirth/connect/client/ui/browsers/message/MessageBrowserAdvancedFilter.java
@@ -383,13 +383,13 @@ private List<MetaDataSearchElement> getMetaDataSearch() throws MetaDataColumnExc
         } else {
             for (int i = 0; i < rowCount; i++) {
                 String metaDataName = (String) model.getValueAt(i, 0);
-                String operator = ((MetaDataSearchOperator) model.getValueAt(i, 1)).toFullString();
+                MetaDataSearchOperator operator = (MetaDataSearchOperator) model.getValueAt(i, 1);
                 String searchText = (String) model.getValueAt(i, 2);
                 Boolean ignoreCase = (Boolean) model.getValueAt(i, 3);
+                MetaDataColumn column = cachedMetaDataColumns.get(metaDataName);
 
-                if (StringUtils.isNotEmpty(searchText)) {
-                    MetaDataColumn column = cachedMetaDataColumns.get(metaDataName);
-                    metaDataSearch.add(new MetaDataSearchElement(metaDataName, operator, column.getType().castValue(searchText), ignoreCase));
+                if (shouldIncludeMetaDataSearch(column.getType(), operator, searchText)) {
+                    metaDataSearch.add(new MetaDataSearchElement(metaDataName, operator.toFullString(), column.getType().castValue(searchText), ignoreCase));
                 }
             }
 
@@ -397,6 +397,10 @@ private List<MetaDataSearchElement> getMetaDataSearch() throws MetaDataColumnExc
         }
     }
 
+    static boolean shouldIncludeMetaDataSearch(MetaDataColumnType columnType, MetaDataSearchOperator operator, String searchText) {
+        return StringUtils.isNotEmpty(searchText) || (columnType == MetaDataColumnType.STRING && (operator == MetaDataSearchOperator.EQUAL || operator == MetaDataSearchOperator.NOT_EQUAL));
+    }
+
     @Override
     public void setVisible(boolean visible) {
         if (visible) {
diff --git a/client/src/test/java/com/mirth/connect/client/ui/browsers/message/MessageBrowserAdvancedFilterTest.java b/client/src/test/java/com/mirth/connect/client/ui/browsers/message/MessageBrowserAdvancedFilterTest.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..314e9cf175
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/src/test/java/com/mirth/connect/client/ui/browsers/message/MessageBrowserAdvancedFilterTest.java
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+package com.mirth.connect.client.ui.browsers.message;
+
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertFalse;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertTrue;
+
+import org.junit.Test;
+
+import com.mirth.connect.donkey.model.channel.MetaDataColumnType;
+import com.mirth.connect.model.filters.elements.MetaDataSearchOperator;
+
+public class MessageBrowserAdvancedFilterTest {
+
+    @Test
+    public void shouldIncludeBlankStringEqualitySearches() {
+        assertTrue(MessageBrowserAdvancedFilter.shouldIncludeMetaDataSearch(MetaDataColumnType.STRING, MetaDataSearchOperator.EQUAL, ""));
+        assertTrue(MessageBrowserAdvancedFilter.shouldIncludeMetaDataSearch(MetaDataColumnType.STRING, MetaDataSearchOperator.NOT_EQUAL, ""));
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void shouldIgnoreBlankNonEqualitySearches() {
+        assertFalse(MessageBrowserAdvancedFilter.shouldIncludeMetaDataSearch(MetaDataColumnType.STRING, MetaDataSearchOperator.CONTAINS, ""));
+        assertFalse(MessageBrowserAdvancedFilter.shouldIncludeMetaDataSearch(MetaDataColumnType.NUMBER, MetaDataSearchOperator.EQUAL, ""));
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void shouldIncludeNonBlankSearches() {
+        assertTrue(MessageBrowserAdvancedFilter.shouldIncludeMetaDataSearch(MetaDataColumnType.STRING, MetaDataSearchOperator.CONTAINS, "value"));
+        assertTrue(MessageBrowserAdvancedFilter.shouldIncludeMetaDataSearch(MetaDataColumnType.NUMBER, MetaDataSearchOperator.EQUAL, "1"));
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file