diff --git a/config/alfresco/templates/webscripts/org/alfresco/repository/site/sites.query.post.desc.xml b/config/alfresco/templates/webscripts/org/alfresco/repository/site/sites.query.post.desc.xml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e7eb0a44ed
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/alfresco/templates/webscripts/org/alfresco/repository/site/sites.query.post.desc.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+<webscript>
+  <shortname>SitesQuery</shortname>
+  <description>Queries the collection of sites.</description>
+  <url>/api/sites/query</url>
+  <format default="json"/>
+  <authentication>user</authentication>
+  <transaction>required</transaction>
+</webscript>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/config/alfresco/templates/webscripts/org/alfresco/repository/site/sites.query.post.json.ftl b/config/alfresco/templates/webscripts/org/alfresco/repository/site/sites.query.post.json.ftl
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0748caf69e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/alfresco/templates/webscripts/org/alfresco/repository/site/sites.query.post.json.ftl
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+<#import "site.lib.ftl" as siteLib/>
+
+[
+	<#list sites as site>
+		<@siteLib.siteJSON site=site/>
+		<#if site_has_next>,</#if>
+	</#list>
+]
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/config/alfresco/templates/webscripts/org/alfresco/repository/site/sites.query.post.json.js b/config/alfresco/templates/webscripts/org/alfresco/repository/site/sites.query.post.json.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..bf5b704bb7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/alfresco/templates/webscripts/org/alfresco/repository/site/sites.query.post.json.js
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+function main()
+{
+    var sites = null;
+    
+    // NOTE:
+    // This implementation is sufficient for the 3.1 requirement, but when site query is expanded
+    // it should be formalised in the underlying JS and JAVA API's.  Currently it is very simplistic
+    // as the current use case is very limited.    
+    if (json.has("shortName") == true)
+    {
+        var shortNameQuery = json.getJSONObject("shortName");
+        
+        // Get the matching mode required (default is "exact")
+        var matchMode = shortNameQuery.get("match")
+        var isMembershipMode = (matchMode == "exact-membership");
+        
+        // Get each short name and put the associated site in the list
+        if (shortNameQuery.has("values") == true)
+        {
+            var values = shortNameQuery.getJSONArray("values");
+            var len = values.length();
+            var username = person.properties.userName;
+            sites = new Array(len);
+            for (var index=0; index<len; index++)
+            {
+               var shortName = values.getString(index);
+               var site = siteService.getSite(shortName);
+               if (site != null && (!isMembershipMode || site.isMember(username)))
+               {
+                  sites.push(site);
+               }
+            }
+        }
+        // If the query has no values just continue as there will be no matches
+    }
+    
+    // Set the sites collection in the model
+    model.sites = sites != null ? sites : new Array(0);    
+}
+
+main();	
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/web/scripts/site/SiteServiceTest.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/web/scripts/site/SiteServiceTest.java
index 1981fd2c4a..187da74869 100644
--- a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/web/scripts/site/SiteServiceTest.java
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/web/scripts/site/SiteServiceTest.java
@@ -27,8 +27,10 @@ package org.alfresco.repo.web.scripts.site;
 import java.io.Serializable;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.HashMap;
+import java.util.HashSet;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
+import java.util.Set;
 
 import org.alfresco.model.ContentModel;
 import org.alfresco.repo.security.authentication.AuthenticationComponent;
@@ -72,6 +74,7 @@ public class SiteServiceTest extends BaseWebScriptTest
     private static final String USER_THREE = "SiteTestThree";
     
     private static final String URL_SITES = "/api/sites";
+    private static final String URL_SITES_QUERY = URL_SITES + "/query";
     private static final String URL_MEMBERSHIPS = "/memberships";
     
     private List<String> createdSites = new ArrayList<String>(5);
@@ -193,6 +196,62 @@ public class SiteServiceTest extends BaseWebScriptTest
         assertEquals(5, result.length());
     }
     
+    /**
+     * https://issues.alfresco.com/jira/browse/JAWS-456
+     */
+    public void testQuerySites() throws Exception
+    {
+        // Generate the short names of the sites
+        String[] shortNames = new String[]{GUID.generate(), GUID.generate(), GUID.generate(), GUID.generate(), GUID.generate()};
+        
+        // Create the sites
+        createSite("myPreset", shortNames[0], "myTitle", "myDescription", true, 200);
+        createSite("myPreset", shortNames[1], "myTitle", "myDescription", true, 200);
+        createSite("myPreset", shortNames[2], "myTitle", "myDescription", true, 200);
+        createSite("myPreset", shortNames[3], "myTitle", "myDescription", true, 200);
+        createSite("myPreset", shortNames[4], "myTitle", "myDescription", true, 200);
+        
+        // build query json
+        JSONObject shortNameQuery = new JSONObject();
+        shortNameQuery.put("match", "exact");
+        JSONArray valuesArray = new JSONArray();
+        valuesArray.put(0, shortNames[0]);
+        valuesArray.put(1, shortNames[2]);
+        valuesArray.put(2, shortNames[4]);
+        valuesArray.put(3, "bobbins");
+        shortNameQuery.put("values", valuesArray);
+        JSONObject query = new JSONObject();
+        query.put("shortName", shortNameQuery);
+        
+        // execute site query
+        Response response = sendRequest(new PostRequest(URL_SITES_QUERY, query.toString(), "application/json"), 200);
+        JSONArray result = new JSONArray(response.getContentAsString());
+        
+        // check we have the results we expect
+        assertEquals(3, result.length());
+        Set<String> resultSet = new HashSet<String>();
+        for (int i=0; i<result.length(); i++)
+        {
+           resultSet.add((String)result.getJSONObject(i).get("shortName"));
+        }
+        assertTrue(resultSet.contains(shortNames[0]));
+        assertFalse(resultSet.contains(shortNames[1]));
+        assertTrue(resultSet.contains(shortNames[2]));
+        assertFalse(resultSet.contains(shortNames[3]));
+        assertTrue(resultSet.contains(shortNames[4]));
+        assertFalse(resultSet.contains("bobbins"));
+        
+        // sample one of the returned sites and check it's what we expect
+        JSONObject site = result.getJSONObject(0);
+        assertNotNull(site);
+        assertEquals("myPreset", site.get("sitePreset"));
+        assertEquals("myTitle", site.get("title"));
+        assertEquals("myDescription", site.get("description"));
+        assertNotNull(site.get("node"));
+        assertNotNull(site.get("tagScope"));
+        assertTrue(site.getBoolean("isPublic"));
+    }
+    
     public void testGetSite() throws Exception
     {
         // Get a site that doesn't exist