diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/web/ui/repo/component/property/BaseAssociationEditor.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/web/ui/repo/component/property/BaseAssociationEditor.java
index 6c660810ad..f15074685d 100644
--- a/source/java/org/alfresco/web/ui/repo/component/property/BaseAssociationEditor.java
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/web/ui/repo/component/property/BaseAssociationEditor.java
@@ -1025,7 +1025,12 @@ public abstract class BaseAssociationEditor extends UIInput
             
             if (contains != null && contains.length() > 0)
             {
-               String safeContains = contains.trim();
+               String safeContains = null;
+               if (contains != null && contains.length() > 0)
+               {
+                  safeContains = Utils.remove(contains.trim(), "\"");
+                  safeContains = safeContains.toLowerCase();
+               }
                
                // if the association's target is the person type search on the 
                // firstName and lastName properties instead of the name property