diff --git a/ng2-components/ng2-alfresco-search/README.md b/ng2-components/ng2-alfresco-search/README.md
index 0d4e5894f0..9c93a3d395 100644
--- a/ng2-components/ng2-alfresco-search/README.md
+++ b/ng2-components/ng2-alfresco-search/README.md
@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ Also make sure you include these dependencies in your .html page:
 
 ```html
 <alfresco-search-control [searchTerm]="searchTerm"
+                        inputType="search"
                         (searchChange)="customMethod($event);">
 </alfresco-search-control>
 ```
@@ -141,7 +142,8 @@ bootstrap(SearchDemo, [
 
 #### Options
 
-**searchTerm**: {string} optional) default "". Search term to pre-populate the field with<br />
+**searchTerm**: {string} (optional) default "". Search term to pre-populate the field with<br />
+**inputType**: {string} (optional) default "text". Type of the input field to render, e.g. "search" or "text" (default)<br />
 
 ### Search results
 
diff --git a/ng2-components/ng2-alfresco-search/src/components/alfresco-search-control.component.html b/ng2-components/ng2-alfresco-search/src/components/alfresco-search-control.component.html
index 64de6b9438..9a9dcfadbf 100644
--- a/ng2-components/ng2-alfresco-search/src/components/alfresco-search-control.component.html
+++ b/ng2-components/ng2-alfresco-search/src/components/alfresco-search-control.component.html
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
             <i class="material-icons">search</i>
         </label>
         <div class="mdl-textfield__expandable-holder">
-            <input class="mdl-textfield__input" type="text" id="searchTerm" [ngFormControl]="searchControl" [(ngModel)]="searchTerm">
+            <input class="mdl-textfield__input" [type]="inputType" id="searchTerm" [ngFormControl]="searchControl" [(ngModel)]="searchTerm">
             <label class="mdl-textfield__label" for="searchTerm">Search content</label>
         </div>
     </div>
diff --git a/ng2-components/ng2-alfresco-search/src/components/alfresco-search-control.component.ts b/ng2-components/ng2-alfresco-search/src/components/alfresco-search-control.component.ts
index 509d5c09c8..7dde176be4 100644
--- a/ng2-components/ng2-alfresco-search/src/components/alfresco-search-control.component.ts
+++ b/ng2-components/ng2-alfresco-search/src/components/alfresco-search-control.component.ts
@@ -35,6 +35,9 @@ export class AlfrescoSearchControlComponent {
     @Input()
     searchTerm = '';
 
+    @Input()
+    inputType = 'text';
+
     @Output()
     searchChange = new EventEmitter();