diff --git a/modules/activiti-engine/src/main/java/org/activiti/engine/history/HistoricTaskInstanceQuery.java b/modules/activiti-engine/src/main/java/org/activiti/engine/history/HistoricTaskInstanceQuery.java
index 77fb9537d6986065cf0b3a19535fab8681aac4ee..ee06895ad701ad825eaebf767ddc6f2be5fba503 100644
--- a/modules/activiti-engine/src/main/java/org/activiti/engine/history/HistoricTaskInstanceQuery.java
+++ b/modules/activiti-engine/src/main/java/org/activiti/engine/history/HistoricTaskInstanceQuery.java
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ package org.activiti.engine.history;
 
 import java.io.Serializable;
 import java.util.Date;
+import java.util.List;
 
 import org.activiti.engine.query.Query;
 import org.activiti.engine.task.Task;
@@ -144,10 +145,26 @@ public interface HistoricTaskInstanceQuery  extends Query<HistoricTaskInstanceQu
    */
   HistoricTaskInstanceQuery taskOwnerLike(String taskOwnerLike);
   
+  /** Only select historic tasks for which the given user is a candidate. */
+  HistoricTaskInstanceQuery taskCandidateUser(String candidateUser);
+  
   /** Only select historic task for which there exist an {@link HistoricIdentityLink} with the given user, including tasks
    *  which have been assigned to the given user (assignee) or owned by the given user (owner). */
   HistoricTaskInstanceQuery taskInvolvedUser(String involvedUser);
   
+  /** Only select historic tasks for which users in the given group are candidates. */
+  HistoricTaskInstanceQuery taskCandidateGroup(String candidateGroup);
+  
+  /**
+   * Only select tasks for which the 'candidateGroup' is one of the given groups.
+   * 
+   * @throws ActivitiIllegalArgumentException 
+   *   When query is executed and {@link #taskCandidateGroup(String)} or 
+   *     {@link #taskCandidateUser(String)} has been executed on the query instance. 
+   *   When passed group list is empty or <code>null</code>. 
+   */
+  HistoricTaskInstanceQuery taskCandidateGroupIn(List<String> candidateGroups);
+  
   /** 
    * Only select historic task instances with the given priority.
    */
diff --git a/modules/activiti-engine/src/main/java/org/activiti/engine/impl/HistoricTaskInstanceQueryImpl.java b/modules/activiti-engine/src/main/java/org/activiti/engine/impl/HistoricTaskInstanceQueryImpl.java
index 2ffb672c592407d1ce1c6f4dba3f53fd979f3025..4c5563f1be98871de8f099028308a614a9411536 100644
--- a/modules/activiti-engine/src/main/java/org/activiti/engine/impl/HistoricTaskInstanceQueryImpl.java
+++ b/modules/activiti-engine/src/main/java/org/activiti/engine/impl/HistoricTaskInstanceQueryImpl.java
@@ -13,11 +13,14 @@
 
 package org.activiti.engine.impl;
 
+import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Date;
 import java.util.List;
 
+import org.activiti.engine.ActivitiIllegalArgumentException;
 import org.activiti.engine.history.HistoricTaskInstance;
 import org.activiti.engine.history.HistoricTaskInstanceQuery;
+import org.activiti.engine.identity.Group;
 import org.activiti.engine.impl.context.Context;
 import org.activiti.engine.impl.interceptor.CommandContext;
 import org.activiti.engine.impl.interceptor.CommandExecutor;
@@ -53,6 +56,9 @@ public class HistoricTaskInstanceQueryImpl extends AbstractVariableQueryImpl<His
   protected String taskAssigneeLike;
   protected String taskDefinitionKey;
   protected String taskDefinitionKeyLike;
+  protected String candidateUser;
+  protected String candidateGroup;
+  private List<String> candidateGroups;
   protected String involvedUser;
   protected Integer taskPriority;
   protected Integer taskMinPriority;
@@ -392,6 +398,53 @@ public class HistoricTaskInstanceQueryImpl extends AbstractVariableQueryImpl<His
     return this;
   }
   
+  public HistoricTaskInstanceQuery taskCandidateUser(String candidateUser) {
+    if (candidateUser == null) {
+      throw new ActivitiIllegalArgumentException("Candidate user is null");
+    }
+    if (candidateGroup != null) {
+      throw new ActivitiIllegalArgumentException("Invalid query usage: cannot set both candidateUser and candidateGroup");
+    }
+    if (candidateGroups != null) {
+      throw new ActivitiIllegalArgumentException("Invalid query usage: cannot set both candidateUser and candidateGroupIn");
+    }
+    this.candidateUser = candidateUser;
+    return this;
+  }
+  
+  public HistoricTaskInstanceQuery taskCandidateGroup(String candidateGroup) {
+    if (candidateGroup == null) {
+      throw new ActivitiIllegalArgumentException("Candidate group is null");
+    }
+    if (candidateUser != null) {
+      throw new ActivitiIllegalArgumentException("Invalid query usage: cannot set both candidateGroup and candidateUser");
+    }
+    if (candidateGroups != null) {
+      throw new ActivitiIllegalArgumentException("Invalid query usage: cannot set both candidateGroup and candidateGroupIn");
+    }
+    this.candidateGroup = candidateGroup;
+    return this;
+  }
+  
+  public HistoricTaskInstanceQuery taskCandidateGroupIn(List<String> candidateGroups) {
+    if(candidateGroups == null) {
+      throw new ActivitiIllegalArgumentException("Candidate group list is null");
+    }
+    if(candidateGroups.size()== 0) {
+      throw new ActivitiIllegalArgumentException("Candidate group list is empty");
+    }
+    
+    if (candidateUser != null) {
+      throw new ActivitiIllegalArgumentException("Invalid query usage: cannot set both candidateGroupIn and candidateUser");
+    }
+    if (candidateGroup != null) {
+      throw new ActivitiIllegalArgumentException("Invalid query usage: cannot set both candidateGroupIn and candidateGroup");
+    }
+    
+    this.candidateGroups = candidateGroups;
+    return this;
+  }
+  
   @Override
   public HistoricTaskInstanceQuery taskInvolvedUser(String involvedUser) {
     this.involvedUser = involvedUser;
@@ -503,7 +556,34 @@ public class HistoricTaskInstanceQueryImpl extends AbstractVariableQueryImpl<His
     }
     return specialOrderBy;
   }
-
+  
+  public List<String> getCandidateGroups() {
+    if (candidateGroup!=null) {
+      List<String> candidateGroupList = new java.util.ArrayList<String>(1);
+      candidateGroupList.add(candidateGroup);
+      return candidateGroupList;
+    } else if (candidateUser != null) {
+      return getGroupsForCandidateUser(candidateUser);
+    } else if(candidateGroups != null) {
+      return candidateGroups;
+    }
+    return null;
+  }
+  
+  protected List<String> getGroupsForCandidateUser(String candidateUser) {
+    // TODO: Discuss about removing this feature? Or document it properly and maybe recommend to not use it
+    // and explain alternatives
+    List<Group> groups = Context
+      .getCommandContext()
+      .getGroupIdentityManager()
+      .findGroupsByUser(candidateUser);
+    List<String> groupIds = new ArrayList<String>();
+    for (Group group : groups) {
+      groupIds.add(group.getId());
+    }
+    return groupIds;
+  }
+  
   // getters and setters //////////////////////////////////////////////////////
   
   public String getProcessInstanceId() {
@@ -566,6 +646,12 @@ public class HistoricTaskInstanceQueryImpl extends AbstractVariableQueryImpl<His
   public Date getCreationDate() {
     return creationDate;
   }
+  public String getCandidateUser() {
+    return candidateUser;
+  }
+  public String getCandidateGroup() {
+    return candidateGroup;
+  }
   public String getInvolvedUser() {
     return involvedUser;
   }
diff --git a/modules/activiti-engine/src/main/resources/org/activiti/db/mapping/entity/HistoricTaskInstance.xml b/modules/activiti-engine/src/main/resources/org/activiti/db/mapping/entity/HistoricTaskInstance.xml
index 7635f7e7a1f7e40fc24603231b2ab625fd65ce2c..23d7c9902fb2d7412963614213a1416c593116c9 100644
--- a/modules/activiti-engine/src/main/resources/org/activiti/db/mapping/entity/HistoricTaskInstance.xml
+++ b/modules/activiti-engine/src/main/resources/org/activiti/db/mapping/entity/HistoricTaskInstance.xml
@@ -240,6 +240,9 @@
   </sql>
   
   <sql id="commonSelectHistoricTaskInstancesByQueryCriteriaSql">
+    <if test="candidateUser != null || candidateGroups != null">
+      inner join ${prefix}ACT_HI_IDENTITYLINK HI on HI.TASK_ID_ = RES.ID_
+    </if>
     <if test="processFinished || processUnfinished || processInstanceBusinessKey != null || processInstanceBusinessKeyLike != null">
       inner join ${prefix}ACT_HI_PROCINST HPI ON RES.PROC_INST_ID_ = HPI.ID_
     </if>
@@ -377,6 +380,26 @@
       <if test="completedAfterDate != null">
         and RES.END_TIME_ &gt; #{completedAfterDate}
       </if>
+      <if test="candidateUser != null || candidateGroups != null">
+        and RES.ASSIGNEE_ is null
+        and HI.TYPE_ = 'candidate'
+        and
+        (
+          <if test="candidateUser != null">
+            HI.USER_ID_ = #{candidateUser}
+          </if>
+          <if test="candidateUser != null &amp;&amp; candidateGroups != null &amp;&amp; candidateGroups.size() &gt; 0">
+            or
+          </if>
+          <if test="candidateGroups != null &amp;&amp; candidateGroups.size() &gt; 0">
+            HI.GROUP_ID_ IN
+            <foreach item="group" index="index" collection="candidateGroups"
+                     open="(" separator="," close=")">
+              #{group}
+            </foreach>
+          </if>
+        )
+      </if>
       <if test="involvedUser != null">
         and (
           exists(select LINK.USER_ID_ from ${prefix}ACT_HI_IDENTITYLINK LINK where USER_ID_ = #{involvedUser} and LINK.TASK_ID_ = RES.ID_)
@@ -459,23 +482,23 @@
   </sql>
 
   <select id="selectHistoricTaskInstanceByNativeQuery" parameterType="java.util.Map" resultMap="historicTaskInstanceResultMap">
-  	<if test="resultType == 'LIST_PAGE'">
-    	${limitBefore}
+    <if test="resultType == 'LIST_PAGE'">
+      ${limitBefore}
     </if>
     ${sql}
     <if test="resultType == 'LIST_PAGE'">
-    	${limitAfter}
+      ${limitAfter}
     </if>
   </select>
   
   <select id="selectHistoricTaskInstanceByNativeQuery_mssql_or_db2" parameterType="java.util.Map" resultMap="historicTaskInstanceResultMap">
-  	<if test="resultType == 'LIST_PAGE'">
-        ${limitBeforeNativeQuery}
-  	</if>
-  	${sql} 
     <if test="resultType == 'LIST_PAGE'">
-  		${limitAfter}
-  	</if>
+      ${limitBeforeNativeQuery}
+    </if>
+    ${sql} 
+    <if test="resultType == 'LIST_PAGE'">
+      ${limitAfter}
+    </if>
   </select>
 
   <select id="selectHistoricTaskInstanceCountByNativeQuery" parameterType="java.util.Map" resultType="long">
diff --git a/modules/activiti-engine/src/test/java/org/activiti/engine/test/api/history/HistoricTaskAndVariablesQueryTest.java b/modules/activiti-engine/src/test/java/org/activiti/engine/test/api/history/HistoricTaskAndVariablesQueryTest.java
index d61ea8bdebd934b18b7ebf9ad0070cc5924dba8f..8759882682762624dc51fb32a9ae315d8f2e1f4f 100644
--- a/modules/activiti-engine/src/test/java/org/activiti/engine/test/api/history/HistoricTaskAndVariablesQueryTest.java
+++ b/modules/activiti-engine/src/test/java/org/activiti/engine/test/api/history/HistoricTaskAndVariablesQueryTest.java
@@ -143,6 +143,23 @@ public class HistoricTaskAndVariablesQueryTest extends PluggableActivitiTestCase
     }
   }
   
+  @Deployment
+  public void testCandidate() {
+    if(processEngineConfiguration.getHistoryLevel().isAtLeast(HistoryLevel.ACTIVITY)) {
+      List<HistoricTaskInstance> tasks = null;
+
+      tasks = historyService.createHistoricTaskInstanceQuery().taskCandidateUser("kermit").list();
+      assertEquals(2, tasks.size());
+      tasks = historyService.createHistoricTaskInstanceQuery().taskCandidateGroup("management").list();
+      assertEquals(0, tasks.size());
+      List<String> groups = new ArrayList<String>();
+      groups.add("management");
+      groups.add("accountancy");
+      tasks = historyService.createHistoricTaskInstanceQuery().taskCandidateGroupIn(groups).list();
+      assertEquals(0, tasks.size());
+    }
+  }
+  
   public void testQueryWithPagingAndVariables() {
     List<HistoricTaskInstance> tasks = historyService.createHistoricTaskInstanceQuery()
         .includeProcessVariables()
diff --git a/modules/activiti-engine/src/test/resources/org/activiti/engine/test/api/history/HistoricTaskAndVariablesQueryTest.testCandidate.bpmn20.xml b/modules/activiti-engine/src/test/resources/org/activiti/engine/test/api/history/HistoricTaskAndVariablesQueryTest.testCandidate.bpmn20.xml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..e4fd1feb0c7bdfcad93f23a6bd4bfe5036de4123
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/activiti-engine/src/test/resources/org/activiti/engine/test/api/history/HistoricTaskAndVariablesQueryTest.testCandidate.bpmn20.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
+<definitions
+  xmlns="http://www.omg.org/spec/BPMN/20100524/MODEL"
+  xmlns:activiti="http://activiti.org/bpmn"
+  targetNamespace="Examples">
+
+  <process id="oneTaskProcess" name="The One Task Process">
+  
+    <startEvent id="theStart" />
+    <sequenceFlow id="flow1" sourceRef="theStart" targetRef="theProcessTask" />
+    <userTask id="theProcessTask" name="my process task" activiti:candidateUsers="kermit" activiti:candidateGroups="management" />    
+    <sequenceFlow id="flow2" sourceRef="theProcessTask" targetRef="theEnd" />
+    <endEvent id="theEnd" />
+    
+  </process>
+
+</definitions>