diff --git a/test/src/main/java/org/jvnet/hudson/test/HudsonTestCase.java b/test/src/main/java/org/jvnet/hudson/test/HudsonTestCase.java
index ffa698f0b30ce66d618b81b0f2ab5bbe138b7e6b..5cbad11d1b97d19f58f1dee99fe0fa409f51013a 100644
--- a/test/src/main/java/org/jvnet/hudson/test/HudsonTestCase.java
+++ b/test/src/main/java/org/jvnet/hudson/test/HudsonTestCase.java
@@ -318,6 +318,16 @@ public abstract class HudsonTestCase extends TestCase {
         new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(System.in)).readLine();
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Performs a search from the search box.
+     */
+    protected Page search(String q) throws Exception {
+        HtmlPage top = new WebClient().goTo("");
+        HtmlForm search = top.getFormByName("search");
+        search.getInputByName("q").setValueAttribute(q);
+        return search.submit(null);
+    }
+
     /**
      * Asserts that the outcome of the build is a specific outcome.
      */