diff --git a/gui/builtinMarketBrowser/pfSearchBox.py b/gui/builtinMarketBrowser/pfSearchBox.py
index 8d0871f6a..38706a34d 100644
--- a/gui/builtinMarketBrowser/pfSearchBox.py
+++ b/gui/builtinMarketBrowser/pfSearchBox.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 import wx
 import gui.utils.color as colorUtils
 import gui.utils.draw as drawUtils
+from gui.utils.helpers_wxPython import HandleCtrlBackspace
 
 SearchButton, EVT_SEARCH_BTN = wx.lib.newevent.NewEvent()
 CancelButton, EVT_CANCEL_BTN = wx.lib.newevent.NewEvent()
@@ -55,7 +56,7 @@ class PFSearchBox(wx.Window):
 
         self.EditBox.Bind(wx.EVT_SET_FOCUS, self.OnEditSetFocus)
         self.EditBox.Bind(wx.EVT_KILL_FOCUS, self.OnEditKillFocus)
-
+        self.EditBox.Bind(wx.EVT_KEY_DOWN, self.OnKeyPress)
         self.EditBox.Bind(wx.EVT_TEXT, self.OnText)
         self.EditBox.Bind(wx.EVT_TEXT_ENTER, self.OnTextEnter)
 
@@ -83,6 +84,12 @@ class PFSearchBox(wx.Window):
             self.Clear()
         event.Skip()
 
+    def OnKeyPress(self, event):
+        if event.RawControlDown() and event.GetKeyCode() == wx.WXK_BACK:
+           HandleCtrlBackspace(self.EditBox)
+        else:
+            event.Skip()
+
     def Clear(self):
         self.EditBox.Clear()
         # self.EditBox.ChangeValue(self.descriptiveText)
diff --git a/gui/builtinShipBrowser/navigationPanel.py b/gui/builtinShipBrowser/navigationPanel.py
index 204802c45..e7f339260 100644
--- a/gui/builtinShipBrowser/navigationPanel.py
+++ b/gui/builtinShipBrowser/navigationPanel.py
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import gui.utils.fonts as fonts
 from .events import FitSelected, SearchSelected, ImportSelected, Stage1Selected, Stage2Selected, Stage3Selected
 from gui.bitmap_loader import BitmapLoader
 from service.fit import Fit
+from gui.utils.helpers_wxPython import HandleCtrlBackspace
 
 pyfalog = Logger(__name__)
 
@@ -72,7 +73,7 @@ class NavigationPanel(SFItem.SFBrowserItem):
 
         # self.BrowserSearchBox.Bind(wx.EVT_TEXT_ENTER, self.OnBrowserSearchBoxEnter)
         # self.BrowserSearchBox.Bind(wx.EVT_KILL_FOCUS, self.OnBrowserSearchBoxLostFocus)
-        self.BrowserSearchBox.Bind(wx.EVT_KEY_DOWN, self.OnBrowserSearchBoxEsc)
+        self.BrowserSearchBox.Bind(wx.EVT_KEY_DOWN, self.OnBrowserSearchBoxKeyPress)
         self.BrowserSearchBox.Bind(wx.EVT_TEXT, self.OnScheduleSearch)
 
         self.SetMinSize(size)
@@ -103,9 +104,11 @@ class NavigationPanel(SFItem.SFBrowserItem):
     def OnBrowserSearchBoxLostFocus(self, event):
         self.BrowserSearchBox.Show(False)
 
-    def OnBrowserSearchBoxEsc(self, event):
+    def OnBrowserSearchBoxKeyPress(self, event):
         if event.GetKeyCode() == wx.WXK_ESCAPE:
             self.BrowserSearchBox.Show(False)
+        elif event.RawControlDown() and event.GetKeyCode() == wx.WXK_BACK:
+            HandleCtrlBackspace(self.BrowserSearchBox)
         else:
             event.Skip()
 
diff --git a/gui/utils/helpers_wxPython.py b/gui/utils/helpers_wxPython.py
index e0f9d0ae0..26f98c35d 100644
--- a/gui/utils/helpers_wxPython.py
+++ b/gui/utils/helpers_wxPython.py
@@ -6,3 +6,23 @@ def YesNoDialog(question='Are you sure you want to do this?', caption='Yes or no
     result = dlg.ShowModal() == wx.ID_YES
     dlg.Destroy()
     return result
+
+
+def HandleCtrlBackspace(textControl):
+    """
+    Handles the behavior of Windows ctrl+space
+    deletes everything from the cursor to the left,
+    up to the next whitespace.
+    """
+    curPos = textControl.GetInsertionPoint()
+    searchText = textControl.GetValue()
+    foundChar = False
+    for startIndex in range(curPos, -1, -1):
+        if startIndex - 1 < 0:
+            break
+        if searchText[startIndex - 1] != " ":
+            foundChar = True
+        elif foundChar:
+            break
+    textControl.Remove(startIndex, curPos)
+    textControl.SetInsertionPoint(startIndex)
\ No newline at end of file