diff --git a/server/AyaNova/PickList/PickListSqlBuilder.cs b/server/AyaNova/PickList/PickListSqlBuilder.cs
index 21f0c6b3..3a8b22c3 100644
--- a/server/AyaNova/PickList/PickListSqlBuilder.cs
+++ b/server/AyaNova/PickList/PickListSqlBuilder.cs
@@ -29,6 +29,9 @@ namespace AyaNova.PickList
             //it should return results based on the query where there is a single name (display) column and an id column for rowid
             //and the fields should be combined in a standard way separated by spaces "Widget widgetserial username" for compactness
 
+            //determine this in advance as it will be used in a loop later
+            bool HasAutoCompleteQuery = !string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(autoCompleteQuery);
+
             //lists to collect the clauses so to avoid comma fuckery
             List<string> lSelect = new List<string>();
             List<string> lWhere = new List<string>();
@@ -46,7 +49,8 @@ namespace AyaNova.PickList
             {
                 AyaPickListFieldDefinition activeColumn = pickList.ColumnDefinitions.FirstOrDefault(x => x.IsActiveColumn == true);
                 //it's ok if there is no active column, it could happen so just roll with it
-                if(activeColumn!=null){
+                if (activeColumn != null)
+                {
                     lWhere.Add(activeColumn.SqlValueColumnName + " = true");
                 }
             }
@@ -65,19 +69,25 @@ namespace AyaNova.PickList
                 {//Ignore missing fields in production
 
                     var valueColumnName = o.GetSqlValueColumnName();
-
                     lSelect.Add(valueColumnName);
-                    string sWhere = $"{valueColumnName} LIKE '%{autoCompleteQuery"
-
-
-
-
 
+                    if (HasAutoCompleteQuery)
+                    {
+                        string sWhere = $"{valueColumnName} LIKE '%{autoCompleteQuery}%'";
+                        lWhere.Add(sWhere);
+                    }
 
                 }
             }
 
 
+//Now build up the return query
+//select
+//from
+//where
+//orderby
+//limit, actual sql: "LIMIT {MAXIMUM_RESULT_COUNT}"
+
             return sbSelect.ToString() + pickList.SQLFrom + sbWhere.ToString();
 
         }