diff --git a/lib/search-query-parser.js b/lib/search-query-parser.js
index d5bd2f1..d1f2a4d 100644
--- a/lib/search-query-parser.js
+++ b/lib/search-query-parser.js
@@ -27,8 +27,34 @@ exports.parse = function (string, options) {
   else {
     // Our object to store the query object
     var query = {text: []};
-    // Get a list of search term. Reverse to ensure proper order when pop()'ing.
-    var terms = string.split(' ').reverse();
+    // Get a list of search terms respecting single and double quotes
+    var terms = string.match(/(\S+:'(?:[^'\\]|\\.)*')|(\S+:"(?:[^"\\]|\\.)*")|\S+|\S+:\S+/g);
+    for (var i = 0; i < terms.length; i++) {
+      var sepIndex = terms[i].indexOf(':');
+      if(sepIndex !== -1) {
+        var split = terms[i].split(':'),
+            key = terms[i].slice(0, sepIndex),
+            val = terms[i].slice(sepIndex + 1);
+        // Strip surrounding quotes
+        val = val.replace(/^\"|\"$|^\'|\'$/g, '');
+        // Strip backslashes respecting escapes
+        val = (val + '').replace(/\\(.?)/g, function (s, n1) {
+          switch (n1) {
+          case '\\':
+            return '\\';
+          case '0':
+            return '\u0000';
+          case '':
+            return '';
+          default:
+            return n1;
+          }
+        });
+        terms[i] = key + ':' + val;
+      }
+    };
+    // Reverse to ensure proper order when pop()'ing.
+    terms.reverse();
     // For each search term
     while (term = terms.pop()) {
       // Advanced search terms syntax has key and value
diff --git a/test/test.js b/test/test.js
index 414ab0b..14385a6 100644
--- a/test/test.js
+++ b/test/test.js
@@ -201,4 +201,26 @@ describe('Search query syntax parser', function () {
   });
 
 
+  it('should not split on spaces inside single and double quotes', function () {
+    var searchQuery = 'name:"Bob Saget" description:\'Banana Sandwiche\'';
+    var options = {keywords: ['name', 'description']};
+    var parsedSearchQuery = searchquery.parse(searchQuery, options);
+
+    parsedSearchQuery.should.be.an.Object;
+    parsedSearchQuery.should.have.property('name', 'Bob Saget');
+    parsedSearchQuery.should.have.property('description', 'Banana Sandwiche');
+  });
+
+
+  it('should correctly handle escaped single and double quotes', function () {
+    var searchQuery = 'case1:"This \\"is\\" \'a\' test" case2:\'This "is" \\\'a\\\' test\'';
+    var options = {keywords: ['case1', 'case2']};
+    var parsedSearchQuery = searchquery.parse(searchQuery, options);
+
+    parsedSearchQuery.should.be.an.Object;
+    parsedSearchQuery.should.have.property('case1', 'This "is" \'a\' test');
+    parsedSearchQuery.should.have.property('case2', 'This "is" \'a\' test');
+  });
+
+
 });