diff --git a/src/bitmessageqt/__init__.py b/src/bitmessageqt/__init__.py
index 0fdfd915..8433498f 100644
--- a/src/bitmessageqt/__init__.py
+++ b/src/bitmessageqt/__init__.py
@@ -1213,8 +1213,7 @@ class MyForm(settingsmixin.SMainWindow):
         queryreturn = helper_search.search_sql(xAddress, account, "sent", where, what, False)
 
         for row in queryreturn:
-            toAddress, fromAddress, subject, status, ackdata, lastactiontime = row
-            self.addMessageListItemSent(tableWidget, toAddress, fromAddress, subject, status, ackdata, lastactiontime)
+            self.addMessageListItemSent(tableWidget, *row)
 
         tableWidget.horizontalHeader().setSortIndicator(
             3, QtCore.Qt.DescendingOrder)
@@ -1246,7 +1245,7 @@ class MyForm(settingsmixin.SMainWindow):
         queryreturn = helper_search.search_sql(xAddress, account, folder, where, what, unreadOnly)
         
         for row in queryreturn:
-            msgfolder, msgid, toAddress, fromAddress, subject, received, read = row
+            toAddress, fromAddress, subject, msgfolder, msgid, received, read = row
             self.addMessageListItemInbox(tableWidget, msgfolder, msgid, toAddress, fromAddress, subject, received, read)
 
         tableWidget.horizontalHeader().setSortIndicator(
diff --git a/src/helper_search.py b/src/helper_search.py
index 69acec43..9fcb88b5 100644
--- a/src/helper_search.py
+++ b/src/helper_search.py
@@ -1,92 +1,113 @@
-"""Additional SQL helper for searching messages"""
+"""
+Additional SQL helper for searching messages.
+Used by :mod:`.bitmessageqt`.
+"""
 
 from helper_sql import sqlQuery
-
-try:
-    from PyQt4 import QtGui
-    haveQt = True
-except ImportError:
-    haveQt = False
+from tr import _translate
 
 
-def search_translate(context, text):
-    """Translation wrapper"""
-    if haveQt:
-        return QtGui.QApplication.translate(context, text)
-    return text.lower()
+def search_sql(
+    xAddress='toaddress', account=None, folder='inbox', where=None,
+    what=None, unreadOnly=False
+):
+    """
+    Search for messages from given account and folder having search term
+    in one of it's fields.
 
-
-def search_sql(xAddress="toaddress", account=None, folder="inbox", where=None, what=None, unreadOnly=False):
-    """Perform a search in mailbox tables"""
+    :param str xAddress: address field checked
+      ('fromaddress', 'toaddress' or 'both')
+    :param account: the account which is checked
+    :type account: :class:`.bitmessageqt.account.BMAccount`
+      instance
+    :param str folder: the folder which is checked
+    :param str where: message field which is checked ('toaddress',
+      'fromaddress', 'subject' or 'message'), by default check any field
+    :param str what: the search term
+    :param bool unreadOnly: if True, search only for unread messages
+    :return: all messages where <where> field contains <what>
+    :rtype: list[list]
+    """
     # pylint: disable=too-many-arguments, too-many-branches
-    if what is not None and what != "":
-        what = "%" + what + "%"
-        if where == search_translate("MainWindow", "To"):
-            where = "toaddress"
-        elif where == search_translate("MainWindow", "From"):
-            where = "fromaddress"
-        elif where == search_translate("MainWindow", "Subject"):
-            where = "subject"
-        elif where == search_translate("MainWindow", "Message"):
-            where = "message"
+    if what:
+        what = '%' + what + '%'
+        if where == _translate("MainWindow", "To"):
+            where = 'toaddress'
+        elif where == _translate("MainWindow", "From"):
+            where = 'fromaddress'
+        elif where == _translate("MainWindow", "Subject"):
+            where = 'subject'
+        elif where == _translate("MainWindow", "Message"):
+            where = 'message'
         else:
-            where = "toaddress || fromaddress || subject || message"
-    else:
-        what = None
+            where = 'toaddress || fromaddress || subject || message'
 
-    if folder == "sent":
-        sqlStatementBase = '''
-            SELECT toaddress, fromaddress, subject, status, ackdata, lastactiontime
-            FROM sent '''
-    else:
-        sqlStatementBase = '''SELECT folder, msgid, toaddress, fromaddress, subject, received, read
-            FROM inbox '''
+    sqlStatementBase = 'SELECT toaddress, fromaddress, subject, ' + (
+        'status, ackdata, lastactiontime FROM sent ' if folder == 'sent'
+        else 'folder, msgid, received, read FROM inbox '
+    )
 
     sqlStatementParts = []
     sqlArguments = []
     if account is not None:
         if xAddress == 'both':
-            sqlStatementParts.append("(fromaddress = ? OR toaddress = ?)")
+            sqlStatementParts.append('(fromaddress = ? OR toaddress = ?)')
             sqlArguments.append(account)
             sqlArguments.append(account)
         else:
-            sqlStatementParts.append(xAddress + " = ? ")
+            sqlStatementParts.append(xAddress + ' = ? ')
             sqlArguments.append(account)
     if folder is not None:
-        if folder == "new":
-            folder = "inbox"
+        if folder == 'new':
+            folder = 'inbox'
             unreadOnly = True
-        sqlStatementParts.append("folder = ? ")
+        sqlStatementParts.append('folder = ? ')
         sqlArguments.append(folder)
     else:
-        sqlStatementParts.append("folder != ?")
-        sqlArguments.append("trash")
-    if what is not None:
-        sqlStatementParts.append("%s LIKE ?" % (where))
+        sqlStatementParts.append('folder != ?')
+        sqlArguments.append('trash')
+    if what:
+        sqlStatementParts.append('%s LIKE ?' % (where))
         sqlArguments.append(what)
     if unreadOnly:
-        sqlStatementParts.append("read = 0")
+        sqlStatementParts.append('read = 0')
     if sqlStatementParts:
-        sqlStatementBase += "WHERE " + " AND ".join(sqlStatementParts)
-    if folder == "sent":
-        sqlStatementBase += " ORDER BY lastactiontime"
+        sqlStatementBase += 'WHERE ' + ' AND '.join(sqlStatementParts)
+    if folder == 'sent':
+        sqlStatementBase += ' ORDER BY lastactiontime'
     return sqlQuery(sqlStatementBase, sqlArguments)
 
 
-def check_match(toAddress, fromAddress, subject, message, where=None, what=None):
-    """Check if a single message matches a filter (used when new messages are added to messagelists)"""
+def check_match(
+        toAddress, fromAddress, subject, message, where=None, what=None):
+    """
+    Check if a single message matches a filter (used when new messages
+    are added to messagelists)
+    """
     # pylint: disable=too-many-arguments
-    if what is not None and what != "":
-        if where in (search_translate("MainWindow", "To"), search_translate("MainWindow", "All")):
-            if what.lower() not in toAddress.lower():
-                return False
-        elif where in (search_translate("MainWindow", "From"), search_translate("MainWindow", "All")):
-            if what.lower() not in fromAddress.lower():
-                return False
-        elif where in (search_translate("MainWindow", "Subject"), search_translate("MainWindow", "All")):
-            if what.lower() not in subject.lower():
-                return False
-        elif where in (search_translate("MainWindow", "Message"), search_translate("MainWindow", "All")):
-            if what.lower() not in message.lower():
-                return False
+    if not what:
+        return True
+
+    if where in (
+        _translate("MainWindow", "To"), _translate("MainWindow", "All")
+    ):
+        if what.lower() not in toAddress.lower():
+            return False
+    elif where in (
+        _translate("MainWindow", "From"), _translate("MainWindow", "All")
+    ):
+        if what.lower() not in fromAddress.lower():
+            return False
+    elif where in (
+        _translate("MainWindow", "Subject"),
+        _translate("MainWindow", "All")
+    ):
+        if what.lower() not in subject.lower():
+            return False
+    elif where in (
+        _translate("MainWindow", "Message"),
+        _translate("MainWindow", "All")
+    ):
+        if what.lower() not in message.lower():
+            return False
     return True