diff --git a/mailnews/base/search/resources/content/FilterListDialog.js b/mailnews/base/search/resources/content/FilterListDialog.js
index f4bf6842336b..6e3ae1ee469f 100644
--- a/mailnews/base/search/resources/content/FilterListDialog.js
+++ b/mailnews/base/search/resources/content/FilterListDialog.js
@@ -158,6 +158,17 @@ function onServerClick(event)
     selectServer(item.id);
 }
 
+function CanRunFiltersAfterTheFact(aServer)
+{
+  // can't manually run news filters yet
+  if (aServer.type == "nntp")
+    return false;
+
+  // filter after the fact is implement using search
+  // so if you can't search, you can't filter after the fact
+  return aServer.canSearchMessages;
+}
+
 // roots the tree at the specified server
 function setServer(uri)
 {
@@ -180,12 +191,7 @@ function setServer(uri)
    gRunFiltersFolderPicker.setAttribute("ref", uri);
  
    // run filters after the fact not supported by news
-   if (msgFolder.server.type == "nntp" && !msgFolder.isServer) {
-     gRunFiltersFolderPicker.setAttribute("hidden", "true");
-     gRunFiltersButton.setAttribute("hidden", "true");
-     gRunFiltersFolderPickerLabel.setAttribute("hidden", "true");
-   }
-   else {
+   if (CanRunFiltersAfterTheFact(msgFolder.server)) {
      gRunFiltersFolderPicker.removeAttribute("hidden");
      gRunFiltersButton.removeAttribute("hidden");
      gRunFiltersFolderPickerLabel.removeAttribute("hidden");
@@ -193,6 +199,11 @@ function setServer(uri)
      // for POP3 and IMAP, select the first folder, which is the INBOX
      gRunFiltersFolderPicker.selectedIndex = 0;
    }
+   else {
+     gRunFiltersFolderPicker.setAttribute("hidden", "true");
+     gRunFiltersButton.setAttribute("hidden", "true");
+     gRunFiltersFolderPickerLabel.setAttribute("hidden", "true");
+   }
 
    // Get the first folder uri for this server. INBOX for
    // imap and pop accts and 1st news group for news.
diff --git a/mailnews/base/src/nsMsgDBView.cpp b/mailnews/base/src/nsMsgDBView.cpp
index 5c78d7b7fe6a..0035c009ed3c 100644
--- a/mailnews/base/src/nsMsgDBView.cpp
+++ b/mailnews/base/src/nsMsgDBView.cpp
@@ -1999,6 +1999,31 @@ NS_IMETHODIMP nsMsgDBView::DoCommand(nsMsgViewCommandTypeValue command)
   return rv;
 }
 
+PRBool nsMsgDBView::ServerSupportsFilterAfterTheFact()
+{
+  NS_ASSERTION(m_folder, "no folder!");
+  if (!m_folder)
+    return PR_FALSE; // unexpected
+
+  // can't manually run news filters yet
+  if (mIsNews)
+    return PR_FALSE;
+
+  nsCOMPtr <nsIMsgIncomingServer> server;
+  nsresult rv = m_folder->GetServer(getter_AddRefs(server));
+  if (NS_FAILED(rv))
+    return PR_FALSE; // unexpected
+
+  // filter after the fact is implement using search
+  // so if you can't search, you can't filter after the fact
+  PRBool canSearch;
+  rv = server->GetCanSearchMessages(&canSearch);
+  if (NS_FAILED(rv))
+    return PR_FALSE; // unexpected
+
+  return canSearch;
+}
+
 NS_IMETHODIMP nsMsgDBView::GetCommandStatus(nsMsgViewCommandTypeValue command, PRBool *selectable_p, nsMsgViewCommandCheckStateValue *selected_p)
 {
   nsresult rv = NS_OK;
@@ -2026,10 +2051,11 @@ NS_IMETHODIMP nsMsgDBView::GetCommandStatus(nsMsgViewCommandTypeValue command, P
     }
     break;
   case nsMsgViewCommandType::applyFilters:
-    // can't manually run news filters yet
     // disable if no messages
     // XXX todo, check that we have filters, and at least one is enabled
-    *selectable_p = GetSize() && !mIsNews; 
+    *selectable_p = GetSize();  
+    if (*selectable_p)
+      *selectable_p = ServerSupportsFilterAfterTheFact();
     break;
   case nsMsgViewCommandType::runJunkControls:
     // disable if no messages
@@ -5391,7 +5417,8 @@ nsMsgDBView::GetKeyForFirstSelectedMessage(nsMsgKey *key)
   PRInt32 startRange;
   PRInt32 endRange;
   nsresult rv = mTreeSelection->GetRangeAt(0, &startRange, &endRange);
-  NS_ENSURE_SUCCESS(rv, rv);
+  // don't assert, it is legal for nothing to be selected
+  if (NS_FAILED(rv)) return rv;
 
   // check that the first index is valid, it may not be if nothing is selected
   if (startRange >= 0 && startRange < GetSize()) {
diff --git a/mailnews/base/src/nsMsgDBView.h b/mailnews/base/src/nsMsgDBView.h
index b5e1f56cdbd8..c6cb27b33f6e 100644
--- a/mailnews/base/src/nsMsgDBView.h
+++ b/mailnews/base/src/nsMsgDBView.h
@@ -376,6 +376,7 @@ private:
   static nsDateFormatSelector  m_dateFormatDefault;
   static nsDateFormatSelector  m_dateFormatThisWeek;
   static nsDateFormatSelector  m_dateFormatToday;
+  PRBool ServerSupportsFilterAfterTheFact();
 };
 
 #endif