diff --git a/src/com/android/dialer/DialtactsActivity.java b/src/com/android/dialer/DialtactsActivity.java
index 98f34b5..c88f70c 100644
--- a/src/com/android/dialer/DialtactsActivity.java
+++ b/src/com/android/dialer/DialtactsActivity.java
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@
 import android.widget.FrameLayout;
 import android.widget.ImageButton;
 import android.widget.PopupMenu;
+import android.widget.TextView;
 import android.widget.Toast;
 
 import com.android.contacts.common.activity.TransactionSafeActivity;
@@ -393,8 +394,8 @@
         actionBar.setDisplayShowCustomEnabled(true);
         actionBar.setBackgroundDrawable(null);
 
-        SearchEditTextLayout searchEditTextLayout =
-                (SearchEditTextLayout) actionBar.getCustomView().findViewById(R.id.search_view_container);
+        SearchEditTextLayout searchEditTextLayout = (SearchEditTextLayout) actionBar
+                .getCustomView().findViewById(R.id.search_view_container);
         searchEditTextLayout.setPreImeKeyListener(mSearchEditTextLayoutListener);
 
         mActionBarController = new ActionBarController(this, searchEditTextLayout);
@@ -545,6 +546,8 @@
             mListsFragment.showTab(ListsFragment.TAB_INDEX_RECENTS);
         }
 
+        setSearchBoxHint();
+
         Trace.endSection();
     }
 
@@ -839,6 +842,20 @@
         }
     }
 
+    protected int getSearchBoxHint () {
+        return R.string.dialer_hint_find_contact;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Sets the hint text for the contacts search box
+     */
+    private void setSearchBoxHint() {
+        SearchEditTextLayout searchEditTextLayout = (SearchEditTextLayout) getActionBar()
+                .getCustomView().findViewById(R.id.search_view_container);
+        ((TextView) searchEditTextLayout.findViewById(R.id.search_box_start_search))
+                .setHint(getSearchBoxHint());
+    }
+
     protected OptionsPopupMenu buildOptionsMenu(View invoker) {
         final OptionsPopupMenu popupMenu = new OptionsPopupMenu(this, invoker);
         popupMenu.inflate(R.menu.dialtacts_options);