diff --git a/circ/circulation.pl b/circ/circulation.pl
index 7b35a8c860..9b925e29ad 100755
--- a/circ/circulation.pl
+++ b/circ/circulation.pl
@@ -150,8 +150,6 @@ my @failedreturns = $query->multi_param('failedreturn');
 our %return_failed = ();
 for (@failedreturns) { $return_failed{$_} = 1; }
 
-my $searchtype = $query->param('searchtype') || q{contain};
-
 my $branch = C4::Context->userenv->{'branch'};
 
 for my $barcode ( @$barcodes ) {
diff --git a/koha-tmpl/intranet-tmpl/prog/en/includes/member-search-box.inc b/koha-tmpl/intranet-tmpl/prog/en/includes/member-search-box.inc
index d1f21673ba..2655e4162d 100644
--- a/koha-tmpl/intranet-tmpl/prog/en/includes/member-search-box.inc
+++ b/koha-tmpl/intranet-tmpl/prog/en/includes/member-search-box.inc
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 [% USE Koha %]
 [% PROCESS 'patronfields.inc' %]
 [% IF CAN_user_borrowers_edit_borrowers %]
+    [%- SET searchtype = Koha.Preference('DefaultPatronSearchMethod') -%]
     [% IF( bs_tab_active ) %]
         <div id="patron_search" role="tabpanel" class="tab-pane active">
     [% ELSE %]
@@ -36,12 +37,12 @@
                 <div>
                     <label for="searchtype" class="control-label">Search type</label>
                     <select name="searchtype" id="searchtype" class="form-control">
-                        [% IF searchtype == 'start_with' %]
-                            <option value='start_with' selected='selected'>Starts with</option>
-                            <option value='contain'>Contains</option>
+                        [% IF searchtype == 'starts_with' %]
+                            <option value='starts_with' selected='selected'>Starts with</option>
+                            <option value='contains'>Contains</option>
                         [% ELSE %]
-                            <option value='start_with'>Starts with</option>
-                            <option value='contain' selected='selected'>Contains</option>
+                            <option value='starts_with'>Starts with</option>
+                            <option value='contains' selected='selected'>Contains</option>
                         [% END %]
                     </select>
                 </div>
diff --git a/koha-tmpl/intranet-tmpl/prog/en/includes/patron-search.inc b/koha-tmpl/intranet-tmpl/prog/en/includes/patron-search.inc
index afcb856534..e0c49c5506 100644
--- a/koha-tmpl/intranet-tmpl/prog/en/includes/patron-search.inc
+++ b/koha-tmpl/intranet-tmpl/prog/en/includes/patron-search.inc
@@ -20,7 +20,8 @@
 [%# - branch: select library list %]
 [%# - category: select patron category list %]
 [%# - search_field: select patron field list %]
-[%# - search_type: select 'contain' or 'start with' %]
+[%# - search_type: select 'contains' or 'starts with' %]
+[%- SET searchtype = Koha.Preference('DefaultPatronSearchMethod') -%]
 [% BLOCK patron_search_filters %]
     <form id="patron_search_form">
         <fieldset class="brief">
@@ -74,12 +75,12 @@
                         <li>
                             <label for="searchtype_filter">Search type:</label>
                             <select name="searchtype" id="searchtype_filter">
-                              [% IF searchtype == "start_with" %]
-                                <option value='start_with' selected="selected">Starts with</option>
-                                <option value="contain">Contains</option>
+                              [% IF searchtype == "starts_with" %]
+                                <option value='starts_with' selected="selected">Starts with</option>
+                                <option value="contains">Contains</option>
                               [% ELSE %]
-                                <option value='start_with'>Starts with</option>
-                                <option value="contain" selected="selected">Contains</option>
+                                <option value='starts_with'>Starts with</option>
+                                <option value="contains" selected="selected">Contains</option>
                               [% END %]
                             </select>
                         </li>
@@ -339,7 +340,7 @@
                     }
                     let patterns = pattern.split(/[\s,]+/).filter(function(s){ return s.length });
 
-                    let search_type = $("#searchtype_filter").val() || "contain";
+                    let search_type = $("#searchtype_filter").val() || "contains";
                     let search_fields = $("#searchfieldstype_filter").val();
                     if ( !search_fields ) {
                         search_fields = "[% Koha.Preference('DefaultPatronSearchFields') || 'firstname,middle_name,surname,othernames,cardnumber,userid' | html %]";
@@ -349,7 +350,7 @@
                     patterns.forEach(function(pattern,i){
                         let sub_or = [];
                         search_fields.split(',').forEach(function(attr,ii){
-                            sub_or.push({["me."+attr]:{"like":(search_type == "contain" ? "%" : "" ) + pattern + "%"}});
+                            sub_or.push({["me."+attr]:{"like":(search_type == "contains" ? "%" : "" ) + pattern + "%"}});
                             if ( attr == 'dateofbirth' ) {
                                 try {
                                     let d = $date_to_rfc3339(pattern);
@@ -368,7 +369,7 @@
                         patterns.forEach(function(pattern,i){
                             let sub_or = [];
                             sub_or.push({
-                                "extended_attributes.value": { "like": "%" + pattern + (search_type == "contain" ? "%" : "" )},
+                                "extended_attributes.value": { "like": "%" + pattern + (search_type == "contains" ? "%" : "" )},
                                 "extended_attributes.code": extended_attribute_types
                             });
                             subquery_and.push(sub_or);
@@ -758,7 +759,7 @@
         function update_search_description(){
             var searched = $("#searchfieldstype_filter").find("option:selected").text();
             if ( $("#search_patron_filter").val() ) {
-                if ( $("#searchtype_filter").val() == 'start_with' ) {
+                if ( $("#searchtype_filter").val() == 'starts_with' ) {
                     searched += _(" starting with ");
                 } else {
                     searched += _(" containing ");
@@ -846,7 +847,7 @@
 
         function clearFilters() {
             $("#searchfieldstype_filter option:first").prop("selected", true);
-            $("#searchtype_filter option[value='contain']").prop("selected", true);
+            $("#searchtype_filter option[value='[% searchtype || 'contains' | html %]']").prop("selected", true);
             $("#categorycode_filter option:first").prop("selected", true);
             $("#branchcode_filter option:first").prop("selected", true);
             $("#sort1_filter").val('').trigger("change");
diff --git a/koha-tmpl/intranet-tmpl/prog/en/modules/members/member.tt b/koha-tmpl/intranet-tmpl/prog/en/modules/members/member.tt
index 3ede0b421b..47f2031acd 100644
--- a/koha-tmpl/intranet-tmpl/prog/en/modules/members/member.tt
+++ b/koha-tmpl/intranet-tmpl/prog/en/modules/members/member.tt
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 [% SET libraries = Branches.all %]
 [% SET categories = Categories.all.unblessed %]
 [% SET columns = ['cardnumber', 'name-address', 'dateofbirth', 'branch', 'category', 'dateexpiry', 'checkouts', 'account_balance', 'borrowernotes', 'action'] %]
+[% SET searchtype = Koha.Preference('DefaultPatronSearchMethod') %]
 [% PROCESS 'patron-search.inc' %]
 [% INCLUDE 'doc-head-open.inc' %]
 <title>Patrons[% IF ( searching ) %] &rsaquo; Search results[% END %] &rsaquo; Koha</title>
@@ -282,7 +283,7 @@
                 $("searchfieldstype_filter").val("[% searchfieldstype | html %]");
             [% END %]
             [% IF searchtype %]
-                $("#searchtype_filter").val("[% searchtype | html %]");
+                $("#searchtype_filter option[value='[% searchtype | html %]']").prop("selected", true);
             [% END %]
             [% IF categorycode_filter %]
                 $("#categorycode_filter").val("[% categorycode_filter | html %]");
diff --git a/members/member.pl b/members/member.pl
index 54c3e81ac1..909341bcd7 100755
--- a/members/member.pl
+++ b/members/member.pl
@@ -75,7 +75,6 @@ $template->param(
     searchmember        => $searchmember,
     branchcode_filter   => scalar $input->param('branchcode_filter'),
     categorycode_filter => scalar $input->param('categorycode_filter'),
-    searchtype          => scalar $input->param('searchtype') || 'contain',
     searchfieldstype    => $searchfieldstype,
     PatronsPerPage      => C4::Context->preference("PatronsPerPage") || 20,
     do_not_defer_loading => !$defer_loading,