diff --git a/searx/settings.yml b/searx/settings.yml
index 6e5556d0c..5aaf154df 100644
--- a/searx/settings.yml
+++ b/searx/settings.yml
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ search:
   # "seznam", "startpage", "swisscows", "qwant", "wikipedia" - leave blank to turn it off
   # by default.
   autocomplete: ""
+  # minimun characters to type before autocompleter starts
+  autocomplete_min: 4
   # Default search language - leave blank to detect from browser information or
   # use codes from 'languages.py'
   default_lang: ""
diff --git a/searx/settings_defaults.py b/searx/settings_defaults.py
index 7110fce93..938b9714d 100644
--- a/searx/settings_defaults.py
+++ b/searx/settings_defaults.py
@@ -153,6 +153,7 @@ SCHEMA = {
     'search': {
         'safe_search': SettingsValue((0, 1, 2), 0),
         'autocomplete': SettingsValue(str, ''),
+        'autocomplete_min': SettingsValue(int, 4),
         'default_lang': SettingsValue(tuple(LANGUAGE_CODES + ['']), ''),
         'languages': SettingSublistValue(LANGUAGE_CODES, LANGUAGE_CODES),
         'ban_time_on_fail': SettingsValue(numbers.Real, 5),
diff --git a/searx/static/themes/simple/src/js/main/search.js b/searx/static/themes/simple/src/js/main/search.js
index edd68d259..20e58e0fe 100644
--- a/searx/static/themes/simple/src/js/main/search.js
+++ b/searx/static/themes/simple/src/js/main/search.js
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@
             "Content-type": "application/x-www-form-urlencoded",
             "X-Requested-With": "XMLHttpRequest"
           },
-          MinChars: 4,
+          MinChars: searxng.settings.autocomplete_min,
           Delay: 300,
           _Position: function () {},
           _Open: function () {
diff --git a/searx/webapp.py b/searx/webapp.py
index b91e96df1..178500df6 100755
--- a/searx/webapp.py
+++ b/searx/webapp.py
@@ -449,6 +449,7 @@ def get_client_settings():
     req_pref = request.preferences
     return {
         'autocomplete_provider': req_pref.get_value('autocomplete'),
+        'autocomplete_min' : get_setting('search.autocomplete_min'),
         'http_method':  req_pref.get_value('method'),
         'infinite_scroll': req_pref.get_value('infinite_scroll'),
         'translations': get_translations(),