diff --git a/buildSrc/src/main/resources/checkstyle_suppressions.xml b/buildSrc/src/main/resources/checkstyle_suppressions.xml
index 83b4e332cbf..ab6dc1625d4 100644
--- a/buildSrc/src/main/resources/checkstyle_suppressions.xml
+++ b/buildSrc/src/main/resources/checkstyle_suppressions.xml
@@ -40,7 +40,6 @@
   <suppress files="core[/\\]src[/\\]main[/\\]java[/\\]org[/\\]elasticsearch[/\\]action[/\\]admin[/\\]cluster[/\\]settings[/\\]SettingsUpdater.java" checks="LineLength" />
   <suppress files="core[/\\]src[/\\]main[/\\]java[/\\]org[/\\]elasticsearch[/\\]action[/\\]admin[/\\]cluster[/\\]shards[/\\]ClusterSearchShardsAction.java" checks="LineLength" />
   <suppress files="core[/\\]src[/\\]main[/\\]java[/\\]org[/\\]elasticsearch[/\\]action[/\\]admin[/\\]cluster[/\\]shards[/\\]ClusterSearchShardsRequestBuilder.java" checks="LineLength" />
-  <suppress files="core[/\\]src[/\\]main[/\\]java[/\\]org[/\\]elasticsearch[/\\]action[/\\]admin[/\\]cluster[/\\]shards[/\\]TransportClusterSearchShardsAction.java" checks="LineLength" />
   <suppress files="core[/\\]src[/\\]main[/\\]java[/\\]org[/\\]elasticsearch[/\\]action[/\\]admin[/\\]cluster[/\\]snapshots[/\\]create[/\\]CreateSnapshotRequestBuilder.java" checks="LineLength" />
   <suppress files="core[/\\]src[/\\]main[/\\]java[/\\]org[/\\]elasticsearch[/\\]action[/\\]admin[/\\]cluster[/\\]snapshots[/\\]create[/\\]TransportCreateSnapshotAction.java" checks="LineLength" />
   <suppress files="core[/\\]src[/\\]main[/\\]java[/\\]org[/\\]elasticsearch[/\\]action[/\\]admin[/\\]cluster[/\\]snapshots[/\\]delete[/\\]DeleteSnapshotRequestBuilder.java" checks="LineLength" />
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/admin/cluster/shards/ClusterSearchShardsResponse.java b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/admin/cluster/shards/ClusterSearchShardsResponse.java
index 140a0141a2d..c9b53fee150 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/admin/cluster/shards/ClusterSearchShardsResponse.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/admin/cluster/shards/ClusterSearchShardsResponse.java
@@ -19,24 +19,37 @@
 
 package org.elasticsearch.action.admin.cluster.shards;
 
+import org.elasticsearch.Version;
 import org.elasticsearch.action.ActionResponse;
 import org.elasticsearch.cluster.node.DiscoveryNode;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.io.stream.StreamInput;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.io.stream.StreamOutput;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.xcontent.ToXContent;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.xcontent.XContentBuilder;
+import org.elasticsearch.search.internal.AliasFilter;
 
 import java.io.IOException;
+import java.util.HashMap;
+import java.util.Map;
 
 public class ClusterSearchShardsResponse extends ActionResponse implements ToXContent {
+    public static final Version V_5_1_0_UNRELEASED = Version.fromId(5010099);
 
     private ClusterSearchShardsGroup[] groups;
     private DiscoveryNode[] nodes;
+    private Map<String, AliasFilter> indicesAndFilters;
 
     ClusterSearchShardsResponse() {
 
     }
 
+    ClusterSearchShardsResponse(ClusterSearchShardsGroup[] groups, DiscoveryNode[] nodes,
+                                       Map<String, AliasFilter> indicesAndFilters) {
+        this.groups = groups;
+        this.nodes = nodes;
+        this.indicesAndFilters = indicesAndFilters;
+    }
+
     public ClusterSearchShardsGroup[] getGroups() {
         return groups;
     }
@@ -45,9 +58,8 @@ public class ClusterSearchShardsResponse extends ActionResponse implements ToXCo
         return nodes;
     }
 
-    public ClusterSearchShardsResponse(ClusterSearchShardsGroup[] groups, DiscoveryNode[] nodes) {
-        this.groups = groups;
-        this.nodes = nodes;
+    public Map<String, AliasFilter> getIndicesAndFilters() {
+        return indicesAndFilters;
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -61,7 +73,15 @@ public class ClusterSearchShardsResponse extends ActionResponse implements ToXCo
         for (int i = 0; i < nodes.length; i++) {
             nodes[i] = new DiscoveryNode(in);
         }
-
+        if (in.getVersion().onOrAfter(V_5_1_0_UNRELEASED)) {
+            int size = in.readVInt();
+            indicesAndFilters = new HashMap<>();
+            for (int i = 0; i < size; i++) {
+                String index = in.readString();
+                AliasFilter aliasFilter = new AliasFilter(in);
+                indicesAndFilters.put(index, aliasFilter);
+            }
+        }
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -75,6 +95,13 @@ public class ClusterSearchShardsResponse extends ActionResponse implements ToXCo
         for (DiscoveryNode node : nodes) {
             node.writeTo(out);
         }
+        if (out.getVersion().onOrAfter(V_5_1_0_UNRELEASED)) {
+            out.writeVInt(indicesAndFilters.size());
+            for (Map.Entry<String, AliasFilter> entry : indicesAndFilters.entrySet()) {
+                out.writeString(entry.getKey());
+                entry.getValue().writeTo(out);
+            }
+        }
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -84,6 +111,20 @@ public class ClusterSearchShardsResponse extends ActionResponse implements ToXCo
             node.toXContent(builder, params);
         }
         builder.endObject();
+        if (indicesAndFilters != null) {
+            builder.startObject("indices");
+            for (Map.Entry<String, AliasFilter> entry : indicesAndFilters.entrySet()) {
+                String index = entry.getKey();
+                builder.startObject(index);
+                AliasFilter aliasFilter = entry.getValue();
+                if (aliasFilter.getQueryBuilder() != null) {
+                    builder.field("filter");
+                    aliasFilter.getQueryBuilder().toXContent(builder, params);
+                }
+                builder.endObject();
+            }
+            builder.endObject();
+        }
         builder.startArray("shards");
         for (ClusterSearchShardsGroup group : groups) {
             group.toXContent(builder, params);
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/admin/cluster/shards/TransportClusterSearchShardsAction.java b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/admin/cluster/shards/TransportClusterSearchShardsAction.java
index 087597d47fc..01aafc0b0a9 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/admin/cluster/shards/TransportClusterSearchShardsAction.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/admin/cluster/shards/TransportClusterSearchShardsAction.java
@@ -33,21 +33,29 @@ import org.elasticsearch.cluster.routing.ShardRouting;
 import org.elasticsearch.cluster.service.ClusterService;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.inject.Inject;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.settings.Settings;
-import org.elasticsearch.index.Index;
 import org.elasticsearch.index.shard.ShardId;
+import org.elasticsearch.indices.IndicesService;
+import org.elasticsearch.search.internal.AliasFilter;
 import org.elasticsearch.threadpool.ThreadPool;
 import org.elasticsearch.transport.TransportService;
 
+import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.HashSet;
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Set;
 
-public class TransportClusterSearchShardsAction extends TransportMasterNodeReadAction<ClusterSearchShardsRequest, ClusterSearchShardsResponse> {
+public class TransportClusterSearchShardsAction extends
+        TransportMasterNodeReadAction<ClusterSearchShardsRequest, ClusterSearchShardsResponse> {
+
+    private final IndicesService indicesService;
 
     @Inject
     public TransportClusterSearchShardsAction(Settings settings, TransportService transportService, ClusterService clusterService,
-                                              ThreadPool threadPool, ActionFilters actionFilters, IndexNameExpressionResolver indexNameExpressionResolver) {
-        super(settings, ClusterSearchShardsAction.NAME, transportService, clusterService, threadPool, actionFilters, indexNameExpressionResolver, ClusterSearchShardsRequest::new);
+                                              IndicesService indicesService, ThreadPool threadPool, ActionFilters actionFilters,
+                                              IndexNameExpressionResolver indexNameExpressionResolver) {
+        super(settings, ClusterSearchShardsAction.NAME, transportService, clusterService, threadPool, actionFilters,
+                indexNameExpressionResolver, ClusterSearchShardsRequest::new);
+        this.indicesService = indicesService;
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -58,7 +66,8 @@ public class TransportClusterSearchShardsAction extends TransportMasterNodeReadA
 
     @Override
     protected ClusterBlockException checkBlock(ClusterSearchShardsRequest request, ClusterState state) {
-        return state.blocks().indicesBlockedException(ClusterBlockLevel.METADATA_READ, indexNameExpressionResolver.concreteIndexNames(state, request));
+        return state.blocks().indicesBlockedException(ClusterBlockLevel.METADATA_READ,
+                indexNameExpressionResolver.concreteIndexNames(state, request));
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -67,12 +76,20 @@ public class TransportClusterSearchShardsAction extends TransportMasterNodeReadA
     }
 
     @Override
-    protected void masterOperation(final ClusterSearchShardsRequest request, final ClusterState state, final ActionListener<ClusterSearchShardsResponse> listener) {
+    protected void masterOperation(final ClusterSearchShardsRequest request, final ClusterState state,
+                                   final ActionListener<ClusterSearchShardsResponse> listener) {
         ClusterState clusterState = clusterService.state();
         String[] concreteIndices = indexNameExpressionResolver.concreteIndexNames(clusterState, request);
         Map<String, Set<String>> routingMap = indexNameExpressionResolver.resolveSearchRouting(state, request.routing(), request.indices());
+        Map<String, AliasFilter> indicesAndFilters = new HashMap<>();
+        for (String index : concreteIndices) {
+            AliasFilter aliasFilter = indicesService.buildAliasFilter(clusterState, index, request.indices());
+            indicesAndFilters.put(index, aliasFilter);
+        }
+
         Set<String> nodeIds = new HashSet<>();
-        GroupShardsIterator groupShardsIterator = clusterService.operationRouting().searchShards(clusterState, concreteIndices, routingMap, request.preference());
+        GroupShardsIterator groupShardsIterator = clusterService.operationRouting().searchShards(clusterState, concreteIndices,
+                routingMap, request.preference());
         ShardRouting shard;
         ClusterSearchShardsGroup[] groupResponses = new ClusterSearchShardsGroup[groupShardsIterator.size()];
         int currentGroup = 0;
@@ -92,6 +109,6 @@ public class TransportClusterSearchShardsAction extends TransportMasterNodeReadA
         for (String nodeId : nodeIds) {
             nodes[currentNode++] = clusterState.getNodes().get(nodeId);
         }
-        listener.onResponse(new ClusterSearchShardsResponse(groupResponses, nodes));
+        listener.onResponse(new ClusterSearchShardsResponse(groupResponses, nodes, indicesAndFilters));
     }
 }
diff --git a/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/VersionTests.java b/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/VersionTests.java
index 6ffa9f0a390..ece8fc7d5af 100644
--- a/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/VersionTests.java
+++ b/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/VersionTests.java
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 package org.elasticsearch;
 
 import org.elasticsearch.action.admin.cluster.shards.ClusterSearchShardsRequest;
+import org.elasticsearch.action.admin.cluster.shards.ClusterSearchShardsResponse;
 import org.elasticsearch.cluster.metadata.IndexMetaData;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.lucene.Lucene;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.settings.Settings;
@@ -291,6 +292,7 @@ public class VersionTests extends ESTestCase {
         assertUnknownVersion(Script.V_5_1_0_UNRELEASED);
         // once we released 5.0.0 and it's added to Version.java we need to remove this constant
         assertUnknownVersion(ClusterSearchShardsRequest.V_5_1_0_UNRELEASED);
+        assertUnknownVersion(ClusterSearchShardsResponse.V_5_1_0_UNRELEASED);
     }
 
     public static void assertUnknownVersion(Version version) {
diff --git a/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/action/admin/cluster/shards/ClusterSearchShardsRequestTests.java b/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/action/admin/cluster/shards/ClusterSearchShardsRequestTests.java
index 7c38a7ff656..f5fa046f4c2 100644
--- a/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/action/admin/cluster/shards/ClusterSearchShardsRequestTests.java
+++ b/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/action/admin/cluster/shards/ClusterSearchShardsRequestTests.java
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ public class ClusterSearchShardsRequestTests extends ESTestCase {
             request.routing(routings);
         }
 
-        Version version = VersionUtils.randomVersion(random());
+        Version version = VersionUtils.randomVersionBetween(random(), Version.V_5_0_0, Version.CURRENT);
         try (BytesStreamOutput out = new BytesStreamOutput()) {
             out.setVersion(version);
             request.writeTo(out);
diff --git a/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/action/admin/cluster/shards/ClusterSearchShardsResponseTests.java b/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/action/admin/cluster/shards/ClusterSearchShardsResponseTests.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..d2378eaf9c5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/action/admin/cluster/shards/ClusterSearchShardsResponseTests.java
@@ -0,0 +1,105 @@
+/*
+ * Licensed to Elasticsearch under one or more contributor
+ * license agreements. See the NOTICE file distributed with
+ * this work for additional information regarding copyright
+ * ownership. Elasticsearch licenses this file to you under
+ * the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may
+ * not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing,
+ * software distributed under the License is distributed on an
+ * "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY
+ * KIND, either express or implied.  See the License for the
+ * specific language governing permissions and limitations
+ * under the License.
+ */
+
+package org.elasticsearch.action.admin.cluster.shards;
+
+import org.elasticsearch.Version;
+import org.elasticsearch.cluster.node.DiscoveryNode;
+import org.elasticsearch.cluster.routing.ShardRouting;
+import org.elasticsearch.cluster.routing.ShardRoutingState;
+import org.elasticsearch.cluster.routing.TestShardRouting;
+import org.elasticsearch.common.Strings;
+import org.elasticsearch.common.io.stream.BytesStreamOutput;
+import org.elasticsearch.common.io.stream.NamedWriteableAwareStreamInput;
+import org.elasticsearch.common.io.stream.NamedWriteableRegistry;
+import org.elasticsearch.common.io.stream.StreamInput;
+import org.elasticsearch.common.settings.Settings;
+import org.elasticsearch.common.transport.TransportAddress;
+import org.elasticsearch.index.query.RandomQueryBuilder;
+import org.elasticsearch.index.shard.ShardId;
+import org.elasticsearch.search.SearchModule;
+import org.elasticsearch.search.internal.AliasFilter;
+import org.elasticsearch.test.ESTestCase;
+import org.elasticsearch.test.VersionUtils;
+
+import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.Collections;
+import java.util.HashMap;
+import java.util.HashSet;
+import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Map;
+import java.util.Set;
+
+public class ClusterSearchShardsResponseTests extends ESTestCase {
+
+    public void testSerialization() throws Exception {
+        Map<String, AliasFilter> indicesAndFilters = new HashMap<>();
+        Set<DiscoveryNode> nodes = new HashSet<>();
+        int numShards = randomIntBetween(1, 10);
+        ClusterSearchShardsGroup[] clusterSearchShardsGroups = new ClusterSearchShardsGroup[numShards];
+        for (int i = 0; i < numShards; i++) {
+            String index = randomAsciiOfLengthBetween(3, 10);
+            ShardId shardId = new ShardId(index, randomAsciiOfLength(12), i);
+            String nodeId = randomAsciiOfLength(10);
+            ShardRouting shardRouting = TestShardRouting.newShardRouting(shardId, nodeId, randomBoolean(), ShardRoutingState.STARTED);
+            clusterSearchShardsGroups[i] = new ClusterSearchShardsGroup(shardId, new ShardRouting[]{shardRouting});
+            DiscoveryNode node = new DiscoveryNode(shardRouting.currentNodeId(),
+                    new TransportAddress(TransportAddress.META_ADDRESS, randomInt(0xFFFF)), VersionUtils.randomVersion(random()));
+            nodes.add(node);
+            AliasFilter aliasFilter;
+            if (randomBoolean()) {
+                aliasFilter = new AliasFilter(RandomQueryBuilder.createQuery(random()), "alias-" + index);
+            } else {
+                aliasFilter = new AliasFilter(null, Strings.EMPTY_ARRAY);
+            }
+            indicesAndFilters.put(index, aliasFilter);
+        }
+        ClusterSearchShardsResponse clusterSearchShardsResponse = new ClusterSearchShardsResponse(clusterSearchShardsGroups,
+                nodes.toArray(new DiscoveryNode[nodes.size()]), indicesAndFilters);
+
+        SearchModule searchModule = new SearchModule(Settings.EMPTY, false, Collections.emptyList());
+        List<NamedWriteableRegistry.Entry> entries = new ArrayList<>();
+        entries.addAll(searchModule.getNamedWriteables());
+        NamedWriteableRegistry namedWriteableRegistry = new NamedWriteableRegistry(entries);
+        Version version = VersionUtils.randomVersionBetween(random(), Version.V_5_0_0, Version.CURRENT);
+        try(BytesStreamOutput out = new BytesStreamOutput()) {
+            out.setVersion(version);
+            clusterSearchShardsResponse.writeTo(out);
+            try(StreamInput in = new NamedWriteableAwareStreamInput(out.bytes().streamInput(), namedWriteableRegistry)) {
+                in.setVersion(version);
+                ClusterSearchShardsResponse deserialized = new ClusterSearchShardsResponse();
+                deserialized.readFrom(in);
+                assertArrayEquals(clusterSearchShardsResponse.getNodes(), deserialized.getNodes());
+                assertEquals(clusterSearchShardsResponse.getGroups().length, deserialized.getGroups().length);
+                for (int i = 0; i < clusterSearchShardsResponse.getGroups().length; i++) {
+                    ClusterSearchShardsGroup clusterSearchShardsGroup = clusterSearchShardsResponse.getGroups()[i];
+                    ClusterSearchShardsGroup deserializedGroup = deserialized.getGroups()[i];
+                    assertEquals(clusterSearchShardsGroup.getShardId(), deserializedGroup.getShardId());
+                    assertEquals(clusterSearchShardsGroup.getIndex(), deserializedGroup.getIndex());
+                    assertArrayEquals(clusterSearchShardsGroup.getShards(), deserializedGroup.getShards());
+                }
+                if (version.onOrAfter(ClusterSearchShardsResponse.V_5_1_0_UNRELEASED)) {
+                    assertEquals(clusterSearchShardsResponse.getIndicesAndFilters(), deserialized.getIndicesAndFilters());
+                } else {
+                    assertNull(deserialized.getIndicesAndFilters());
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/docs/reference/search/search-shards.asciidoc b/docs/reference/search/search-shards.asciidoc
index 917a50ae9a7..1515a182d42 100644
--- a/docs/reference/search/search-shards.asciidoc
+++ b/docs/reference/search/search-shards.asciidoc
@@ -3,7 +3,8 @@
 
 The search shards api returns the indices and shards that a search request would
 be executed against. This can give useful feedback for working out issues or
-planning optimizations with routing and shard preferences.
+planning optimizations with routing and shard preferences. When filtered aliases
+are used, the filter is returned as part of the `indices` section.
 
 The `index` may be a single value, or comma-separated.
 
@@ -25,6 +26,9 @@ This will yield the following result:
 --------------------------------------------------
 {
   "nodes": ...,
+  "indices" : {
+    "twitter": { }
+  },
   "shards": [
     [
       {
@@ -107,6 +111,9 @@ This will yield the following result:
 --------------------------------------------------
 {
   "nodes": ...,
+  "indices" : {
+      "twitter": { }
+  },
   "shards": [
     [
       {
diff --git a/rest-api-spec/src/main/resources/rest-api-spec/test/search_shards/10_basic.yaml b/rest-api-spec/src/main/resources/rest-api-spec/test/search_shards/10_basic.yaml
index 4bfe6e953b2..4f7d91f42af 100644
--- a/rest-api-spec/src/main/resources/rest-api-spec/test/search_shards/10_basic.yaml
+++ b/rest-api-spec/src/main/resources/rest-api-spec/test/search_shards/10_basic.yaml
@@ -10,3 +10,47 @@
         routing: foo
 
   - match: { shards.0.0.index: test_1 }
+
+---
+"Search shards aliases with and without filters":
+  - skip:
+      version: " - 5.0.99"
+      reason: indices section was added in 5.1.0
+
+  - do:
+      indices.create:
+        index: test_index
+        body:
+          settings:
+            index:
+              number_of_shards: 1
+              number_of_replicas: 0
+          mappings:
+            type_1:
+              properties:
+                field:
+                  type: text
+          aliases:
+            test_alias_1: {}
+            test_alias_2:
+              filter:
+                term:
+                  field : value
+
+  - do:
+      search_shards:
+        index:  test_alias_1
+
+  - length: { shards: 1 }
+  - match: { shards.0.0.index: test_index }
+  - is_true: indices.test_index
+  - is_false: indices.test_index.filter
+
+  - do:
+      search_shards:
+        index:  test_alias_2
+
+  - length: { shards: 1 }
+  - match: { shards.0.0.index: test_index }
+  - match: { indices.test_index: {filter: { term : { field: { value: value, boost: 1.0}}}}}
+