diff --git a/hapi-fhir-jpaserver-base/src/main/java/ca/uhn/fhir/jpa/dao/DaoConfig.java b/hapi-fhir-jpaserver-base/src/main/java/ca/uhn/fhir/jpa/dao/DaoConfig.java
index 9f6491c6b86..4a9fb531754 100644
--- a/hapi-fhir-jpaserver-base/src/main/java/ca/uhn/fhir/jpa/dao/DaoConfig.java
+++ b/hapi-fhir-jpaserver-base/src/main/java/ca/uhn/fhir/jpa/dao/DaoConfig.java
@@ -17,9 +17,9 @@ import java.util.*;
  * Licensed 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.
@@ -60,6 +60,9 @@ public class DaoConfig {
 	 * update setter javadoc if default changes
 	 */
 	private boolean myAllowExternalReferences = false;
+	/**
+	 * update setter javadoc if default changes
+	 */
 	private boolean myAllowContainsSearches = true;
 
 	/**
@@ -137,6 +140,7 @@ public class DaoConfig {
 		myTreatReferencesAsLogical.add(theTreatReferencesAsLogical);
 	}
 
+
 	/**
 	 * Specifies the highest number that a client is permitted to use in a
 	 * <code>Cache-Control: nostore, max-results=NNN</code>
@@ -376,9 +380,9 @@ public class DaoConfig {
 	 * of higher importance than raw write performance
 	 * </p>
 	 * <p>
-	 *    Note that this setting also has an impact on sorting (i.e. using the
-	 *    <code>_sort</code> parameter on searches): If the server is configured
-	 *    to not index missing field.
+	 * Note that this setting also has an impact on sorting (i.e. using the
+	 * <code>_sort</code> parameter on searches): If the server is configured
+	 * to not index missing field.
 	 * </p>
 	 */
 	public void setIndexMissingFields(IndexEnabledEnum theIndexMissingFields) {
@@ -650,6 +654,26 @@ public class DaoConfig {
 		return this;
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * If enabled, the server will support the use of :contains searches,
+	 * which are helpful but can have adverse effects on performance.
+	 *
+	 * Default is <code>true</code>
+	 */
+	public boolean isAllowContainsSearches() {
+		return myAllowContainsSearches;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * If enabled, the server will support the use of :contains searches,
+	 * which are helpful but can have adverse effects on performance.
+	 *
+	 * Default is <code>true</code>
+	 */
+	public void setAllowContainsSearches(boolean theAllowContainsSearches) {
+		this.myAllowContainsSearches = theAllowContainsSearches;
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * If set to <code>true</code> (default is <code>false</code>) the server will allow
 	 * resources to have references to external servers. For example if this server is
@@ -1099,16 +1123,6 @@ public class DaoConfig {
 
 	}
 
-	public boolean allowContainsSearches() {
-
-		return myAllowContainsSearches;
-	}
-
-	public void setAllowContainsSearches(boolean myAllowContainsSearches) {
-
-		this.myAllowContainsSearches = myAllowContainsSearches;
-	}
-
 	public enum IndexEnabledEnum {
 		ENABLED,
 		DISABLED
diff --git a/hapi-fhir-jpaserver-base/src/main/java/ca/uhn/fhir/jpa/dao/SearchBuilder.java b/hapi-fhir-jpaserver-base/src/main/java/ca/uhn/fhir/jpa/dao/SearchBuilder.java
index 293514954fa..7f9a004a4c9 100644
--- a/hapi-fhir-jpaserver-base/src/main/java/ca/uhn/fhir/jpa/dao/SearchBuilder.java
+++ b/hapi-fhir-jpaserver-base/src/main/java/ca/uhn/fhir/jpa/dao/SearchBuilder.java
@@ -9,9 +9,9 @@ package ca.uhn.fhir.jpa.dao;
  * Licensed 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.
@@ -28,8 +28,6 @@ import ca.uhn.fhir.jpa.search.JpaRuntimeSearchParam;
 import ca.uhn.fhir.jpa.term.IHapiTerminologySvc;
 import ca.uhn.fhir.jpa.term.VersionIndependentConcept;
 import ca.uhn.fhir.jpa.util.BaseIterator;
-import ca.uhn.fhir.rest.server.exceptions.MethodNotAllowedException;
-import ca.uhn.fhir.util.StopWatch;
 import ca.uhn.fhir.model.api.*;
 import ca.uhn.fhir.model.base.composite.BaseCodingDt;
 import ca.uhn.fhir.model.base.composite.BaseIdentifierDt;
@@ -45,7 +43,9 @@ import ca.uhn.fhir.rest.api.SortSpec;
 import ca.uhn.fhir.rest.param.*;
 import ca.uhn.fhir.rest.server.exceptions.InternalErrorException;
 import ca.uhn.fhir.rest.server.exceptions.InvalidRequestException;
+import ca.uhn.fhir.rest.server.exceptions.MethodNotAllowedException;
 import ca.uhn.fhir.rest.server.exceptions.ResourceNotFoundException;
+import ca.uhn.fhir.util.StopWatch;
 import ca.uhn.fhir.util.UrlUtil;
 import com.google.common.annotations.VisibleForTesting;
 import com.google.common.collect.Lists;
@@ -1091,10 +1091,10 @@ public class SearchBuilder implements ISearchBuilder {
 		} else if (theParameter instanceof StringParam) {
 			StringParam id = (StringParam) theParameter;
 			rawSearchTerm = id.getValue();
-			if ((id.isContains()) &&
-				(!myCallingDao.getConfig().allowContainsSearches()))
-			{
-				throw new MethodNotAllowedException(":contains modifier is disabled on this server");
+			if (id.isContains()) {
+				if (!myCallingDao.getConfig().isAllowContainsSearches()) {
+					throw new MethodNotAllowedException(":contains modifier is disabled on this server");
+				}
 			}
 		} else if (theParameter instanceof IPrimitiveDatatype<?>) {
 			IPrimitiveDatatype<?> id = (IPrimitiveDatatype<?>) theParameter;
@@ -1109,18 +1109,11 @@ public class SearchBuilder implements ISearchBuilder {
 		}
 
 		String likeExpression = BaseHapiFhirDao.normalizeString(rawSearchTerm);
-		if (myCallingDao.getConfig().allowContainsSearches()) {
-			if (theParameter instanceof StringParam) {
-				if (((StringParam) theParameter).isContains()) {
-					likeExpression = createLeftAndRightMatchLikeExpression(likeExpression);
-				} else {
-					likeExpression = createLeftMatchLikeExpression(likeExpression);
-				}
-			} else {
-				likeExpression = createLeftMatchLikeExpression(likeExpression);
-			}
-		}
-		else {
+		if (theParameter instanceof StringParam &&
+			((StringParam) theParameter).isContains() &&
+			myCallingDao.getConfig().isAllowContainsSearches()) {
+			likeExpression = createLeftAndRightMatchLikeExpression(likeExpression);
+		} else {
 			likeExpression = createLeftMatchLikeExpression(likeExpression);
 		}
 
@@ -2020,14 +2013,14 @@ public class SearchBuilder implements ISearchBuilder {
 		return lastUpdatedPredicates;
 	}
 
-	private static String createLeftMatchLikeExpression(String likeExpression) {
-		return likeExpression.replace("%", "[%]") + "%";
-	}
-
 	private static String createLeftAndRightMatchLikeExpression(String likeExpression) {
 		return "%" + likeExpression.replace("%", "[%]") + "%";
 	}
 
+	private static String createLeftMatchLikeExpression(String likeExpression) {
+		return likeExpression.replace("%", "[%]") + "%";
+	}
+
 	private static Predicate createResourceLinkPathPredicate(IDao theCallingDao, FhirContext theContext, String theParamName, From<?, ? extends ResourceLink> theFrom,
 																				String theResourceType) {
 		RuntimeResourceDefinition resourceDef = theContext.getResourceDefinition(theResourceType);
diff --git a/hapi-fhir-jpaserver-base/src/test/java/ca/uhn/fhir/jpa/dao/r4/FhirResourceDaoR4SearchNoFtTest.java b/hapi-fhir-jpaserver-base/src/test/java/ca/uhn/fhir/jpa/dao/r4/FhirResourceDaoR4SearchNoFtTest.java
index 05185a32150..514a71d2b5a 100644
--- a/hapi-fhir-jpaserver-base/src/test/java/ca/uhn/fhir/jpa/dao/r4/FhirResourceDaoR4SearchNoFtTest.java
+++ b/hapi-fhir-jpaserver-base/src/test/java/ca/uhn/fhir/jpa/dao/r4/FhirResourceDaoR4SearchNoFtTest.java
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import ca.uhn.fhir.rest.api.Constants;
 import ca.uhn.fhir.rest.api.server.IBundleProvider;
 import ca.uhn.fhir.rest.param.*;
 import ca.uhn.fhir.rest.server.exceptions.InvalidRequestException;
+import ca.uhn.fhir.rest.server.exceptions.MethodNotAllowedException;
 import ca.uhn.fhir.util.TestUtil;
 import org.apache.commons.io.IOUtils;
 import org.apache.commons.lang3.StringUtils;
@@ -54,6 +55,7 @@ public class FhirResourceDaoR4SearchNoFtTest extends BaseJpaR4Test {
 	public void afterResetSearchSize() {
 		myDaoConfig.setReuseCachedSearchResultsForMillis(new DaoConfig().getReuseCachedSearchResultsForMillis());
 		myDaoConfig.setFetchSizeDefaultMaximum(new DaoConfig().getFetchSizeDefaultMaximum());
+		myDaoConfig.setAllowContainsSearches(new DaoConfig().isAllowContainsSearches());
 	}
 
 	@Before
@@ -1404,43 +1406,6 @@ public class FhirResourceDaoR4SearchNoFtTest extends BaseJpaR4Test {
 		}
 	}
 
-	/**
-	 * See #819
-	 */
-	@Test
-	public void testSearchTokenWithNotModifier() {
-		String male, female;
-		{
-			Patient patient = new Patient();
-			patient.addIdentifier().setSystem("urn:system").setValue("001");
-			patient.addName().setFamily("Tester").addGiven("Joe");
-			patient.setGender(AdministrativeGender.MALE);
-			male = myPatientDao.create(patient, mySrd).getId().toUnqualifiedVersionless().getValue();
-		}
-		{
-			Patient patient = new Patient();
-			patient.addIdentifier().setSystem("urn:system").setValue("002");
-			patient.addName().setFamily("Tester").addGiven("Jane");
-			patient.setGender(AdministrativeGender.FEMALE);
-			female = myPatientDao.create(patient, mySrd).getId().toUnqualifiedVersionless().getValue();
-		}
-
-		List<String> patients;
-		SearchParameterMap params;
-
-		params = new SearchParameterMap();
-		params.add(Patient.SP_GENDER, new TokenParam(null, "male"));
-		params.setLoadSynchronous(true);
-		patients = toUnqualifiedVersionlessIdValues(myPatientDao.search(params));
-		assertThat(patients, contains(male));
-
-		params = new SearchParameterMap();
-		params.add(Patient.SP_GENDER, new TokenParam(null, "male").setModifier(TokenParamModifier.NOT));
-		params.setLoadSynchronous(true);
-		patients = toUnqualifiedVersionlessIdValues(myPatientDao.search(params));
-		assertThat(patients, contains(female));
-	}
-
 	@Test
 	public void testSearchNumberParam() {
 		ImmunizationRecommendation e1 = new ImmunizationRecommendation();
@@ -2122,6 +2087,43 @@ public class FhirResourceDaoR4SearchNoFtTest extends BaseJpaR4Test {
 		}
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * See #819
+	 */
+	@Test
+	public void testSearchTokenWithNotModifier() {
+		String male, female;
+		{
+			Patient patient = new Patient();
+			patient.addIdentifier().setSystem("urn:system").setValue("001");
+			patient.addName().setFamily("Tester").addGiven("Joe");
+			patient.setGender(AdministrativeGender.MALE);
+			male = myPatientDao.create(patient, mySrd).getId().toUnqualifiedVersionless().getValue();
+		}
+		{
+			Patient patient = new Patient();
+			patient.addIdentifier().setSystem("urn:system").setValue("002");
+			patient.addName().setFamily("Tester").addGiven("Jane");
+			patient.setGender(AdministrativeGender.FEMALE);
+			female = myPatientDao.create(patient, mySrd).getId().toUnqualifiedVersionless().getValue();
+		}
+
+		List<String> patients;
+		SearchParameterMap params;
+
+		params = new SearchParameterMap();
+		params.add(Patient.SP_GENDER, new TokenParam(null, "male"));
+		params.setLoadSynchronous(true);
+		patients = toUnqualifiedVersionlessIdValues(myPatientDao.search(params));
+		assertThat(patients, contains(male));
+
+		params = new SearchParameterMap();
+		params.add(Patient.SP_GENDER, new TokenParam(null, "male").setModifier(TokenParamModifier.NOT));
+		params.setLoadSynchronous(true);
+		patients = toUnqualifiedVersionlessIdValues(myPatientDao.search(params));
+		assertThat(patients, contains(female));
+	}
+
 	@Test
 	public void testSearchTokenWrongParam() {
 		Patient p1 = new Patient();
@@ -2257,6 +2259,67 @@ public class FhirResourceDaoR4SearchNoFtTest extends BaseJpaR4Test {
 
 	}
 
+	@Test
+	public void testSearchWithContains() {
+
+		Patient pt1 = new Patient();
+		pt1.addName().setFamily("ABCDEFGHIJK");
+		String pt1id = myPatientDao.create(pt1).getId().toUnqualifiedVersionless().getValue();
+
+		Patient pt2 = new Patient();
+		pt2.addName().setFamily("FGHIJK");
+		String pt2id = myPatientDao.create(pt2).getId().toUnqualifiedVersionless().getValue();
+
+		Patient pt3 = new Patient();
+		pt3.addName().setFamily("ZZZZZ");
+		myPatientDao.create(pt3).getId().toUnqualifiedVersionless().getValue();
+
+
+		List<String> ids;
+		SearchParameterMap map;
+		IBundleProvider results;
+
+		// Contains = true
+		map = new SearchParameterMap();
+		map.add(Patient.SP_NAME, new StringParam("FGHIJK").setContains(true));
+		map.setLoadSynchronous(true);
+		results = myPatientDao.search(map);
+		ids = toUnqualifiedVersionlessIdValues(results);
+		assertThat(ids, containsInAnyOrder(pt1id, pt2id));
+
+		// Contains = false
+		map = new SearchParameterMap();
+		map.add(Patient.SP_NAME, new StringParam("FGHIJK").setContains(false));
+		map.setLoadSynchronous(true);
+		results = myPatientDao.search(map);
+		ids = toUnqualifiedVersionlessIdValues(results);
+		assertThat(ids, containsInAnyOrder(pt2id));
+
+		// No contains
+		map = new SearchParameterMap();
+		map.add(Patient.SP_NAME, new StringParam("FGHIJK"));
+		map.setLoadSynchronous(true);
+		results = myPatientDao.search(map);
+		ids = toUnqualifiedVersionlessIdValues(results);
+		assertThat(ids, containsInAnyOrder(pt2id));
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void testSearchWithContainsDisabled() {
+		myDaoConfig.setAllowContainsSearches(false);
+
+		SearchParameterMap map = new SearchParameterMap();
+		map.setLoadSynchronous(true);
+		map.add(Patient.SP_NAME, new StringParam("FGHIJK").setContains(true));
+
+		try {
+			myPatientDao.search(map);
+			fail();
+		} catch (MethodNotAllowedException e) {
+			assertEquals(":contains modifier is disabled on this server", e.getMessage());
+		}
+	}
+
 	@Test
 	public void testSearchWithDate() {
 		IIdType orgId = myOrganizationDao.create(new Organization(), mySrd).getId();