diff --git a/Tomboy/RecentChanges.cs b/Tomboy/RecentChanges.cs
index fdca069..62c65ab 100644
--- a/Tomboy/RecentChanges.cs
+++ b/Tomboy/RecentChanges.cs
@@ -103,6 +103,8 @@ namespace Tomboy
 			find_combo.Changed += OnEntryChanged;
 			find_combo.Entry.ActivatesDefault = false;
 			find_combo.Entry.Activated += OnEntryActivated;
+			find_combo.Entry.FocusInEvent += OnSearchBoxFocused;
+			find_combo.Entry.FocusOutEvent += OnSearchBoxFocusedOut;
 			if (previous_searches != null) {
 				foreach (string prev in previous_searches) {
 					find_combo.AppendText (prev);
@@ -1176,6 +1178,21 @@ namespace Tomboy
 			AddToPreviousSearches (SearchText);
 		}
 
+		// called when the user moves the focus in the search combo box
+		void OnSearchBoxFocused (object sender, EventArgs args)
+		{
+			// disable the Delete Note option in the menu bar (bug #647462)
+			Tomboy.ActionManager ["DeleteNoteAction"].Sensitive = false;
+		}
+		
+		// called when the focus moves out of the search combo box.
+		void OnSearchBoxFocusedOut (object sender, EventArgs args)
+		{
+			// Enable the Delete Note option in the menu bar, which might have been
+			// disabled in case the focus was in the search combo box perviously.
+			Tomboy.ActionManager ["DeleteNoteAction"].Sensitive = true;
+		}
+		
 		void AddToPreviousSearches (string text)
 		{
 			// Update previous searches, by adding a new term to the
