diff --git a/emacs/notmuch-show.el b/emacs/notmuch-show.el
index 916b39e3..12e5d282 100644
--- a/emacs/notmuch-show.el
+++ b/emacs/notmuch-show.el
@@ -470,8 +470,8 @@ function is used. "
     (save-excursion
       (let* ((basic-args (list thread-id))
 	     (args (if query-context
-		       (append basic-args (list "and (" query-context ")"))
-		     basic-args)))
+		       (append (list "\"") basic-args (list "and (" query-context ")\""))
+		     (append (list "\"") basic-args (list "\"")))))
 	(notmuch-show-insert-forest (notmuch-query-get-threads args))
 	;; If the query context reduced the results to nothing, run
 	;; the basic query.