diff --git a/electrum/gui/qml/components/Wallets.qml b/electrum/gui/qml/components/Wallets.qml
index e98e82c1475..e03b619bc76 100644
--- a/electrum/gui/qml/components/Wallets.qml
+++ b/electrum/gui/qml/components/Wallets.qml
@@ -37,6 +37,38 @@ Pane {
                 text: qsTr('Wallets')
             }
 
+            TextField {
+                id: searchEdit
+                Layout.fillWidth: true
+                Layout.leftMargin: constants.paddingLarge
+                Layout.rightMargin: constants.paddingLarge
+
+                placeholderText: qsTr('search')
+                inputMethodHints: Qt.ImhNoPredictiveText
+                EnterKey.type: Qt.EnterKeyDone
+                onAccepted: {
+                    // load a wallet (e.g. a hidden wallet not shown in the list) when
+                    // the search text exactly matches an available wallet name
+                    var path = Daemon.availableWallets.pathForName(text)
+                    if (path && !Daemon.loading) {
+                        if (!Daemon.currentWallet || Daemon.currentWallet.name != text) {
+                            Daemon.loadWallet(path)
+                        } else {
+                            app.stack.pop()
+                        }
+                    }
+                }
+
+                Image {
+                    anchors.right: parent.right
+                    anchors.verticalCenter: parent.verticalCenter
+                    anchors.rightMargin: constants.paddingMedium
+                    source: Qt.resolvedUrl('../../icons/zoom.png')
+                    sourceSize.width: constants.iconSizeMedium
+                    sourceSize.height: constants.iconSizeMedium
+                }
+            }
+
             Frame {
                 id: detailsFrame
                 Layout.fillWidth: true
@@ -52,9 +84,14 @@ Pane {
                     model: Daemon.availableWallets
 
                     delegate: ItemDelegate {
+                        property bool matchesSearch: searchEdit.text.length === 0
+                            || model.name.toLowerCase().indexOf(searchEdit.text.toLowerCase()) !== -1
+                        property bool hiddenWallet: model.name.startsWith('.') && !model.active
                         width: ListView.view.width
-                        height: row.height
-
+                        height: visible ? row.height : 0
+                        // visible: searchEdit.text.length === 0
+                        //     || model.name.toLowerCase().indexOf(searchEdit.text.toLowerCase()) !== -1
+                        visible: matchesSearch && !hiddenWallet
                         onClicked: {
                             if (!Daemon.currentWallet || Daemon.currentWallet.name != model.name) {
                                 if (!Daemon.loading) // wallet load in progress
@@ -118,6 +155,8 @@ Pane {
 
         ButtonContainer {
             Layout.fillWidth: true
+            visible: !searchEdit.text
+
             FlatButton {
                 Layout.fillWidth: true
                 text: qsTr('Create Wallet')
diff --git a/electrum/gui/qml/qedaemon.py b/electrum/gui/qml/qedaemon.py
index 3b3ea756253..679bf5aa411 100644
--- a/electrum/gui/qml/qedaemon.py
+++ b/electrum/gui/qml/qedaemon.py
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ def reload(self):
         wallet_folder = os.path.dirname(self.daemon.config.get_wallet_path())
         with os.scandir(wallet_folder) as it:
             for i in it:
-                if i.is_file() and not i.name.startswith('.'):
+                if i.is_file():
                     available.append(i.path)
         for path in sorted(available):
             wallet = self.daemon.get_wallet(path)
@@ -109,6 +109,13 @@ def wallet_name_exists(self, name):
                 return True
         return False
 
+    @pyqtSlot(str, result=str)
+    def pathForName(self, name):
+        for wallet_name, wallet_path in self._wallets:
+            if name == wallet_name:
+                return wallet_path
+        return ''
+
     @pyqtSlot(str)
     def updateWallet(self, path):
         i = 0
@@ -325,8 +332,10 @@ def isValidWalletName(self, wallet_name: str) -> bool:
         for forbidden_char in ("/", "\\", ):
             if forbidden_char in wallet_name:
                 return False
-        if wallet_name.startswith('.'):  # not shown in wallet list
-            # TODO: allow wallets starting with '.' as hidden wallets, opened e.g. through wallet creation wizard
+        # note: wallet names starting with '.' are allowed as hidden wallets; they are not shown
+        # in the wallet list unless active (see Wallets.qml) but can be created via the wizard.
+        # disallow double '..*' filenames though.
+        if wallet_name.startswith('..'):
             return False
         if os.path.basename(wallet_name) != wallet_name:  # '/foo/bar/' returns 'bar'
             return False