diff --git a/lib/searchaction.php b/lib/searchaction.php
index 918f8dd9af..e7ad4affda 100644
--- a/lib/searchaction.php
+++ b/lib/searchaction.php
@@ -152,8 +152,11 @@ You can also try your search on other engines:
 
 E_O_T
 ), $qe, $qe, $qe, $qe);
-        $this->elementStart('div', 'blankfiller');
+        $this->elementStart('dl', array('id' => 'help_search', 'class' => 'help'));
+        $this->element('dt', null, _('Search help'));
+        $this->elementStart('dd', 'instructions');
         $this->raw(common_markup_to_html($message));
+        $this->elementEnd('dd');
         $this->elementEnd('div');
     }
 }
diff --git a/theme/base/css/display.css b/theme/base/css/display.css
index 0ce80cdde4..6c3c7e9127 100644
--- a/theme/base/css/display.css
+++ b/theme/base/css/display.css
@@ -83,12 +83,13 @@ left:0;
 border:0;
 }
 
-#page_notice .error,
-#page_notice .success {
+.error,
+.success {
 padding:4px 7px;
 border-radius:4px;
 -moz-border-radius:4px;
 -webkit-border-radius:4px;
+margin-bottom:18px;
 }
 form label.submit {
 display:none;
@@ -1145,4 +1146,13 @@ clear:both;
 margin-bottom:0;
 }
 
-
+.instructions ul {
+list-style-position:inside;
+}
+.instructions p,
+.instructions ul {
+margin-bottom:18px;
+}
+.help dt {
+display:none;
+}
diff --git a/theme/identica/css/display.css b/theme/identica/css/display.css
index 893942031c..8edb005a68 100644
--- a/theme/identica/css/display.css
+++ b/theme/identica/css/display.css
@@ -113,10 +113,10 @@ background-color:rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);
 }
 
 
-#page_notice .error {
+.error {
 background-color:#F7E8E8;
 }
-#page_notice .success {
+.success {
 background-color:#EFF3DC;
 }