diff --git a/mopidy/core/library.py b/mopidy/core/library.py
index 26216846..50d75144 100644
--- a/mopidy/core/library.py
+++ b/mopidy/core/library.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 from __future__ import unicode_literals
 
+from collections import defaultdict
 import urlparse
 
 import pykka
@@ -16,35 +17,60 @@ class LibraryController(object):
         uri_scheme = urlparse.urlparse(uri).scheme
         return self.backends.with_library_by_uri_scheme.get(uri_scheme, None)
 
-    def find_exact(self, query=None, **kwargs):
+    def _get_backends_to_uris(self, uris):
+        if uris:
+            backends_to_uris = defaultdict(list)
+            for uri in uris:
+                backend = self._get_backend(uri)
+                if backend is not None:
+                    backends_to_uris[backend].append(uri)
+        else:
+            backends_to_uris = dict([
+                (b, None) for b in self.backends.with_library])
+        return backends_to_uris
+
+    def find_exact(self, query=None, uris=None, **kwargs):
         """
         Search the library for tracks where ``field`` is ``values``.
 
         If the query is empty, and the backend can support it, all available
         tracks are returned.
 
+        If ``uris`` is given, the search is limited to results from within the
+        URI roots. For example passing ``uris=['file:']`` will limit the search
+        to the local backend.
+
         Examples::
 
-            # Returns results matching 'a'
+            # Returns results matching 'a' from any backend
             find_exact({'any': ['a']})
             find_exact(any=['a'])
 
-            # Returns results matching artist 'xyz'
+            # Returns results matching artist 'xyz' from any backend
             find_exact({'artist': ['xyz']})
             find_exact(artist=['xyz'])
 
-            # Returns results matching 'a' and 'b' and artist 'xyz'
+            # Returns results matching 'a' and 'b' and artist 'xyz' from any
+            # backend
             find_exact({'any': ['a', 'b'], 'artist': ['xyz']})
             find_exact(any=['a', 'b'], artist=['xyz'])
 
+            # Returns results matching 'a' if within the given URI roots
+            # "file:///media/music" and "spotify:"
+            find_exact(
+                {'any': ['a']}, uris=['file:///media/music', 'spotify:'])
+            find_exact(any=['a'], uris=['file:///media/music', 'spotify:'])
+
         :param query: one or more queries to search for
         :type query: dict
+        :param uris: zero or more URI roots to limit the search to
+        :type uris: list of strings or :class:`None`
         :rtype: list of :class:`mopidy.models.SearchResult`
         """
         query = query or kwargs
         futures = [
-            b.library.find_exact(query=query)
-            for b in self.backends.with_library]
+            backend.library.find_exact(query=query, uris=uris)
+            for (backend, uris) in self._get_backends_to_uris(uris).items()]
         return [result for result in pykka.get_all(futures) if result]
 
     def lookup(self, uri):
@@ -80,32 +106,45 @@ class LibraryController(object):
                 b.library.refresh(uri) for b in self.backends.with_library]
             pykka.get_all(futures)
 
-    def search(self, query=None, **kwargs):
+    def search(self, query=None, uris=None, **kwargs):
         """
         Search the library for tracks where ``field`` contains ``values``.
 
         If the query is empty, and the backend can support it, all available
         tracks are returned.
 
+        If ``uris`` is given, the search is limited to results from within the
+        URI roots. For example passing ``uris=['file:']`` will limit the search
+        to the local backend.
+
         Examples::
 
-            # Returns results matching 'a'
+            # Returns results matching 'a' in any backend
             search({'any': ['a']})
             search(any=['a'])
 
-            # Returns results matching artist 'xyz'
+            # Returns results matching artist 'xyz' in any backend
             search({'artist': ['xyz']})
             search(artist=['xyz'])
 
-            # Returns results matching 'a' and 'b' and artist 'xyz'
+            # Returns results matching 'a' and 'b' and artist 'xyz' in any
+            # backend
             search({'any': ['a', 'b'], 'artist': ['xyz']})
             search(any=['a', 'b'], artist=['xyz'])
 
+            # Returns results matching 'a' if within the given URI roots
+            # "file:///media/music" and "spotify:"
+            search({'any': ['a']}, uris=['file:///media/music', 'spotify:'])
+            search(any=['a'], uris=['file:///media/music', 'spotify:'])
+
         :param query: one or more queries to search for
         :type query: dict
+        :param uris: zero or more URI roots to limit the search to
+        :type uris: list of strings or :class:`None`
         :rtype: list of :class:`mopidy.models.SearchResult`
         """
         query = query or kwargs
         futures = [
-            b.library.search(query=query) for b in self.backends.with_library]
+            backend.library.search(query=query, uris=uris)
+            for (backend, uris) in self._get_backends_to_uris(uris).items()]
         return [result for result in pykka.get_all(futures) if result]
diff --git a/tests/core/library_test.py b/tests/core/library_test.py
index 603a8109..6e9d240a 100644
--- a/tests/core/library_test.py
+++ b/tests/core/library_test.py
@@ -88,9 +88,26 @@ class CoreLibraryTest(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertIn(result1, result)
         self.assertIn(result2, result)
         self.library1.find_exact.assert_called_once_with(
-            query=dict(any=['a']))
+            query=dict(any=['a']), uris=None)
         self.library2.find_exact.assert_called_once_with(
-            query=dict(any=['a']))
+            query=dict(any=['a']), uris=None)
+
+    def test_find_exact_with_uris_selects_dummy1_backend(self):
+        self.core.library.find_exact(
+            any=['a'], uris=['dummy1:', 'dummy1:foo', 'dummy3:'])
+
+        self.library1.find_exact.assert_called_once_with(
+            query=dict(any=['a']), uris=['dummy1:', 'dummy1:foo'])
+        self.assertFalse(self.library2.find_exact.called)
+
+    def test_find_exact_with_uris_selects_both_backends(self):
+        self.core.library.find_exact(
+            any=['a'], uris=['dummy1:', 'dummy1:foo', 'dummy2:'])
+
+        self.library1.find_exact.assert_called_once_with(
+            query=dict(any=['a']), uris=['dummy1:', 'dummy1:foo'])
+        self.library2.find_exact.assert_called_once_with(
+            query=dict(any=['a']), uris=['dummy2:'])
 
     def test_find_exact_filters_out_none(self):
         track1 = Track(uri='dummy1:a')
@@ -106,9 +123,9 @@ class CoreLibraryTest(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertIn(result1, result)
         self.assertNotIn(None, result)
         self.library1.find_exact.assert_called_once_with(
-            query=dict(any=['a']))
+            query=dict(any=['a']), uris=None)
         self.library2.find_exact.assert_called_once_with(
-            query=dict(any=['a']))
+            query=dict(any=['a']), uris=None)
 
     def test_find_accepts_query_dict_instead_of_kwargs(self):
         track1 = Track(uri='dummy1:a')
@@ -126,9 +143,9 @@ class CoreLibraryTest(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertIn(result1, result)
         self.assertIn(result2, result)
         self.library1.find_exact.assert_called_once_with(
-            query=dict(any=['a']))
+            query=dict(any=['a']), uris=None)
         self.library2.find_exact.assert_called_once_with(
-            query=dict(any=['a']))
+            query=dict(any=['a']), uris=None)
 
     def test_search_combines_results_from_all_backends(self):
         track1 = Track(uri='dummy1:a')
@@ -146,9 +163,26 @@ class CoreLibraryTest(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertIn(result1, result)
         self.assertIn(result2, result)
         self.library1.search.assert_called_once_with(
-            query=dict(any=['a']))
+            query=dict(any=['a']), uris=None)
         self.library2.search.assert_called_once_with(
-            query=dict(any=['a']))
+            query=dict(any=['a']), uris=None)
+
+    def test_search_with_uris_selects_dummy1_backend(self):
+        self.core.library.search(
+            query=dict(any=['a']), uris=['dummy1:', 'dummy1:foo', 'dummy3:'])
+
+        self.library1.search.assert_called_once_with(
+            query=dict(any=['a']), uris=['dummy1:', 'dummy1:foo'])
+        self.assertFalse(self.library2.search.called)
+
+    def test_search_with_uris_selects_both_backends(self):
+        self.core.library.search(
+            query=dict(any=['a']), uris=['dummy1:', 'dummy1:foo', 'dummy2:'])
+
+        self.library1.search.assert_called_once_with(
+            query=dict(any=['a']), uris=['dummy1:', 'dummy1:foo'])
+        self.library2.search.assert_called_once_with(
+            query=dict(any=['a']), uris=['dummy2:'])
 
     def test_search_filters_out_none(self):
         track1 = Track(uri='dummy1:a')
@@ -164,9 +198,9 @@ class CoreLibraryTest(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertIn(result1, result)
         self.assertNotIn(None, result)
         self.library1.search.assert_called_once_with(
-            query=dict(any=['a']))
+            query=dict(any=['a']), uris=None)
         self.library2.search.assert_called_once_with(
-            query=dict(any=['a']))
+            query=dict(any=['a']), uris=None)
 
     def test_search_accepts_query_dict_instead_of_kwargs(self):
         track1 = Track(uri='dummy1:a')
@@ -184,6 +218,6 @@ class CoreLibraryTest(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertIn(result1, result)
         self.assertIn(result2, result)
         self.library1.search.assert_called_once_with(
-            query=dict(any=['a']))
+            query=dict(any=['a']), uris=None)
         self.library2.search.assert_called_once_with(
-            query=dict(any=['a']))
+            query=dict(any=['a']), uris=None)