diff --git a/openerp/addons/test_impex/tests/test_load.py b/openerp/addons/test_impex/tests/test_load.py
index 2fcf6dc2ad6..d9cbd5b100a 100644
--- a/openerp/addons/test_impex/tests/test_load.py
+++ b/openerp/addons/test_impex/tests/test_load.py
@@ -642,11 +642,12 @@ class test_m2o(ImporterCase):
     @mute_logger('openerp.sql_db')
     def test_fail_id_mistype(self):
         result = self.import_(['value/.id'], [["foo"]])
-        try:
-            int("foo")
-        except ValueError, exc:
-            expected_message = unicode(exc)
-        self.assertEqual(result['messages'], [message(expected_message)])
+
+        self.assertEqual(result['messages'], [
+            message(u"Invalid database id 'foo' for the field 'unknown'",
+                    moreinfo=moreaction(res_model='ir.model.data',
+                                        domain=[('model','=','export.integer')]))
+        ])
         self.assertIs(result['ids'], False)
 
     def test_sub_field(self):
diff --git a/openerp/models.py b/openerp/models.py
index 9561d3dde40..9c3febfdaa7 100644
--- a/openerp/models.py
+++ b/openerp/models.py
@@ -1691,7 +1691,7 @@ class BaseModel(object):
             return False
 
     @api.model
-    def name_search(self, name='', args=None, operator=None, limit=100):
+    def name_search(self, name='', args=None, operator='ilike', limit=100):
         """ name_search(name='', args=None, operator='ilike', limit=100) -> records
 
         Search for records that have a display name matching the given
@@ -1717,7 +1717,7 @@ class BaseModel(object):
         """
         return self._name_search(name, args, operator, limit=limit)
 
-    def _name_search(self, cr, user, name='', args=None, operator=None, context=None, limit=100, name_get_uid=None):
+    def _name_search(self, cr, user, name='', args=None, operator='ilike', context=None, limit=100, name_get_uid=None):
         # private implementation of name_search, allows passing a dedicated user
         # for the name_get part to solve some access rights issues
         args = list(args or [])
@@ -1725,9 +1725,6 @@ class BaseModel(object):
         if not self._rec_name:
             _logger.warning("Cannot execute name_search, no _rec_name defined on %s", self._name)
         elif not (name == '' and operator == 'ilike'):
-            if operator is None:
-                field = self._fields[self._rec_name]
-                operator = ('=' if field.type == 'integer' else 'ilike')
             args += [(self._rec_name, operator, name)]
         access_rights_uid = name_get_uid or user
         ids = self._search(cr, user, args, limit=limit, context=context, access_rights_uid=access_rights_uid)
diff --git a/openerp/osv/expression.py b/openerp/osv/expression.py
index 53ba5a2e8ae..0298bd3a90a 100644
--- a/openerp/osv/expression.py
+++ b/openerp/osv/expression.py
@@ -1195,6 +1195,10 @@ class expression(object):
                 query, params = self.__leaf_to_sql(
                     create_substitution_leaf(eleaf, (left, '=', right), model))
 
+        elif left == 'id':
+            query = '%s.id %s %%s' % (table_alias, operator)
+            params = right
+
         else:
             need_wildcard = operator in ('like', 'ilike', 'not like', 'not ilike')
             sql_operator = {'=like': 'like', '=ilike': 'ilike'}.get(operator, operator)