diff --git a/src/opnsense/mvc/app/controllers/OPNsense/IDS/Api/SettingsController.php b/src/opnsense/mvc/app/controllers/OPNsense/IDS/Api/SettingsController.php
index dedce7a73..e67185c09 100644
--- a/src/opnsense/mvc/app/controllers/OPNsense/IDS/Api/SettingsController.php
+++ b/src/opnsense/mvc/app/controllers/OPNsense/IDS/Api/SettingsController.php
@@ -104,10 +104,13 @@ class SettingsController extends ApiMutableModelControllerBase
                 $searchPhrase = '';
             }
 
-            // add filter for classtype
-            if ($this->request->getPost("classtype", "string", '') != "") {
-                $searchTag = $filter->sanitize($this->request->getPost('classtype'), "query");
-                $searchPhrase .= " classtype/" . $searchTag . ' ';
+            // add metadata filters
+            foreach ($_POST as $key => $value) {
+                $key = $filter->sanitize($key, "string");
+                $value = $filter->sanitize($value, "string");
+                if (!in_array($key, ['current', 'rowCount', 'sort', 'searchPhrase', 'action'])) {
+                    $searchPhrase .= " {$key}/{$value} ";
+                }
             }
 
             // add filter for action
diff --git a/src/opnsense/mvc/app/views/OPNsense/IDS/index.volt b/src/opnsense/mvc/app/views/OPNsense/IDS/index.volt
index 5aa8ba3e2..0c4115da5 100644
--- a/src/opnsense/mvc/app/views/OPNsense/IDS/index.volt
+++ b/src/opnsense/mvc/app/views/OPNsense/IDS/index.volt
@@ -62,27 +62,31 @@ POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
         /**
          * list all known classtypes and add to selection box
          */
-        function updateRuleClassTypes() {
+        function updateRuleMetadata() {
             ajaxGet("/api/ids/settings/listRuleMetadata", {}, function(data, status) {
                 if (status == "success") {
-                    $('#ruleclass').html('<option value="">ALL</option>');
-                    $.each(data['classtype'], function(key, value) {
-                        $('#ruleclass').append($("<option></option>").attr("value",value).text(value));
+                    $('#rulemetadata').empty();
+                    $.each(Object.assign({}, {'action': ['drop', 'alert']}, data), function(key, values) {
+                        let $optgroup = $("<optgroup/>");
+                        $optgroup.prop('label', key);
+                        for (let i=0; i < values.length ; ++i) {
+                            $optgroup.append(
+                              $("<option>").val(values[i]).text(values[i].substr(0, 50))
+                                .data('property', key)
+                                .data('value', values[i])
+                                .data('content', "<span class='badge'>"+key+"\\"+values[i].substr(0, 50)+"</span>")
+                            );
+                        }
+                        $('#rulemetadata').append($optgroup);
                     });
                     $('.selectpicker').selectpicker('refresh');
                     // link on change event
-                    $('#ruleclass').on('change', function(){
+                    $('#rulemetadata').on('change', function(){
                         $('#grid-installedrules').bootgrid('reload');
                     });
                 }
             });
         }
-        /**
-         * link on change event for alert "action" selectionbox
-         */
-        $('#ruleaction').on('change', function(){
-            $('#grid-installedrules').bootgrid('reload');
-        });
 
         /**
          * update list of available alert logs
@@ -111,14 +115,14 @@ POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
          * Add classtype / action to rule filter
          */
         function addRuleFilters(request) {
-            var selected =$('#ruleclass').find("option:selected").val();
-            if ( selected != "") {
-                request['classtype'] = selected;
-            }
-            var selected =$('#ruleaction').find("option:selected").val();
-            if ( selected != "") {
-                request['action'] = selected;
-            }
+            $('#rulemetadata').find("option:selected").each(function(){
+                let filter_name = $(this).data('property');
+                if (request[filter_name] === undefined) {
+                    request[filter_name] = $(this).data('value');
+                } else {
+                    request[filter_name] += "," + $(this).data('value');
+                }
+            });
             return request;
         }
 
@@ -315,7 +319,7 @@ POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
                 //
 
                 // delay refresh for a bit
-                setTimeout(updateRuleClassTypes, 500);
+                setTimeout(updateRuleMetadata, 500);
 
                 /**
                  * grid installed rules
@@ -783,14 +787,7 @@ POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
         <div class="bootgrid-header container-fluid">
             <div class="row">
                 <div class="col-sm-12 actionBar">
-                    <b>{{ lang._('Classtype') }} &nbsp;</b>
-                    <select id="ruleclass" class="selectpicker" data-width="200px"></select>
-                    &nbsp;
-                    <b>{{ lang._('Action') }} &nbsp;</b>
-                    <select id="ruleaction" class="selectpicker" data-width="100px">
-                        <option value="">{{ lang._('All') }}</option>
-                        <option value="drop">{{ lang._('Drop') }}</option>
-                        <option value="alert">{{ lang._('Alert') }}</option>
+                    <select id="rulemetadata" title="{{ lang._('Filters') }}" class="selectpicker" multiple=multiple data-live-search="true" data-size="10" data-width="100%">
                     </select>
                 </div>
             </div>