diff --git a/lib/api/filter.rb b/lib/api/filter.rb
index 4faa4496052b..f252557b0f9d 100644
--- a/lib/api/filter.rb
+++ b/lib/api/filter.rb
@@ -52,12 +52,21 @@ def parse
 
     def parse_filter(filter)
       logical_or = filter.gsub!(/^or /i, '').present?
-      operator, methods = OPERATORS.find { |op, _methods| filter.partition(op).second == op }
+
+      operator = nil
+      operators_from_longest_to_shortest = OPERATORS.keys.sort_by(&:size).reverse
+      filter.size.times do |i|
+        operator = operators_from_longest_to_shortest.detect do |o|
+          o == filter[(i..(i + o.size - 1))]
+        end
+        break if operator
+      end
 
       if operator.blank?
         raise BadRequestError, "Unknown operator specified in filter #{filter}"
       end
 
+      methods = OPERATORS[operator]
       filter_attr, _, filter_value = filter.partition(operator)
       filter_attr.strip!
       filter_value.strip!
diff --git a/spec/lib/api/filter_spec.rb b/spec/lib/api/filter_spec.rb
index da5315ecad54..71019286129e 100644
--- a/spec/lib/api/filter_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/api/filter_spec.rb
@@ -346,5 +346,14 @@
       expected = {"=" => {"field" => "Vm-ems_id", "value" => 1_000_000_000_123}}
       expect(actual.exp).to eq(expected)
     end
+
+    it "can handle operator characters on the right hand side" do
+      filters = ["name=Vms with free space > 50 percent"]
+
+      actual = described_class.parse(filters, MiqReport)
+
+      expected = {"=" => {"field" => "MiqReport-name", "value" => "Vms with free space > 50 percent"}}
+      expect(actual.exp).to eq(expected)
+    end
   end
 end