diff --git a/htdocs/core/class/html.form.class.php b/htdocs/core/class/html.form.class.php
index 93c1f062dc9..ef6cfbfcb0c 100644
--- a/htdocs/core/class/html.form.class.php
+++ b/htdocs/core/class/html.form.class.php
@@ -515,7 +515,9 @@ class Form
         {
             if ($conf->use_javascript_ajax && $conf->global->COMPANY_USE_SEARCH_TO_SELECT && ! $forcecombo)
             {
-                $socid = 0;
+                $minLength = (is_numeric($conf->global->COMPANY_USE_SEARCH_TO_SELECT)?$conf->global->COMPANY_USE_SEARCH_TO_SELECT:2);
+                
+            	$socid = 0;
                 if ($selected)
                 {
                     $obj = $this->db->fetch_object($resql);
@@ -533,7 +535,7 @@ class Form
                 {
                     print '<input type="text" size="30" id="search_'.$htmlname.'" name="search_'.$htmlname.'" value="'.$obj->nom.'" />';
                 }
-                print ajax_autocompleter(($socid?$socid:-1),$htmlname,DOL_URL_ROOT.'/societe/ajaxcompanies.php?filter='.urlencode($filter), '');
+                print ajax_autocompleter(($socid?$socid:-1),$htmlname,DOL_URL_ROOT.'/societe/ajaxcompanies.php?filter='.urlencode($filter), '', $minLength);
                 print '</td>';
                 print '</tr>';
                 print '</table>';
diff --git a/htdocs/core/class/html.formcompany.class.php b/htdocs/core/class/html.formcompany.class.php
index cdc2072aebb..307f39b0be9 100644
--- a/htdocs/core/class/html.formcompany.class.php
+++ b/htdocs/core/class/html.formcompany.class.php
@@ -522,6 +522,8 @@ class FormCompany
 		{
 			if ($conf->use_javascript_ajax && $conf->global->COMPANY_USE_SEARCH_TO_SELECT)
 			{
+				$minLength = (is_numeric($conf->global->COMPANY_USE_SEARCH_TO_SELECT)?$conf->global->COMPANY_USE_SEARCH_TO_SELECT:2);
+				
 				$socid=0;
 				if ($selected)
 				{
@@ -546,7 +548,7 @@ class FormCompany
 				{
 					print '<input type="text" size="30" id="search_'.$htmlname.'" name="search_'.$htmlname.'" value="'.$obj->nom.'" '.$htmloption.' />';
 				}
-				print ajax_autocompleter(($socid?$socid:-1),$htmlname,DOL_URL_ROOT.'/societe/ajaxcompanies.php','');
+				print ajax_autocompleter(($socid?$socid:-1),$htmlname,DOL_URL_ROOT.'/societe/ajaxcompanies.php','',$minLength);
 				print '</td>';
 				print '</tr>';
 				print '</table>';
diff --git a/htdocs/lib/ajax.lib.php b/htdocs/lib/ajax.lib.php
index 760aba0c5e8..691b3de54f0 100644
--- a/htdocs/lib/ajax.lib.php
+++ b/htdocs/lib/ajax.lib.php
@@ -31,16 +31,9 @@
  *	@param	    url                 chemin du fichier de reponse : /chemin/fichier.php
  *	@return    	string              script complet
  */
-function ajax_autocompleter($selected='',$htmlname,$url,$option='')
+function ajax_autocompleter($selected='',$htmlname,$url,$option='',$minLength=2)
 {
-    global $conf;
-
-    if (empty($conf->global->COMPANY_USE_SEARCH_TO_SELECT)) return "COMPANY_USE_SEARCH_TO_SELECT is empty. This should not happens";
-    if (! is_numeric($conf->global->COMPANY_USE_SEARCH_TO_SELECT)) return "COMPANY_USE_SEARCH_TO_SELECT is not a numeric. This should not happens";
-
-	$script='';
-
-	$script.= '<input type="hidden" name="'.$htmlname.'" id="'.$htmlname.'" value="'.$selected.'" />';
+	$script = '<input type="hidden" name="'.$htmlname.'" id="'.$htmlname.'" value="'.$selected.'" />';
 
 	$script.= '<script type="text/javascript">';
 	$script.= 'jQuery(document).ready(function() {
@@ -66,7 +59,7 @@ function ajax_autocompleter($selected='',$htmlname,$url,$option='')
 							}, "json");
 						},
 						dataType: "json",
-    					minLength: '.$conf->global->COMPANY_USE_SEARCH_TO_SELECT.',
+    					minLength: '.$minLength.',
     					select: function( event, ui ) {
     						jQuery("#'.$htmlname.'").val(ui.item.id);
     					}