diff --git a/helpdesk/query.py b/helpdesk/query.py
index 869e800a..c1808594 100644
--- a/helpdesk/query.py
+++ b/helpdesk/query.py
@@ -164,12 +164,12 @@ class __Query__:
         """
         objects = self.get()
         order_by = '-date_created'
-        draw = int(kwargs.get('draw', None)[0])
-        length = int(kwargs.get('length', None)[0])
-        start = int(kwargs.get('start', None)[0])
-        search_value = kwargs.get('search[value]', None)[0]
-        order_column = kwargs.get('order[0][column]', None)[0]
-        order = kwargs.get('order[0][dir]', None)[0]
+        draw = int(kwargs.get('draw', [0])[0])
+        length = int(kwargs.get('length', [25])[0])
+        start = int(kwargs.get('start', [0])[0])
+        search_value = kwargs.get('search[value]', [""])[0]
+        order_column = kwargs.get('order[0][column]', ['5'])[0]
+        order = kwargs.get('order[0][dir]', ["asc"])[0]
 
         order_column = DATATABLES_ORDER_COLUMN_CHOICES[order_column]
         # django orm '-' -> desc
diff --git a/helpdesk/tests/test_query.py b/helpdesk/tests/test_query.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c722c723
--- /dev/null
+++ b/helpdesk/tests/test_query.py
@@ -0,0 +1,103 @@
+from django.contrib.auth import get_user_model
+from django.test import TestCase
+from django.urls import reverse
+
+from helpdesk.models import KBCategory, KBItem, Queue, Ticket
+from helpdesk.query import query_to_base64
+
+from helpdesk.tests.helpers import (get_staff_user, reload_urlconf, User, create_ticket, print_response)
+
+
+class QueryTests(TestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.queue = Queue.objects.create(
+            title="Test queue",
+            slug="test_queue",
+            allow_public_submission=True,
+        )
+        self.queue.save()
+        cat = KBCategory.objects.create(
+            title="Test Cat",
+            slug="test_cat",
+            description="This is a test category",
+            queue=self.queue,
+        )
+        cat.save()
+        self.kbitem1 = KBItem.objects.create(
+            category=cat,
+            title="KBItem 1",
+            question="What?",
+            answer="A KB Item",
+        )
+        self.user = get_staff_user()
+        self.ticket1 = Ticket.objects.create(
+            title="unassigned to kbitem",
+            queue=self.queue,
+            description="lol",
+        )
+        self.ticket1.save()
+        self.ticket2 = Ticket.objects.create(
+            title="assigned to kbitem",
+            queue=self.queue,
+            description="lol",
+            kbitem=self.kbitem1,
+        )
+        self.ticket2.save()
+
+    def loginUser(self, is_staff=True):
+        """Create a staff user and login"""
+        User = get_user_model()
+        self.user = User.objects.create(
+            username='User_1',
+            is_staff=is_staff,
+        )
+        self.user.set_password('pass')
+        self.user.save()
+        self.client.login(username='User_1', password='pass')
+
+    def test_query_basic(self):
+        self.loginUser()
+        query = query_to_base64({})
+        response = self.client.get(reverse('helpdesk:datatables_ticket_list', args=[query]))
+        self.assertEqual(
+            response.json(),
+            {"data":
+             [{"ticket": "1 [test_queue-1]", "id": 1, "priority": 3, "title": "unassigned to kbitem", "queue": {"title": "Test queue", "id": 1}, "status": "Open", "created": "now", "due_date": None, "assigned_to": "None", "submitter": None, "row_class": "", "time_spent": "", "kbitem": ""},
+              {"ticket": "2 [test_queue-2]", "id": 2, "priority": 3, "title": "assigned to kbitem", "queue": {"title": "Test queue", "id": 1}, "status": "Open", "created": "now", "due_date": None, "assigned_to": "None", "submitter": None, "row_class": "", "time_spent": "", "kbitem": "KBItem 1"}],
+             "recordsFiltered": 2,
+             "recordsTotal": 2,
+             "draw": 0,
+            },
+        )
+
+    def test_query_by_kbitem(self):
+        self.loginUser()
+        query = query_to_base64(
+            {'filtering': {'kbitem__in': [self.kbitem1.pk]}}
+        )
+        response = self.client.get(reverse('helpdesk:datatables_ticket_list', args=[query]))
+        self.assertEqual(
+            response.json(),
+            {"data":
+             [{"ticket": "2 [test_queue-2]", "id": 2, "priority": 3, "title": "assigned to kbitem", "queue": {"title": "Test queue", "id": 1}, "status": "Open", "created": "now", "due_date": None, "assigned_to": "None", "submitter": None, "row_class": "", "time_spent": "", "kbitem": "KBItem 1"}],
+             "recordsFiltered": 1,
+             "recordsTotal": 1,
+             "draw": 0,
+            },
+        )
+
+    def test_query_by_no_kbitem(self):
+        self.loginUser()
+        query = query_to_base64(
+            {'filtering_or': {'kbitem__in': [self.kbitem1.pk]}}
+        )
+        response = self.client.get(reverse('helpdesk:datatables_ticket_list', args=[query]))
+        self.assertEqual(
+            response.json(),
+            {"data":
+             [{"ticket": "2 [test_queue-2]", "id": 2, "priority": 3, "title": "assigned to kbitem", "queue": {"title": "Test queue", "id": 1}, "status": "Open", "created": "now", "due_date": None, "assigned_to": "None", "submitter": None, "row_class": "", "time_spent": "", "kbitem": "KBItem 1"}],
+             "recordsFiltered": 1,
+             "recordsTotal": 1,
+             "draw": 0,
+            },
+        )
diff --git a/helpdesk/views/staff.py b/helpdesk/views/staff.py
index 78869041..80c9dc69 100644
--- a/helpdesk/views/staff.py
+++ b/helpdesk/views/staff.py
@@ -898,6 +898,8 @@ def ticket_list(request):
                     pattern_pks = [int(pattern) for pattern in patterns]
                     if -1 in pattern_pks:
                         query_params['filtering_or'][filter_null_params[param]] = True
+                    else:
+                        query_params['filtering_or'][filter_command] = pattern_pks
                     query_params['filtering'][filter_command] = pattern_pks
                 except ValueError:
                     pass
diff --git a/quicktest.py b/quicktest.py
index c7912124..be829453 100644
--- a/quicktest.py
+++ b/quicktest.py
@@ -28,7 +28,11 @@ class QuickDjangoTest(object):
         'django.contrib.sites',
         'django.contrib.staticfiles',
         'bootstrap4form',
+        'account',
+        'pinax.invitations',
+        'pinax.teams',
         'helpdesk',
+        'reversion',
     )
     MIDDLEWARE = [
         'django.middleware.security.SecurityMiddleware',