diff --git a/addressbook/inc/class.socontacts_sql.inc.php b/addressbook/inc/class.socontacts_sql.inc.php
index b869548f54..fff69c7b41 100644
--- a/addressbook/inc/class.socontacts_sql.inc.php
+++ b/addressbook/inc/class.socontacts_sql.inc.php
@@ -318,7 +318,11 @@ class socontacts_sql extends so_sql
 			$join .= " JOIN $this->ab2list_table ON $this->table_name.contact_id=$this->ab2list_table.contact_id AND list_id=".(int)$filter['list'];
 			unset($filter['list']);
 		}
-		return parent::search($criteria,$only_keys,$order_by,$extra_cols,$wildcard,$empty,$op,$start,$filter,$join,$need_full_no_count);
+		$rows =& parent::search($criteria,$only_keys,$order_by,$extra_cols,$wildcard,$empty,$op,$start,$filter,$join,$need_full_no_count);
+		
+		if ($start === false) $this->total = is_array($rows) ? count($rows) : 0;	// so_sql sets total only for $start !== false!
+		
+		return $rows;
 	}
 	
 	/**