diff --git a/Netdisco/lib/Netdisco.pm b/Netdisco/lib/Netdisco.pm
index af5c498a..df775a0b 100644
--- a/Netdisco/lib/Netdisco.pm
+++ b/Netdisco/lib/Netdisco.pm
@@ -43,6 +43,14 @@ get '/search' => sub {
         params->{'vendor'} = 'checked';
     }
 
+    # list of tabs
+    var('tabs' => [
+        { id => 'device', label => 'Device' },
+        { id => 'node',   label => 'Node'   },
+        { id => 'vlan',   label => 'VLAN'   },
+        { id => 'port',   label => 'Port'   },
+    ]);
+
     template 'search';
 };
 
diff --git a/Netdisco/views/inc/js/search.js b/Netdisco/views/inc/js/search.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..03e519fd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Netdisco/views/inc/js/search.js
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+  $(document).ready(function() {
+    // parameterised for the active tab - submits search form and injects
+    // HTML response into the tab pane, or an error/empty-results message
+    function do_search (event, tab) {
+      var form = '#' + tab + '_form';
+      var target = '#' + tab + '_pane';
+
+      // stop form from submitting normally
+      event.preventDefault();
+
+      // get the form params
+      var query = $(form).serialize();
+
+      // in case of slow data load, let the user know
+      $(target).html(
+        '<div class="span3 alert-message notice"><p>Waiting for results...</p></div>'
+      );
+
+      // submit the query and put results into the tab pane
+      $(target).load( '/ajax/content/search/' + tab + '?' + query,
+        function(response, status, xhr) {
+          if (status !== "success") {
+            $(target).html(
+              '<div class="span6 alert-message error">' +
+              '<p>Search failed! Please contact your site administrator.</p></div>'
+            );
+            return;
+          }
+          if (response === "") {
+            $(target).html(
+              '<div class="span3 alert-message info"><p>No matching records.</p></div>'
+            );
+            return;
+          }
+        }
+      );
+    }
+
+    // search hook for each tab
+    [% FOREACH tab IN vars.tabs %]
+    $('[% "#${tab.id}_form" %]').submit(function(event){ do_search(event, '[% tab.id %]'); });
+    [% END %]
+
+    // on page load, load the content for the active tab
+    [% IF params.tab %]
+    $('#[% params.tab %]_form').trigger("submit");
+    [% END %]
+
+    // on tab change, hide previous tab's search form and show new tab's
+    // search form. also trigger to load the content for the newly active tab.
+    $('#search_results').bind('change', function(e) {
+      var to = $(e.target).attr('href').replace(/^#/,"").replace(/_pane$/,"");
+      var from = $(e.relatedTarget).attr('href').replace(/^#/,"").replace(/_pane$/,"");
+
+      $('#' + from + '_search').toggleClass('active');
+      $('#' + to + '_search').toggleClass('active');
+
+      $('#' + to + '_form').trigger("submit");
+    });
+
+    // fix green background on search checkboxes
+    // https://github.com/twitter/bootstrap/issues/742
+    syncCheckBox = function() {
+      $(this).parents('.add-on').toggleClass('active', $(this).is(':checked'));
+    };
+    $('.add-on :checkbox').each(syncCheckBox).click(syncCheckBox);
+  });
diff --git a/Netdisco/views/inc/search/device.tt b/Netdisco/views/inc/search/device.tt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1b70da49
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Netdisco/views/inc/search/device.tt
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+        <div id="device_search" class="tab-pane [% 'active' IF params.tab == 'device' %]">
+          <form id="device_form" class="nd_sidesearchform form-stacked" method="get" action="/search">
+            <div class="clearfix">
+              <input class="span3" name="q" value="[% params.q %]" type="text"/>
+            </div>
+            <p><em>Device Search Options</em></p>
+            <input name="tab" value="device" type="hidden"/>
+            <div class="clearfix">
+              <button id="device_submit" type="submit" class="btn info">Search Again</button>
+            </div>
+          </form>
+        </div> <!-- /tab-pane -->
diff --git a/Netdisco/views/inc/search/node.tt b/Netdisco/views/inc/search/node.tt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..149b762e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Netdisco/views/inc/search/node.tt
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+        <div id="node_search" class="tab-pane [% 'active' IF params.tab == 'node' %]">
+          <form id="node_form" class="nd_sidesearchform form-stacked" method="get" action="/search">
+            <div class="clearfix">
+              <input class="span3" name="q" value="[% params.q %]" type="text"/>
+            </div>
+            <p><em>Node Search Options</em></p>
+            <input name="tab" value="node" type="hidden"/>
+            <div class="clearfix input-prepend">
+              <label class="add-on">
+                <input type="checkbox" id="stamps" name="stamps"[% ' checked="checked"' IF params.stamps %]/>
+              </label>
+              <label for="stamps">
+                <span class="nd_searchcheckbox uneditable-input">Time Stamps</span>
+              </label>
+            </div>
+            <div class="clearfix input-prepend">
+              <label class="add-on">
+                <input type="checkbox" id="vendor" name="vendor"[% ' checked="checked"' IF params.vendor %]/>
+              </label>
+              <label for="vendor">
+                <span class="nd_searchcheckbox uneditable-input">Vendor</span>
+              </label>
+            </div>
+            <div class="clearfix input-prepend">
+              <label class="add-on">
+                <input type="checkbox" id="archived" name="archived"[% ' checked="checked"' IF params.archived %]/>
+              </label>
+              <label for="archived">
+                <span class="nd_searchcheckbox uneditable-input">Archived Data</span>
+              </label>
+            </div>
+            <div class="clearfix">
+              <button id="node_submit" type="submit" class="btn info">Search Again</button>
+            </div>
+          </form>
+        </div> <!-- /tab-pane -->
diff --git a/Netdisco/views/inc/search/port.tt b/Netdisco/views/inc/search/port.tt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0a828721
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Netdisco/views/inc/search/port.tt
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+        <div id="port_search" class="tab-pane [% 'active' IF params.tab == 'port' %]">
+          <form id="port_form" class="nd_sidesearchform form-stacked" method="get" action="/search">
+            <div class="clearfix">
+              <input class="span3" name="q" value="[% params.q %]" type="text"/>
+            </div>
+            <input name="tab" value="vlan" type="hidden"/>
+            <div class="clearfix">
+              <button id="port_submit" type="submit" class="btn info">Search Again</button>
+            </div>
+          </form>
+        </div> <!-- /tab-pane -->
diff --git a/Netdisco/views/inc/search/vlan.tt b/Netdisco/views/inc/search/vlan.tt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..30e70115
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Netdisco/views/inc/search/vlan.tt
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+        <div id="vlan_search" class="tab-pane [% 'active' IF params.tab == 'vlan' %]">
+          <form id="vlan_form" class="nd_sidesearchform form-stacked" method="get" action="/search">
+            <div class="clearfix">
+              <input class="span3" name="q" value="[% params.q %]" type="text"/>
+            </div>
+            <input name="tab" value="vlan" type="hidden"/>
+            <div class="clearfix">
+              <button id="vlan_submit" type="submit" class="btn info">Search Again</button>
+            </div>
+          </form>
+        </div> <!-- /tab-pane -->
diff --git a/Netdisco/views/search.tt b/Netdisco/views/search.tt
index 12cf6336..a5d1628a 100644
--- a/Netdisco/views/search.tt
+++ b/Netdisco/views/search.tt
@@ -2,156 +2,27 @@
   <div class="sidebar">
     <div class="well">
       <div class="tab-content">
-        <div id="nd_device_search" class="tab-pane [% 'active' IF params.tab == 'device' %]">
-          <form id="device_form" class="nd_sidesearchform form-stacked" method="get" action="/search">
-            <div class="clearfix">
-              <input class="span3" name="q" value="[% params.q %]" type="text"/>
-            </div>
-            <p><em>Device Search Options</em></p>
-            <input name="tab" value="device" type="hidden"/>
-            <div class="clearfix">
-              <button id="device_submit" type="submit" class="btn info">Search Again</button>
-            </div>
-          </form>
-        </div> <!-- /tab-pane -->
-        <div id="nd_node_search" class="tab-pane [% 'active' IF params.tab == 'node' %]">
-          <form id="node_form" class="nd_sidesearchform form-stacked" method="get" action="/search">
-            <div class="clearfix">
-              <input class="span3" name="q" value="[% params.q %]" type="text"/>
-            </div>
-            <p><em>Node Search Options</em></p>
-            <input name="tab" value="node" type="hidden"/>
-            <div class="clearfix input-prepend">
-              <label class="add-on">
-                <input type="checkbox" id="stamps" name="stamps" [% 'checked="checked"' IF params.stamps %]/>
-              </label>
-              <label for="stamps">
-                <span class="nd_searchcheckbox uneditable-input">Time Stamps</span>
-              </label>
-            </div>
-            <div class="clearfix input-prepend">
-              <label class="add-on">
-                <input type="checkbox" id="vendor" name="vendor" [% 'checked="checked"' IF params.vendor %]/>
-              </label>
-              <label for="vendor">
-                <span class="nd_searchcheckbox uneditable-input">Vendor</span>
-              </label>
-            </div>
-            <div class="clearfix input-prepend">
-              <label class="add-on">
-                <input type="checkbox" id="archived" name="archived" [% 'checked="checked"' IF params.archived %]/>
-              </label>
-              <label for="archived">
-                <span class="nd_searchcheckbox uneditable-input">Archived Data</span>
-              </label>
-            </div>
-            <div class="clearfix">
-              <button id="node_submit" type="submit" class="btn info">Search Again</button>
-            </div>
-          </form>
-        </div> <!-- /tab-pane -->
-        <div id="nd_vlan_search" class="tab-pane [% 'active' IF params.tab == 'vlan' %]">
-          <form id="vlan_form" class="nd_sidesearchform form-stacked" method="get" action="/search">
-            <div class="clearfix">
-              <input class="span3" name="q" value="[% params.q %]" type="text"/>
-            </div>
-            <input name="tab" value="vlan" type="hidden"/>
-            <div class="clearfix">
-              <button id="vlan_submit" type="submit" class="btn info">Search Again</button>
-            </div>
-          </form>
-        </div> <!-- /tab-pane -->
-        <div id="nd_port_search" class="tab-pane [% 'active' IF params.tab == 'port' %]">
-          <form id="port_form" class="nd_sidesearchform form-stacked" method="get" action="/search">
-            <div class="clearfix">
-              <input class="span3" name="q" value="[% params.q %]" type="text"/>
-            </div>
-            <input name="tab" value="vlan" type="hidden"/>
-            <div class="clearfix">
-              <button id="port_submit" type="submit" class="btn info">Search Again</button>
-            </div>
-          </form>
-        </div> <!-- /tab-pane -->
+        [% FOREACH tab IN vars.tabs %]
+
+          [% INCLUDE "inc/search/${tab.id}.tt" %]
+        [% END %]
       </div> <!-- /tab-content -->
     </div>
   </div>
 
   <div class="content">
     <ul id="search_results" class="tabs" data-tabs="on">
-      <li [% 'class="active"' IF params.tab == 'device' %]><a href="#device_results">Device</a></li>
-      <li [% 'class="active"' IF params.tab == 'node' %]><a href="#node_results">Node</a></li>
-      <li [% 'class="active"' IF params.tab == 'vlan' %]><a href="#vlan_results">VLAN</a></li>
-      <li [% 'class="active"' IF params.tab == 'port' %]><a href="#port_results">Port</a></li>
+      [% FOREACH tab IN vars.tabs %]
+      <li[% ' class="active"' IF params.tab == tab.id %]><a href="#[% tab.id %]_pane">[% tab.label %]</a></li>
+      [% END %]
     </ul>
     <div class="tab-content">
-      <div class="tab-pane [% 'active' IF params.tab == 'device' %]" id="device_results">
-        <div class="span3 alert-message notice"><p>Waiting for results...</p></div>
-      </div>
-      <div class="tab-pane [% 'active' IF params.tab == 'node' %]" id="node_results">
-        <div class="span3 alert-message notice"><p>Waiting for results...</p></div>
-      </div>
-      <div class="tab-pane [% 'active' IF params.tab == 'vlan' %]" id="vlan_results">
-        <div class="span3 alert-message notice"><p>Waiting for results...</p></div>
-      </div>
-      <div class="tab-pane [% 'active' IF params.tab == 'port' %]" id="port_results">
-        <div class="span3 alert-message notice"><p>Waiting for results...</p></div>
-      </div>
+      [% FOREACH tab IN vars.tabs %]
+      <div class="tab-pane[% ' active' IF params.tab == tab.id %]" id="[% tab.id %]_pane"></div>
+      [% END %]
   </div>
 </div>
 
-<script>
-  $(document).ready(function() {
-    function do_search (event, tab) {
-      var form = '#' + tab + '_form';
-      var target = '#' + tab + '_results';
-      /* stop form from submitting normally */
-      event.preventDefault();
-      /* get the form params */
-      var query = $(form).serialize();
-      /* submit the query and put results into the tab pane */
-      $(target).load( '/ajax/content/search/' + tab + '?' + query,
-        function(response, status, xhr) {
-          if (status == "error") {
-            $(target).html(
-              '<div class="span3 alert-message error"><p>Search failed!</p></div>'
-            );
-            return;
-          }
-          if (response === "") {
-            $(target).html(
-              '<div class="span3 alert-message info"><p>No matching records.</p></div>'
-            );
-            return;
-          }
-        }
-      );
-    }
-
-    [% FOREACH tab IN ['device', 'node', 'vlan', 'port'] %]
-    $('[% "#${tab}_form" %]').submit(function(event){ do_search(event, '[% tab %]'); });
-    [% END %]
-
-    [% IF params.tab %]
-    $('#[% params.tab %]_form').trigger("submit");
-    [% END %]
-
-    $('#search_results').bind('change', function(e) {
-      var to = $(e.target).attr('href').replace(/^#/,"").replace(/_results$/,"");
-      var from = $(e.relatedTarget).attr('href').replace(/^#/,"").replace(/_results$/,"");
-      $('#nd_' + from + '_search').toggleClass('active');
-      $('#nd_' + to + '_search').toggleClass('active');
-
-      $('#nd_' + to + '_results').html(
-        '<div class="span3 alert-message notice"><p>Waiting for results...</p></div>'
-      );
-      $('#' + to + '_form').trigger("submit");
-    });
-
-    <!-- fix green background on search checkboxes -->
-    <!-- https://github.com/twitter/bootstrap/issues/742 -->
-    syncCheckBox = function() {
-      $(this).parents('.add-on').toggleClass('active', $(this).is(':checked'));
-    };
-    $('.add-on :checkbox').each(syncCheckBox).click(syncCheckBox);
-  });
+<script type="text/javascript">
+[%+ INCLUDE 'inc/js/search.js' -%]
 </script>
diff --git a/README b/README
deleted file mode 100644
index e69de29b..00000000