diff --git a/synapse/rest/client/user_directory.py b/synapse/rest/client/user_directory.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7e8912f0b9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/synapse/rest/client/user_directory.py
@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+# Copyright 2017 Vector Creations Ltd
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+# http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+import logging
+
+from synapse.api.errors import SynapseError
+from synapse.http.servlet import RestServlet, parse_json_object_from_request
+
+from ._base import client_patterns
+
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+
+class UserDirectorySearchRestServlet(RestServlet):
+ PATTERNS = client_patterns("/user_directory/search$")
+
+ def __init__(self, hs):
+ """
+ Args:
+ hs (synapse.server.HomeServer): server
+ """
+ super().__init__()
+ self.hs = hs
+ self.auth = hs.get_auth()
+ self.user_directory_handler = hs.get_user_directory_handler()
+
+ async def on_POST(self, request):
+ """Searches for users in directory
+
+ Returns:
+ dict of the form::
+
+ {
+ "limited": <bool>, # whether there were more results or not
+ "results": [ # Ordered by best match first
+ {
+ "user_id": <user_id>,
+ "display_name": <display_name>,
+ "avatar_url": <avatar_url>
+ }
+ ]
+ }
+ """
+ requester = await self.auth.get_user_by_req(request, allow_guest=False)
+ user_id = requester.user.to_string()
+
+ if not self.hs.config.user_directory_search_enabled:
+ return 200, {"limited": False, "results": []}
+
+ body = parse_json_object_from_request(request)
+
+ limit = body.get("limit", 10)
+ limit = min(limit, 50)
+
+ try:
+ search_term = body["search_term"]
+ except Exception:
+ raise SynapseError(400, "`search_term` is required field")
+
+ results = await self.user_directory_handler.search_users(
+ user_id, search_term, limit
+ )
+
+ return 200, results
+
+
+def register_servlets(hs, http_server):
+ UserDirectorySearchRestServlet(hs).register(http_server)
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