diff --git a/mongoengine/fields.py b/mongoengine/fields.py
index 2f800fc5..6bca1b2a 100644
--- a/mongoengine/fields.py
+++ b/mongoengine/fields.py
@@ -39,8 +39,25 @@ class StringField(BaseField):
     def lookup_member(self, member_name):
         return None
 
+    def prepare_query_value(self, op, value):
+        if not isinstance(op, basestring):
+            return value
 
-class URLField(BaseField):
+        if op.lstrip('i') in ('startswith', 'endswith', 'contains'):
+            flags = 0
+            if op.startswith('i'):
+                flags = re.IGNORECASE
+                op = op.lstrip('i')
+
+            regex = r'%s'
+            if op == 'startswith':
+                regex = r'^%s'
+            elif op == 'endswith':
+                regex = r'%s$'
+            value = re.compile(regex % value, flags)
+        return value
+
+class URLField(StringField):
     """A field that validates input as a URL.
     """
 
diff --git a/mongoengine/queryset.py b/mongoengine/queryset.py
index 9592236d..4d8fb7ff 100644
--- a/mongoengine/queryset.py
+++ b/mongoengine/queryset.py
@@ -275,13 +275,15 @@ class QuerySet(object):
         """
         operators = ['ne', 'gt', 'gte', 'lt', 'lte', 'in', 'nin', 'mod',
                      'all', 'size', 'exists']
+        match_operators = ['contains', 'icontains', 'startswith', 
+                           'istartswith', 'endswith', 'iendswith']
 
         mongo_query = {}
         for key, value in query.items():
             parts = key.split('__')
             # Check for an operator and transform to mongo-style if there is
             op = None
-            if parts[-1] in operators:
+            if parts[-1] in operators + match_operators:
                 op = parts.pop()
 
             if _doc_cls:
@@ -291,13 +293,15 @@ class QuerySet(object):
 
                 # Convert value to proper value
                 field = fields[-1]
-                if op in (None, 'ne', 'gt', 'gte', 'lt', 'lte'):
+                singular_ops = [None, 'ne', 'gt', 'gte', 'lt', 'lte']
+                singular_ops += match_operators
+                if op in singular_ops:
                     value = field.prepare_query_value(op, value)
                 elif op in ('in', 'nin', 'all'):
                     # 'in', 'nin' and 'all' require a list of values
                     value = [field.prepare_query_value(op, v) for v in value]
 
-            if op:
+            if op and op not in match_operators:
                 value = {'$' + op: value}
 
             key = '.'.join(parts)
diff --git a/tests/queryset.py b/tests/queryset.py
index d287efad..5b434e95 100644
--- a/tests/queryset.py
+++ b/tests/queryset.py
@@ -186,6 +186,41 @@ class QuerySetTest(unittest.TestCase):
         person = self.Person.objects.get(age=50)
         self.assertEqual(person.name, "User C")
 
+    def test_regex_query_shortcuts(self):
+        """Ensure that contains, startswith, endswith, etc work.
+        """
+        person = self.Person(name='Guido van Rossum')
+        person.save()
+
+        # Test contains
+        obj = self.Person.objects(name__contains='van').first()
+        self.assertEqual(obj, person)
+        obj = self.Person.objects(name__contains='Van').first()
+        self.assertEqual(obj, None)
+
+        # Test icontains
+        obj = self.Person.objects(name__icontains='Van').first()
+        self.assertEqual(obj, person)
+
+        # Test startswith
+        obj = self.Person.objects(name__startswith='Guido').first()
+        self.assertEqual(obj, person)
+        obj = self.Person.objects(name__startswith='guido').first()
+        self.assertEqual(obj, None)
+
+        # Test istartswith
+        obj = self.Person.objects(name__istartswith='guido').first()
+        self.assertEqual(obj, person)
+
+        # Test endswith
+        obj = self.Person.objects(name__endswith='Rossum').first()
+        self.assertEqual(obj, person)
+        obj = self.Person.objects(name__endswith='rossuM').first()
+        self.assertEqual(obj, None)
+
+        # Test iendswith
+        obj = self.Person.objects(name__iendswith='rossuM').first()
+        self.assertEqual(obj, person)
 
     def test_filter_chaining(self):
         """Ensure filters can be chained together.