diff --git a/phpBB/docs/CHANGELOG.html b/phpBB/docs/CHANGELOG.html
index a605f3a164..6182711169 100644
--- a/phpBB/docs/CHANGELOG.html
+++ b/phpBB/docs/CHANGELOG.html
@@ -223,6 +223,7 @@
 		<li>[Change] Introduce new parameter to page_header() for forum specific who is online listings.</li>
 		<li>[Change] Lifted minimum requirement for Firebird DBMS from 2.0+ to 2.1+.</li>
 		<li>[Change] Unapproved topics can no longer be replied to (Bug #44005)</li>
+		<li>[Change] Require user to be registered and logged in to search for unread posts if topic read tracking is disabled for guests (Bug #49525)</li>
 		<li>[Change] Allow three-digit hex notation in Color BBcode. (Bug #39965 - Patch by m0rpha)</li>
 		<li>[Feature] Add language selection on the registration terms page (Bug #15085 - Patch by leviatan21)</li>
 		<li>[Feature] Backported 3.2 captcha plugins.
diff --git a/phpBB/language/en/search.php b/phpBB/language/en/search.php
index 4618a585b3..be92391a4e 100644
--- a/phpBB/language/en/search.php
+++ b/phpBB/language/en/search.php
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ $lang = array_merge($lang, array(
 	'JUMP_TO_POST'			=> 'Jump to post',
 
 	'LOGIN_EXPLAIN_EGOSEARCH'	=> 'The board requires you to be registered and logged in to view your own posts.',
+	'LOGIN_EXPLAIN_UNREADSEARCH'=> 'The board requires you to be registered and logged in to view your unread posts.',
 
 	'MAX_NUM_SEARCH_KEYWORDS_REFINE'	=> 'You specified too many words to search for. Please do not enter more than %1$d words.',
 
diff --git a/phpBB/search.php b/phpBB/search.php
index d913ca7ec9..3556c5b435 100644
--- a/phpBB/search.php
+++ b/phpBB/search.php
@@ -95,6 +95,13 @@ if ($keywords || $author || $author_id || $search_id || $submit)
 		}
 	}
 
+	// search for unread posts needs user to be logged in
+	// if topics tracking for guests is disabled
+	if ($search_id == 'unreadposts' && !$config['load_anon_lastread'] && !$user->data['is_registered'])
+	{
+		login_box('', $user->lang['LOGIN_EXPLAIN_UNREADSEARCH']);
+	}
+
 	// If we are looking for authors get their ids
 	$author_id_ary = array();
 	$sql_author_match = '';