diff --git a/forms/TreeDropdownField.php b/forms/TreeDropdownField.php
index d3a7cbc8c..5fbee3e47 100644
--- a/forms/TreeDropdownField.php
+++ b/forms/TreeDropdownField.php
@@ -107,6 +107,13 @@ class TreeDropdownField extends FormField {
 			$this->childrenMethod = 'ChildFolders';
 			$this->numChildrenMethod = 'numChildFolders';
 		}
+		else {
+			// AllChildren should be used as a default because
+			// if you use AllChildrenIncludingDeleted instead, the filters will be much more demanding
+			// this is because instead of working with DataList you will be working with ArrayList
+			// AllChildren should be always used when dealing with more pages than the node leaf limit
+			$this->childrenMethod = 'AllChildren';
+		}
 
 		$this->addExtraClass('single');
 
@@ -303,16 +310,57 @@ class TreeDropdownField extends FormField {
 		if ($this->filterCallback || $this->search != "" )
 			$obj->setMarkingFilterFunction(array($this, "filterMarking"));
 
-		$obj->markPartialTree($nodeCountThreshold = 30, $context = null,
-			$this->childrenMethod, $this->numChildrenMethod);
+		// prepare a filter by ids, this is very useful when we have thousands of child pages under common parent
+		$filteredIds = ($this->search != '' && !is_null($this->searchIds) && is_array($this->searchIds))
+			? array_keys($this->searchIds) : array();
+
+		// collect IDs of currently selected pages (this includes hierarchy path)
+		$forceValue = $request->requestVar('forceValue');
+		if (!is_null($forceValue) || $this->value) {
+			$fieldValue = (!is_null($forceValue) ? $forceValue : $this->value);
+
+			if (($values = preg_split('/,\s*/', $fieldValue)) && count($values)) {
+				foreach ($values as $value) {
+					if (!$value || $value == 'unchanged') {
+						continue;
+					}
+
+					$selectedObject = $this->objectForKey($value);
+
+					// add all pages along the hierarchy path
+					$stack = $selectedObject->parentStack();
+					foreach ($stack as $stackItem) {
+						$filteredIds[] = $stackItem->ID;
+					}
+				}
+			}
+		}
+
+		// main node leaf limit configuration
+		$nodeCountThreshold = 30;
+		$obj->markPartialTree(
+			$nodeCountThreshold, $context = null,
+			$this->childrenMethod, $this->numChildrenMethod, $filteredIds
+		);
 
 		// allow to pass values to be selected within the ajax request
-		if( isset($_REQUEST['forceValue']) || $this->value ) {
-			$forceValue = ( isset($_REQUEST['forceValue']) ? $_REQUEST['forceValue'] : $this->value);
-			if(($values = preg_split('/,\s*/', $forceValue)) && count($values)) foreach($values as $value) {
-				if(!$value || $value == 'unchanged') continue;
+		if (!is_null($forceValue) || $this->value) {
+			$fieldValue = (!is_null($forceValue) ? $forceValue : $this->value);
 
-				$obj->markToExpose($this->objectForKey($value));
+			if (($values = preg_split('/,\s*/', $fieldValue)) && count($values)) {
+				foreach ($values as $value) {
+					if (!$value || $value == 'unchanged') {
+						continue;
+					}
+
+					$obj->markToExpose(
+						$this->objectForKey($value),
+						$this->childrenMethod,
+						$this->numChildrenMethod,
+						$nodeCountThreshold,
+						$filteredIds
+					);
+				}
 			}
 		}
 
@@ -337,7 +385,7 @@ class TreeDropdownField extends FormField {
 		// Skip the check if we're filtering the tree, since its not clear how many children will
 		// match the filter criteria until they're queried (and matched up with previously marked nodes).
 		$nodeThresholdLeaf = Config::inst()->get('Hierarchy', 'node_threshold_leaf');
-		if($nodeThresholdLeaf && !$this->filterCallback && !$this->search) {
+		if($nodeThresholdLeaf && !$this->filterCallback && !$this->search && count($filteredIds) == 0) {
 			$className = $this->sourceObject;
 			$nodeCountCallback = function($parent, $numChildren) use($className, $nodeThresholdLeaf) {
 				if($className == 'SiteTree' && $parent->ID && $numChildren > $nodeThresholdLeaf) {
@@ -361,7 +409,8 @@ class TreeDropdownField extends FormField {
 				$this->numChildrenMethod,
 				true, // root call
 				null,
-				$nodeCountCallback
+				$nodeCountCallback,
+                $filteredIds
 			);
 			return substr(trim($html), 4, -5);
 		} else {
@@ -374,7 +423,8 @@ class TreeDropdownField extends FormField {
 				$this->numChildrenMethod,
 				true, // root call
 				null,
-				$nodeCountCallback
+				$nodeCountCallback,
+                $filteredIds
 			);
 			return $html;
 		}
diff --git a/model/Hierarchy.php b/model/Hierarchy.php
index c42b94be5..b853f473e 100644
--- a/model/Hierarchy.php
+++ b/model/Hierarchy.php
@@ -118,6 +118,7 @@ class Hierarchy extends DataExtension {
 	 *                                            overload this function
 	 * @param bool            $limitToMarked      Display only marked children
 	 * @param string          $childrenMethod     The name of the method used to get children from each object
+	 * @param string          $numChildrenMethod The name of the instance method to call to count the object's children
 	 * @param bool            $rootCall           Set to true for this first call, and then to false for calls inside
 	 *                                            the recursion. You should not change this.
 	 * @param int             $nodeCountThreshold See {@link self::$node_threshold_total}
@@ -125,12 +126,14 @@ class Hierarchy extends DataExtension {
 	 *                                            intercept the query. Useful e.g. to avoid excessive children listings
 	 *                                            (Arguments: $parent, $numChildren)
 	 *
+	 * @param array $filteredIds list of ids that will be used to filter list items (reduce the result set before processing)
+	 *
 	 * @return string
 	 */
 	public function getChildrenAsUL($attributes = "", $titleEval = '"<li>" . $child->Title', $extraArg = null,
 			$limitToMarked = false, $childrenMethod = "AllChildrenIncludingDeleted",
 			$numChildrenMethod = "numChildren", $rootCall = true,
-			$nodeCountThreshold = null, $nodeCountCallback = null) {
+			$nodeCountThreshold = null, $nodeCountCallback = null, array $filteredIds = array()) {
 
 		if(!is_numeric($nodeCountThreshold)) {
 			$nodeCountThreshold = Config::inst()->get('Hierarchy', 'node_threshold_total');
@@ -149,6 +152,18 @@ class Hierarchy extends DataExtension {
 
 		if($this->owner->hasMethod($childrenMethod)) {
 			$children = $this->owner->$childrenMethod($extraArg);
+
+			// apply filter before any further processing to limit excessive amount of items
+			// filter is applied only after limit has been reached
+			if (count($filteredIds) > 0 && $nodeCountThreshold && $children->count() > $nodeCountThreshold) {
+				$children = $children->filter(array('ID' => $filteredIds));
+			}
+
+			// too many children, display nothing
+			if ($nodeCountThreshold && $children->count() > $nodeCountThreshold) {
+				$children = null;
+			}
+
 		} else {
 			user_error(sprintf("Can't find the method '%s' on class '%s' for getting tree children",
 				$childrenMethod, get_class($this->owner)), E_USER_ERROR);
@@ -188,7 +203,7 @@ class Hierarchy extends DataExtension {
 							$child->markClosed();
 						} else {
 							$output .= $child->getChildrenAsUL("", $titleEval, $extraArg, $limitToMarked,
-								$childrenMethod,	$numChildrenMethod, false, $nodeCountThreshold);
+								$childrenMethod,	$numChildrenMethod, false, $nodeCountThreshold, null, $filteredIds);
 						}
 					} elseif($child->isTreeOpened()) {
 						// Since we're not loading children, don't mark it as open either
@@ -216,10 +231,14 @@ class Hierarchy extends DataExtension {
 	 * {@link isExpanded()} and {@link isMarked()} on individual nodes.
 	 *
 	 * @param int $nodeCountThreshold See {@link getChildrenAsUL()}
+	 * @param mixed $context
+	 * @param string $childrenMethod The name of the instance method to call to get the object's list of children
+	 * @param string $numChildrenMethod The name of the instance method to call to count the object's children
+	 * @param array $filteredIds list of ids that will be used to filter list items (reduce the result set before processing)
 	 * @return int The actual number of nodes marked.
 	 */
 	public function markPartialTree($nodeCountThreshold = 30, $context = null,
-			$childrenMethod = "AllChildrenIncludingDeleted", $numChildrenMethod = "numChildren") {
+			$childrenMethod = "AllChildrenIncludingDeleted", $numChildrenMethod = "numChildren", array $filteredIds = array()) {
 
 		if(!is_numeric($nodeCountThreshold)) $nodeCountThreshold = 30;
 
@@ -228,7 +247,19 @@ class Hierarchy extends DataExtension {
 
 		// foreach can't handle an ever-growing $nodes list
 		while(list($id, $node) = each($this->markedNodes)) {
-			$children = $this->markChildren($node, $context, $childrenMethod, $numChildrenMethod);
+			// first determine the number of children, if it's too high the tree view can't be used
+			// so will will not even bother to display the subtree
+			// this covers two cases:
+			// either no search filter is in use or search filter is in use but it's too broad
+			$numberOfChildren = $node->$numChildrenMethod();
+			if ($nodeCountThreshold && $numberOfChildren > $nodeCountThreshold
+				&& (count($filteredIds) == 0 || count($filteredIds) > $nodeCountThreshold)) {
+				break;
+			}
+
+			$children = $this->markChildren(
+			    $node, $context, $childrenMethod, $numChildrenMethod, $nodeCountThreshold, $filteredIds
+			);
 			if($nodeCountThreshold && sizeof($this->markedNodes) > $nodeCountThreshold) {
 				// Undo marking children as opened since they're lazy loaded
 				if($children) foreach($children as $child) $child->markClosed();
@@ -299,12 +330,20 @@ class Hierarchy extends DataExtension {
 	 * @param mixed      $context
 	 * @param string     $childrenMethod    The name of the instance method to call to get the object's list of children
 	 * @param string     $numChildrenMethod The name of the instance method to call to count the object's children
+	 * @param int        $nodeCountThreshold
+	 * @param array      $filteredIds list of ids that will be used to filter list items (reduce the result set before processing)
 	 * @return DataList
 	 */
 	public function markChildren($node, $context = null, $childrenMethod = "AllChildrenIncludingDeleted",
-			$numChildrenMethod = "numChildren") {
+			$numChildrenMethod = "numChildren", $nodeCountThreshold = null, array $filteredIds = array()) {
+
 		if($node->hasMethod($childrenMethod)) {
 			$children = $node->$childrenMethod($context);
+
+			// apply filter before any further processing
+			if (count($filteredIds) > 0 && $nodeCountThreshold && $children->count() > $nodeCountThreshold) {
+				$children = $children->filter(array('ID' => $filteredIds));
+			}
 		} else {
 			user_error(sprintf("Can't find the method '%s' on class '%s' for getting tree children",
 				$childrenMethod, get_class($node)), E_USER_ERROR);
@@ -375,11 +414,18 @@ class Hierarchy extends DataExtension {
 	 *
 	 * @param int  $id   ID of parent node
 	 * @param bool $open If this is true, mark the parent node as opened
+	 * @param string $childrenMethod The name of the instance method to call to get the object's list of children
+	 * @param string $numChildrenMethod The name of the instance method to call to count the object's children
+	 * @param int $nodeCountThreshold
+	 * @param array $filteredIds list of ids that will be used to filter list items (reduce the result set before processing)
 	 * @return bool
 	 */
-	public function markById($id, $open = false) {
+	public function markById($id, $open = false, $childrenMethod = "AllChildrenIncludingDeleted",
+							$numChildrenMethod = "numChildren", $nodeCountThreshold = null, array $filteredIds = array()) {
 		if(isset($this->markedNodes[$id])) {
-			$this->markChildren($this->markedNodes[$id]);
+			$this->markChildren(
+				$this->markedNodes[$id], null, $childrenMethod, $numChildrenMethod, $nodeCountThreshold, $filteredIds
+			);
 			if($open) {
 				$this->markedNodes[$id]->markOpened();
 			}
@@ -393,12 +439,19 @@ class Hierarchy extends DataExtension {
 	 * Expose the given object in the tree, by marking this page and all it ancestors.
 	 *
 	 * @param DataObject $childObj
+	 * @param string $childrenMethod The name of the instance method to call to get the object's list of children
+	 * @param string $numChildrenMethod The name of the instance method to call to count the object's children
+	 * @param int $nodeCountThreshold
+	 * @param array $filteredIds list of ids that will be used to filter list items (reduce the result set before processing)
 	 */
-	public function markToExpose($childObj) {
+	public function markToExpose($childObj, $childrenMethod = "AllChildrenIncludingDeleted",
+								$numChildrenMethod = "numChildren", $nodeCountThreshold = null, array $filteredIds = array()) {
 		if(is_object($childObj)){
 			$stack = array_reverse($childObj->parentStack());
 			foreach($stack as $stackItem) {
-				$this->markById($stackItem->ID, true);
+				$this->markById(
+					$stackItem->ID, true, $childrenMethod, $numChildrenMethod, $nodeCountThreshold, $filteredIds
+				);
 			}
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/tests/model/HierarchyTest.php b/tests/model/HierarchyTest.php
index cc580ec61..b712c5df6 100644
--- a/tests/model/HierarchyTest.php
+++ b/tests/model/HierarchyTest.php
@@ -455,7 +455,7 @@ EOT;
 		$obj2aa->delete();
 		$obj2ab->delete();
 		// Don't pre-load all children
-		$nodeCountThreshold = 1;
+		$nodeCountThreshold = 3;
 
 		$childrenMethod = 'AllChildren';
 		$numChildrenMethod = 'numChildren';
@@ -500,7 +500,7 @@ EOT;
 		$obj2aa->delete();
 		$obj2ab->delete();
 		// Don't pre-load all children
-		$nodeCountThreshold = 1;
+		$nodeCountThreshold = 3;
 
 		$childrenMethod = 'AllChildrenIncludingDeleted';
 		$numChildrenMethod = 'numHistoricalChildren';