diff --git a/src/db/db/dbPropertiesRepository.cc b/src/db/db/dbPropertiesRepository.cc
index d01d068f7..862c2e061 100644
--- a/src/db/db/dbPropertiesRepository.cc
+++ b/src/db/db/dbPropertiesRepository.cc
@@ -360,7 +360,7 @@ PropertiesRepository::properties_id (const PropertiesSet &props)
       pid = db::properties_id_type (&new_props);
       for (auto nv = props.begin (); nv != props.end (); ++nv) {
         m_properties_by_name_table [nv->first].insert (pid);
-        m_properties_by_name_table [nv->second].insert (pid);
+        m_properties_by_value_table [nv->second].insert (pid);
       }
 
       changed = true;
@@ -432,6 +432,19 @@ PropertiesRepository::properties_ids_by_name (db::property_names_id_type name_id
   }
 }
 
+PropertiesRepository::properties_id_set
+PropertiesRepository::properties_ids_by_value (db::property_values_id_type value_id) const
+{
+  tl::MutexLocker locker (&m_lock);
+
+  auto vi = m_properties_by_value_table.find (value_id);
+  if (vi == m_properties_by_value_table.end ()) {
+    return properties_id_set ();
+  } else {
+    return vi->second;
+  }
+}
+
 PropertiesRepository::properties_id_set
 PropertiesRepository::properties_ids_by_name_value (db::property_names_id_type name_id, db::property_values_id_type value_id) const
 {
@@ -448,7 +461,27 @@ PropertiesRepository::properties_ids_by_name_value (db::property_names_id_type n
   }
 
   properties_id_set result;
-  std::set_intersection (vi->second.begin (), vi->second.end (), ni->second.begin (), ni->second.end (), std::inserter (result, result.begin ()));
+
+  //  find the property sets in the intersection of ni->second and vi->second that contain the
+  //  combination of name and value.
+
+  for (auto n = ni->second.begin (); n != ni->second.end (); ++n) {
+
+    auto vv = vi->second.find (*n);
+    if (vv != vi->second.end ()) {
+
+      const db::PropertiesSet &props = db::properties (*n);
+      for (auto p = props.find (name_id); p != props.end () && p->first == name_id; ++p) {
+        if (p->second == value_id) {
+          result.insert (*n);
+          break;
+        }
+      }
+
+    }
+
+  }
+
   return result;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/db/db/dbPropertiesRepository.h b/src/db/db/dbPropertiesRepository.h
index 880c85c94..8775b90dc 100644
--- a/src/db/db/dbPropertiesRepository.h
+++ b/src/db/db/dbPropertiesRepository.h
@@ -251,22 +251,11 @@ public:
   }
 
   /**
-   *  @brief Non-const iterator (begin)
-   *
-   *  This iterator delivers key/value pairs in the ID form.
-   *  The order is basically undefined.
+   *  @brief Finds and entry with the given name ID
    */
-  non_const_iterator begin_non_const ()
+  iterator find (db::property_names_id_type name_id) const
   {
-    return m_map.begin ();
-  }
-
-  /**
-   *  @brief Non-const iterator (end)
-   */
-  non_const_iterator end_non_const ()
-  {
-    return m_map.end ();
+    return m_map.find (name_id);
   }
 
 private:
@@ -397,6 +386,14 @@ public:
    */
   properties_id_set properties_ids_by_name (db::property_names_id_type name) const;
 
+  /**
+   *  @brief Lookup a table of properties id's by a value
+   *
+   *  For a given name, this method returns a set of property IDs
+   *  of property sets that contain the given value.
+   */
+  properties_id_set properties_ids_by_value (db::property_values_id_type value) const;
+
   /**
    *  @brief Collect memory statistics
    */
diff --git a/src/db/unit_tests/dbPropertiesRepositoryTests.cc b/src/db/unit_tests/dbPropertiesRepositoryTests.cc
index 434980e4a..efda0831c 100644
--- a/src/db/unit_tests/dbPropertiesRepositoryTests.cc
+++ b/src/db/unit_tests/dbPropertiesRepositoryTests.cc
@@ -333,3 +333,121 @@ TEST(PropertiesTranslator)
   EXPECT_EQ (db::prop2string (t (prop2)), "{1=>102}");
   EXPECT_EQ (db::prop2string (t (prop3)), "{}");
 }
+
+static std::string ps2s (const db::PropertiesRepository::properties_id_set &ps)
+{
+  std::string res;
+  for (auto p = ps.begin (); p != ps.end (); ++p) {
+    if (! res.empty ()) {
+      res += ",";
+    }
+    res += db::properties (*p).to_dict_var ().to_string ();
+  }
+  return res;
+}
+
+TEST(PropertyIdsByNameAndValue)
+{
+  db::PropertiesRepository rp;
+
+  db::PropertiesSet ps;
+  ps.insert_by_id (rp.prop_name_id (1), rp.prop_value_id ("A"));
+
+  //  1=>"A"
+  db::properties_id_type pid1 = rp.properties_id (ps);
+
+  ps.insert_by_id (rp.prop_name_id (2), rp.prop_value_id ("A"));
+
+  //  1=>"A", 2=>"A"
+  db::properties_id_type pid2 = rp.properties_id (ps);
+
+  ps.clear ();
+  ps.insert_by_id (rp.prop_name_id (2), rp.prop_value_id ("B"));
+
+  //  2=>"B"
+  db::properties_id_type pid3 = rp.properties_id (ps);
+
+  ps.insert_by_id (rp.prop_name_id (2), rp.prop_value_id ("C"));
+
+  //  2=>"B",2=>"C"
+  db::properties_id_type pid4 = rp.properties_id (ps);
+
+  ps.insert_by_id (rp.prop_name_id (3), rp.prop_value_id ("C"));
+
+  //  2=>"B",2=>"C",3=>"C"
+  db::properties_id_type pid5 = rp.properties_id (ps);
+
+  db::PropertiesRepository::properties_id_set res, ref;
+
+  res = rp.properties_ids_by_name (rp.prop_name_id (1));
+  ref.clear ();
+  ref.insert (pid1);
+  ref.insert (pid2);
+  EXPECT_EQ (ps2s (res), ps2s (ref));
+
+  res = rp.properties_ids_by_name (rp.prop_name_id (2));
+  ref.clear ();
+  ref.insert (pid2);
+  ref.insert (pid3);
+  ref.insert (pid4);
+  ref.insert (pid5);
+  EXPECT_EQ (ps2s (res), ps2s (ref));
+
+  res = rp.properties_ids_by_name (rp.prop_name_id (3));
+  ref.clear ();
+  ref.insert (pid5);
+  EXPECT_EQ (ps2s (res), ps2s (ref));
+
+  res = rp.properties_ids_by_value (rp.prop_value_id ("A"));
+  ref.clear ();
+  ref.insert (pid1);
+  ref.insert (pid2);
+  EXPECT_EQ (ps2s (res), ps2s (ref));
+
+  res = rp.properties_ids_by_value (rp.prop_value_id ("B"));
+  ref.clear ();
+  ref.insert (pid3);
+  ref.insert (pid4);
+  ref.insert (pid5);
+  EXPECT_EQ (ps2s (res), ps2s (ref));
+
+  res = rp.properties_ids_by_value (rp.prop_value_id ("C"));
+  ref.clear ();
+  ref.insert (pid4);
+  ref.insert (pid5);
+  EXPECT_EQ (ps2s (res), ps2s (ref));
+
+  res = rp.properties_ids_by_name_value (rp.prop_name_id (1), rp.prop_value_id ("A"));
+  ref.clear ();
+  ref.insert (pid1);
+  ref.insert (pid2);
+  EXPECT_EQ (ps2s (res), ps2s (ref));
+
+  res = rp.properties_ids_by_name_value (rp.prop_name_id (1), rp.prop_value_id ("B"));
+  ref.clear ();
+  EXPECT_EQ (ps2s (res), ps2s (ref));
+
+  res = rp.properties_ids_by_name_value (rp.prop_name_id (2), rp.prop_value_id ("A"));
+  ref.clear ();
+  ref.insert (pid2);
+  EXPECT_EQ (ps2s (res), ps2s (ref));
+
+  res = rp.properties_ids_by_name_value (rp.prop_name_id (2), rp.prop_value_id ("B"));
+  ref.clear ();
+  ref.insert (pid3);
+  ref.insert (pid4);
+  ref.insert (pid5);
+  EXPECT_EQ (ps2s (res), ps2s (ref));
+
+  res = rp.properties_ids_by_name_value (rp.prop_name_id (2), rp.prop_value_id ("C"));
+  ref.clear ();
+  ref.insert (pid4);
+  ref.insert (pid5);
+  EXPECT_EQ (ps2s (res), ps2s (ref));
+
+  res = rp.properties_ids_by_name_value (rp.prop_name_id (3), rp.prop_value_id ("C"));
+  ref.clear ();
+  ref.insert (pid5);
+  EXPECT_EQ (ps2s (res), ps2s (ref));
+}
+
diff --git a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layParsedLayerSource.cc b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layParsedLayerSource.cc
index ce8a853a8..03d52863b 100644
--- a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layParsedLayerSource.cc
+++ b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layParsedLayerSource.cc
@@ -353,7 +353,7 @@ public:
 
   bool selection (std::set<db::properties_id_type> &ids) const
   {
-    const db::PropertiesRepository::properties_id_set &idv = db::PropertiesRepository::instance ().properties_ids_by_name_value (db::property_names_id (m_name), db::property_values_id (m_value));
+    db::PropertiesRepository::properties_id_set idv = db::PropertiesRepository::instance ().properties_ids_by_name_value (db::property_names_id (m_name), db::property_values_id (m_value));
     ids.insert (idv.begin (), idv.end ());
 
     return ! m_equal;
diff --git a/src/laybasic/unit_tests/layParsedLayerSource.cc b/src/laybasic/unit_tests/layParsedLayerSourceTests.cc
similarity index 93%
rename from src/laybasic/unit_tests/layParsedLayerSource.cc
rename to src/laybasic/unit_tests/layParsedLayerSourceTests.cc
index d283a6f6c..08a237c40 100644
--- a/src/laybasic/unit_tests/layParsedLayerSource.cc
+++ b/src/laybasic/unit_tests/layParsedLayerSourceTests.cc
@@ -26,6 +26,32 @@
 #include "dbCell.h"
 #include "tlUnitTest.h"
 
+namespace {
+
+/**
+ *  @brief Installs a temporary repository instance for testing
+ *
+ *  By using a temp instance, we do not disturb other tests.
+ */
+class TempPropertiesRepository
+{
+public:
+  TempPropertiesRepository ()
+  {
+    db::PropertiesRepository::replace_instance_temporarily (&m_temp);
+  }
+
+  ~TempPropertiesRepository ()
+  {
+    db::PropertiesRepository::replace_instance_temporarily (0);
+  }
+
+private:
+  db::PropertiesRepository m_temp;
+};
+
+}
+
 TEST (1)
 {
   lay::ParsedLayerSource ps1 (1, 2, -1);
@@ -165,6 +191,10 @@ TEST (4)
 
 TEST (5)
 {
+  //  Use a temporary singleton properties repo, so we have better control
+  //  over the results of property selectors.
+  TempPropertiesRepository tmp_prop_repo;
+
   lay::ParsedLayerSource ps0 ("@2");
 
   lay::ParsedLayerSource ps1 ("@2 [ X   == #2 ]");
@@ -279,8 +309,8 @@ TEST (5)
   inv = ps2.property_selector ().matching (ids);
   EXPECT_EQ (inv, false);
   EXPECT_EQ (ids.size (), size_t (2));
-  EXPECT_EQ (*ids.begin (), id1);
-  EXPECT_EQ (*(++ids.begin ()), id4);
+  EXPECT_EQ (ids.find (id1) != ids.end (), true);
+  EXPECT_EQ (ids.find (id4) != ids.end (), true);
   ps.clear ();
 
   ps.insert (tl::Variant ("X"), tl::Variant (2l));
@@ -291,27 +321,27 @@ TEST (5)
   inv = ps2.property_selector ().matching (ids);
   EXPECT_EQ (inv, false);
   EXPECT_EQ (ids.size (), size_t (3));
-  EXPECT_EQ (*ids.begin (), id1);
-  EXPECT_EQ (*(++ids.begin ()), id4);
-  EXPECT_EQ (*(++(++ids.begin ())), id5);
+  EXPECT_EQ (ids.find (id1) != ids.end (), true);
+  EXPECT_EQ (ids.find (id4) != ids.end (), true);
+  EXPECT_EQ (ids.find (id5) != ids.end (), true);
 
   EXPECT_EQ (ps2a.property_selector ().check (id5), false);
   ids.clear ();
   inv = ps2a.property_selector ().matching (ids);
   EXPECT_EQ (inv, true);
   EXPECT_EQ (ids.size (), size_t (3));
-  EXPECT_EQ (*ids.begin (), id1);
-  EXPECT_EQ (*(++ids.begin ()), id4);
-  EXPECT_EQ (*(++(++ids.begin ())), id5);
+  EXPECT_EQ (ids.find (id1) != ids.end (), true);
+  EXPECT_EQ (ids.find (id4) != ids.end (), true);
+  EXPECT_EQ (ids.find (id5) != ids.end (), true);
 
   EXPECT_EQ (ps2b.property_selector ().check (id5), false);
   ids.clear ();
   inv = ps2b.property_selector ().matching (ids);
   EXPECT_EQ (inv, true);
   EXPECT_EQ (ids.size (), size_t (3));
-  EXPECT_EQ (*ids.begin (), id1);
-  EXPECT_EQ (*(++ids.begin ()), id4);
-  EXPECT_EQ (*(++(++ids.begin ())), id5);
+  EXPECT_EQ (ids.find (id1) != ids.end (), true);
+  EXPECT_EQ (ids.find (id4) != ids.end (), true);
+  EXPECT_EQ (ids.find (id5) != ids.end (), true);
 
   ps.clear ();
 
@@ -321,9 +351,9 @@ TEST (5)
   inv = ps2.property_selector ().matching (ids);
   EXPECT_EQ (inv, false);
   EXPECT_EQ (ids.size (), size_t (3));
-  EXPECT_EQ (*ids.begin (), id1);
-  EXPECT_EQ (*(++ids.begin ()), id4);
-  EXPECT_EQ (*(++(++ids.begin ())), id5);
+  EXPECT_EQ (ids.find (id1) != ids.end (), true);
+  EXPECT_EQ (ids.find (id4) != ids.end (), true);
+  EXPECT_EQ (ids.find (id5) != ids.end (), true);
 
   EXPECT_EQ (ps0.property_selector ().check (id6), true);
   ids.clear ();
diff --git a/src/laybasic/unit_tests/unit_tests.pro b/src/laybasic/unit_tests/unit_tests.pro
index d0132ce06..7bcc32f3a 100644
--- a/src/laybasic/unit_tests/unit_tests.pro
+++ b/src/laybasic/unit_tests/unit_tests.pro
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ SOURCES = \
   layBitmapsToImage.cc \
   layLayerProperties.cc \
   layMarginTests.cc \
-  layParsedLayerSource.cc \
+  layParsedLayerSourceTests.cc \
   layRenderer.cc \
   layAbstractMenuTests.cc \
   layTextInfoTests.cc \