diff --git a/app_controller.php b/app_controller.php
index 30c93f5..5f4e3a2 100644
--- a/app_controller.php
+++ b/app_controller.php
@@ -423,14 +423,14 @@ class AppController extends Controller {
     }
 
     $table = $field = null;
-    if (preg_match("/^\w+\.\w+$/", $filter)) {
+    if (preg_match("/^\w+\.\w+(\s*[!<>=]+)?$/", $filter)) {
       list($table, $field) = explode(".", $filter);
     }
     elseif (preg_match('/^[A-Z][A-Za-z]*$/', $filter)) {
       $table = $filter;
       $field = null;
     }
-    elseif (preg_match('/^\w+$/', $filter)) {
+    elseif (preg_match('/^\w+(\s*[!<>=]+)?$/', $filter)) {
       $table = $model->alias;
       $field = $filter;
     }