diff --git a/aodhclient/tests/functional/test_alarm_history.py b/aodhclient/tests/functional/test_alarm_history.py
index d3a980c..ad58ba7 100644
--- a/aodhclient/tests/functional/test_alarm_history.py
+++ b/aodhclient/tests/functional/test_alarm_history.py
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ class AlarmHistoryTest(base.ClientTestBase):
         # SEARCH
         result = self.aodh('alarm-history',
                            params=("search --query "
-                                   "'{\"=\": {\"alarm_id\": \"%s\"}}'"
+                                   "alarm_id=%s"
                                    % ALARM_ID))
         history = self.parser.listing(result)[0]
         self.assertEqual(ALARM_ID, history["alarm_id"])
diff --git a/aodhclient/v2/alarm_history_cli.py b/aodhclient/v2/alarm_history_cli.py
index c3b7977..2889bb6 100644
--- a/aodhclient/v2/alarm_history_cli.py
+++ b/aodhclient/v2/alarm_history_cli.py
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 #    License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
 #    under the License.
 from cliff import lister
+from oslo_serialization import jsonutils
 
 from aodhclient import utils
 
@@ -22,11 +23,18 @@ class CliAlarmHistorySearch(lister.Lister):
 
     def get_parser(self, prog_name):
         parser = super(CliAlarmHistorySearch, self).get_parser(prog_name)
-        parser.add_argument("--query", help="Query"),
+        parser.add_argument("--query",
+                            help="Rich query supported by aodh, "
+                                 "e.g. project_id!=my-id "
+                                 "user_id=foo or user_id=bar"),
         return parser
 
     def take_action(self, parsed_args):
-        history = self.app.client.alarm_history.search(query=parsed_args.query)
+        query = None
+        if parsed_args.query:
+            query = jsonutils.dumps(
+                utils.search_query_builder(parsed_args.query))
+        history = self.app.client.alarm_history.search(query=query)
         return utils.list2cols(self.COLS, history)
 
 
diff --git a/doc/source/shell.rst b/doc/source/shell.rst
index c8d8889..a56642c 100644
--- a/doc/source/shell.rst
+++ b/doc/source/shell.rst
@@ -83,5 +83,5 @@ Show an alarm's history::
 
 Search alarm history data::
 
-    aodh alarm-history search --query '{">":{"timestamp":"2016-03-09T01:22:35.434961"}}'
+    aodh --debug alarm-history search --query 'timestamp>"2016-03-09T01:22:35"'