diff --git a/src/Orchard.Web/Modules/Orchard.Search/Drivers/SearchSettingsPartDriver.cs b/src/Orchard.Web/Modules/Orchard.Search/Drivers/SearchSettingsPartDriver.cs
index b2a1e04d3..bdd5aedfb 100644
--- a/src/Orchard.Web/Modules/Orchard.Search/Drivers/SearchSettingsPartDriver.cs
+++ b/src/Orchard.Web/Modules/Orchard.Search/Drivers/SearchSettingsPartDriver.cs
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ using Orchard.ContentManagement.Drivers;
 using Orchard.ContentManagement.Handlers;
 using Orchard.Indexing;
 using Orchard.Localization;
+using Orchard.Search.Helpers;
 using Orchard.Search.Models;
 using Orchard.Search.ViewModels;
 
@@ -35,7 +36,9 @@ namespace Orchard.Search.Drivers
                     var model = new SearchSettingsIndexViewModel
                     {
                         SelectedIndex = part.SearchIndex,
-                        AvailableIndexes = _indexManager.GetSearchIndexProvider().List().ToList()
+                        AvailableIndexes = _indexManager.HasIndexProvider()
+                            ? _indexManager.GetSearchIndexProvider().List().ToList()
+                            : new List<string>()
                     };
 
                     if (updater != null)
@@ -102,7 +105,9 @@ namespace Orchard.Search.Drivers
 
             context.ImportAttribute(part.PartDefinition.Name, "SearchFields", value =>
             {
-                part.Store("SearchFields", value);
+                part.Store(
+                    "SearchFields",
+                    SearchSettingsHelper.MergeSearchFields(part.SearchFields, SearchSettingsHelper.DeserializeSearchFields(value)));
             });
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/Orchard.Web/Modules/Orchard.Search/Helpers/SearchSettingsHelper.cs b/src/Orchard.Web/Modules/Orchard.Search/Helpers/SearchSettingsHelper.cs
index 0ec477295..21b1ca9e4 100644
--- a/src/Orchard.Web/Modules/Orchard.Search/Helpers/SearchSettingsHelper.cs
+++ b/src/Orchard.Web/Modules/Orchard.Search/Helpers/SearchSettingsHelper.cs
@@ -27,15 +27,43 @@ namespace Orchard.Search.Helpers
             return dictionary;
         }
 
-        public static string SerializeSearchFields(IDictionary<string, string[]> value)
-        {
-            var data = string.Join("|", value.Select(x => string.Format("{0}:{1}", x.Key, string.Join(",", x.Value))));
-            return data;
-        }
+        public static string SerializeSearchFields(IDictionary<string, string[]> value) =>
+            string.Join("|", value.Select(x => string.Format("{0}:{1}", x.Key, string.Join(",", x.Value))));
 
-        public static string[] GetSearchFields(this SearchSettingsPart part, string index)
+        public static string[] GetSearchFields(this SearchSettingsPart part, string index) =>
+            part.SearchFields.ContainsKey(index) ? part.SearchFields[index] : new string[0];
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Merge existing search index settings with those being imported, with the latter taking precedence.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="existingSearchFields">The existing search indexes with their search fields. The key is the
+        /// index name and the value is the array of field names.</param>
+        /// <param name="searchFieldsToAdd">The new search indexes with their search fields to import. The key is the
+        /// index name and the value is the array of field names.</param>
+        /// <returns>The merged search indexes with their search fields.</returns>
+        public static string MergeSearchFields(IDictionary<string, string[]> existingSearchFields, IDictionary<string, string[]> searchFieldsToAdd)
         {
-            return part.SearchFields.ContainsKey(index) ? part.SearchFields[index] : new string[0];
+            var mergedSearchFields = new Dictionary<string, string[]>();
+
+            // Process new search fields to add first so they take precedence.
+            foreach (var newSearchFieldsToAdd in searchFieldsToAdd.Keys)
+            {
+                if (!mergedSearchFields.ContainsKey(newSearchFieldsToAdd))
+                {
+                    mergedSearchFields.Add(newSearchFieldsToAdd, searchFieldsToAdd[newSearchFieldsToAdd]);
+                }
+            }
+
+            // Then add existing search fields that are not already present.
+            foreach (var existingSearchFieldsToAdd in existingSearchFields.Keys)
+            {
+                if (!mergedSearchFields.ContainsKey(existingSearchFieldsToAdd))
+                {
+                    mergedSearchFields.Add(existingSearchFieldsToAdd, existingSearchFields[existingSearchFieldsToAdd]);
+                }
+            }
+
+            return SerializeSearchFields(mergedSearchFields);
         }
     }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}