diff --git a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebean/ExpressionFactory.java b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebean/ExpressionFactory.java
index 264d87312..a21c2ee20 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebean/ExpressionFactory.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebean/ExpressionFactory.java
@@ -192,6 +192,11 @@ public interface ExpressionFactory {
    */
   ExampleExpression exampleLike(Object example, boolean caseInsensitive, LikeType likeType);
 
+  /**
+   * Create the query by Example expression specifying more options.
+   */
+  Expression like(LikeType likeType, String propertyName, Object value);
+
   /**
    * Like - property like value where the value contains the SQL wild card
    * characters % (percentage) and _ (underscore).
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/api/SpiNamedParam.java b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/api/SpiNamedParam.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2206c5301
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/api/SpiNamedParam.java
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+package com.avaje.ebeaninternal.api;
+
+public interface SpiNamedParam {
+
+  Object getValue();
+}
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/api/SpiQuery.java b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/api/SpiQuery.java
index 545101630..feb9cfb92 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/api/SpiQuery.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/api/SpiQuery.java
@@ -296,6 +296,8 @@ public interface SpiQuery<T> extends Query<T> {
    */
   void setLoadDescription(String loadMode, String loadDescription);
 
+  SpiNamedParam createNamedParameter(String parameterName);
+
   /**
    * Return the joins required to support predicates on the many properties.
    */
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/expression/DefaultExpressionFactory.java b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/expression/DefaultExpressionFactory.java
index f8e6e5729..e1cd4c1fc 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/expression/DefaultExpressionFactory.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/expression/DefaultExpressionFactory.java
@@ -251,6 +251,12 @@ public class DefaultExpressionFactory implements SpiExpressionFactory {
     return new DefaultExampleExpression(checkEntityBean(example), caseInsensitive, likeType);
   }
 
+  @Override
+  public Expression like(LikeType likeType, String propertyName, Object value) {
+
+    return new LikeExpression(propertyName, value, true, LikeType.RAW);
+  }
+
   /**
    * Like - property like value where the value contains the SQL wild card
    * characters % (percentage) and _ (underscore).
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/expression/LikeExpression.java b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/expression/LikeExpression.java
index b8b54d3e5..5d14a5d67 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/expression/LikeExpression.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/expression/LikeExpression.java
@@ -4,28 +4,43 @@ import com.avaje.ebean.LikeType;
 import com.avaje.ebeaninternal.api.HashQueryPlanBuilder;
 import com.avaje.ebeaninternal.api.SpiExpression;
 import com.avaje.ebeaninternal.api.SpiExpressionRequest;
+import com.avaje.ebeaninternal.api.SpiNamedParam;
 import com.avaje.ebeaninternal.server.el.ElPropertyValue;
 
 import java.io.IOException;
 
 class LikeExpression extends AbstractExpression {
 
-  private final String val;
+  private final Object value;
 
   private final boolean caseInsensitive;
 
   private final LikeType type;
 
-  LikeExpression(String propertyName, String value, boolean caseInsensitive, LikeType type) {
+  LikeExpression(String propertyName, Object value, boolean caseInsensitive, LikeType type) {
     super(propertyName);
     this.caseInsensitive = caseInsensitive;
     this.type = type;
-    this.val = value;
+    this.value = value;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Return the bind value taking into account named parameters.
+   */
+  private Object value() {
+    if (value instanceof SpiNamedParam) {
+      return ((SpiNamedParam)value).getValue();
+    }
+    return value;
+  }
+
+  private String val() {
+    return value().toString();
   }
 
   @Override
   public void writeDocQuery(DocQueryContext context) throws IOException {
-    context.writeLike(propName, val, type, caseInsensitive);
+    context.writeLike(propName, val(), type, caseInsensitive);
   }
 
   @Override
@@ -38,7 +53,7 @@ class LikeExpression extends AbstractExpression {
       request.addBindEncryptKey(encryptKey);
     }
 
-    String bindValue = getValue(val, caseInsensitive, type);
+    String bindValue = getValue(val(), caseInsensitive, type);
     request.addBindValue(bindValue);
   }
 
@@ -74,7 +89,7 @@ class LikeExpression extends AbstractExpression {
 
   @Override
   public int queryBindHash() {
-    return val.hashCode();
+    return val().hashCode();
   }
 
   @Override
@@ -92,7 +107,7 @@ class LikeExpression extends AbstractExpression {
   @Override
   public boolean isSameByBind(SpiExpression other) {
     LikeExpression that = (LikeExpression) other;
-    return val.equals(that.val);
+    return val().equals(that.val());
   }
 
   private static String getValue(String value, boolean caseInsensitive, LikeType type) {
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/expression/SimpleExpression.java b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/expression/SimpleExpression.java
index 044b446e6..bc4804eba 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/expression/SimpleExpression.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/expression/SimpleExpression.java
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import com.avaje.ebean.plugin.ExpressionPath;
 import com.avaje.ebeaninternal.api.HashQueryPlanBuilder;
 import com.avaje.ebeaninternal.api.SpiExpression;
 import com.avaje.ebeaninternal.api.SpiExpressionRequest;
+import com.avaje.ebeaninternal.api.SpiNamedParam;
 import com.avaje.ebeaninternal.server.el.ElPropertyValue;
 
 import java.io.IOException;
@@ -13,18 +14,28 @@ public class SimpleExpression extends AbstractExpression {
 
   private final Op type;
 
-  private final Object value;
+  private final Object val;
 
   public SimpleExpression(String propertyName, Op type, Object value) {
     super(propertyName);
     this.type = type;
-    this.value = value;
+    this.val = value;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Return the bind value taking into account named parameters.
+   */
+  private Object value() {
+    if (val instanceof SpiNamedParam) {
+      return ((SpiNamedParam)val).getValue();
+    }
+    return val;
   }
 
   @Override
   public Object getIdEqualTo(String idName) {
     if (type == Op.EQ && idName.equals(propName)) {
-      return value;
+      return value();
     }
     return null;
   }
@@ -37,13 +48,13 @@ public class SimpleExpression extends AbstractExpression {
     ExpressionPath prop = context.getExpressionPath(propName);
     if (prop != null && prop.isAssocId()) {
       String idName = prop.getAssocIdExpression(propName, "");
-      Object[] ids = prop.getAssocIdValues((EntityBean) value);
+      Object[] ids = prop.getAssocIdValues((EntityBean) value());
       if (ids == null || ids.length != 1) {
         throw new IllegalArgumentException("Expecting 1 Id value for " + idName + " but got " + ids);
       }
       context.writeSimple(type, idName, ids[0]);
     } else {
-      context.writeSimple(type, propName, value);
+      context.writeSimple(type, propName, value());
     }
   }
 
@@ -56,7 +67,7 @@ public class SimpleExpression extends AbstractExpression {
   }
 
   public Object getValue() {
-    return value;
+    return value();
   }
 
   @Override
@@ -65,7 +76,7 @@ public class SimpleExpression extends AbstractExpression {
     ElPropertyValue prop = getElProp(request);
     if (prop != null) {
       if (prop.isAssocId()) {
-        Object[] ids = prop.getAssocIdValues((EntityBean) value);
+        Object[] ids = prop.getAssocIdValues((EntityBean) value());
         if (ids != null) {
           for (int i = 0; i < ids.length; i++) {
             request.addBindValue(ids[i]);
@@ -83,7 +94,7 @@ public class SimpleExpression extends AbstractExpression {
       // prop.getBeanProperty().getScalarType();
     }
 
-    request.addBindValue(value);
+    request.addBindValue(value());
   }
 
   @Override
@@ -115,7 +126,7 @@ public class SimpleExpression extends AbstractExpression {
 
   @Override
   public int queryBindHash() {
-    return value.hashCode();
+    return value().hashCode();
   }
 
   @Override
@@ -132,6 +143,6 @@ public class SimpleExpression extends AbstractExpression {
   @Override
   public boolean isSameByBind(SpiExpression other) {
     SimpleExpression that = (SimpleExpression) other;
-    return value.equals(that.value);
+    return value().equals(that.value());
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/grammer/EqlAdapter.java b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/grammer/EqlAdapter.java
index b3f7a6ad7..7cd369a72 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/grammer/EqlAdapter.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/grammer/EqlAdapter.java
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
 package com.avaje.ebeaninternal.server.grammer;
 
+import com.avaje.ebean.Expression;
 import com.avaje.ebean.ExpressionList;
+import com.avaje.ebean.LikeType;
 import com.avaje.ebean.Query;
+import com.avaje.ebeaninternal.api.SpiQuery;
 import com.avaje.ebeaninternal.server.grammer.antlr.EQLBaseListener;
 import com.avaje.ebeaninternal.server.grammer.antlr.EQLLexer;
 import com.avaje.ebeaninternal.server.grammer.antlr.EQLParser;
@@ -14,7 +17,7 @@ class EqlAdapter<T> extends EQLBaseListener {
 
   private static final OperatorMapping operatorMapping = new OperatorMapping();
 
-  private final Query<T> query;
+  private final SpiQuery<T> query;
 
   private final EqlAdapterHelper helper;
 
@@ -25,7 +28,7 @@ class EqlAdapter<T> extends EQLBaseListener {
   private boolean textMode;
 
   public EqlAdapter(Query<T> query) {
-    this.query = query;
+    this.query = (SpiQuery<T>)query;
     this.helper = new EqlAdapterHelper(this);
   }
 
@@ -60,8 +63,7 @@ class EqlAdapter<T> extends EQLBaseListener {
   /**
    * Push the expression list onto the appropriate stack.
    */
-  private void pushExprList(ExpressionList<T> list, String type) {
-    System.out.println("Push " + type + ">> ");
+  private void pushExprList(ExpressionList<T> list) {
     if (textMode) {
       textStack.push(list);
     } else {
@@ -72,8 +74,7 @@ class EqlAdapter<T> extends EQLBaseListener {
   /**
    * End a list of expressions added by 'OR'.
    */
-  private void popJunction(String type) {
-    System.out.println("Pop " + type + " >> ");
+  private void popJunction() {
     if (textMode) {
       textStack.pop();
     } else {
@@ -145,7 +146,7 @@ class EqlAdapter<T> extends EQLBaseListener {
     String operator = ctx.getChild(1).getText();
     EqlOperator op = operatorMapping.get(operator);
     if (op == null) {
-      throw new IllegalStateException("No operator found for " + op);
+      throw new IllegalStateException("No operator found for " + operator);
     }
 
     // RHS is Path, Literal or Named input parameter
@@ -158,43 +159,50 @@ class EqlAdapter<T> extends EQLBaseListener {
   public void enterConditional_term(EQLParser.Conditional_termContext ctx) {
     int childCount = ctx.getChildCount();
     if (childCount > 1) {
-      pushExprList(peekExprList().and(), "Conjunction");
+      pushExprList(peekExprList().and());
     }
   }
 
   @Override
   public void exitConditional_term(EQLParser.Conditional_termContext ctx) {
     if (ctx.getChildCount() > 1) {
-      popJunction("Conjunction");
+      popJunction();
     }
   }
 
   @Override
   public void enterConditional_expression(EQLParser.Conditional_expressionContext ctx) {
     if (ctx.getChildCount() > 1) {
-      pushExprList(peekExprList().or(), "Disjunction");
+      pushExprList(peekExprList().or());
     }
   }
 
   @Override
   public void exitConditional_expression(EQLParser.Conditional_expressionContext ctx) {
     if (ctx.getChildCount() > 1) {
-      popJunction("Disjunction");
+      popJunction();
     }
   }
 
   @Override
   public void enterConditional_factor(EQLParser.Conditional_factorContext ctx) {
     if (ctx.getChildCount() > 1) {
-      pushExprList(peekExprList().not(), "Not");
+      pushExprList(peekExprList().not());
     }
   }
 
   @Override
   public void exitConditional_factor(EQLParser.Conditional_factorContext ctx) {
     if (ctx.getChildCount() > 1) {
-      popJunction("Not");
+      popJunction();
     }
   }
 
+  public Object namedParam(String parameterName) {
+    return query.createNamedParameter(parameterName);
+  }
+
+  public Expression like(LikeType likeType, String property, Object bindValue) {
+    return query.getExpressionFactory().like(likeType, property, bindValue);
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/grammer/EqlAdapterHelper.java b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/grammer/EqlAdapterHelper.java
index ff2064711..d3585d973 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/grammer/EqlAdapterHelper.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/grammer/EqlAdapterHelper.java
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package com.avaje.ebeaninternal.server.grammer;
 
 import com.avaje.ebean.ExpressionList;
+import com.avaje.ebean.LikeType;
 
 import java.math.BigDecimal;
 
@@ -65,16 +66,16 @@ class EqlAdapterHelper {
         peekExprList().le(path, bind(value));
         break;
       case LIKE:
-        peekExprList().like(path, bindString(value));
+        addLike(LikeType.RAW, path, bind(value));
         break;
       case CONTAINS:
-        peekExprList().contains(path, bindString(value));
+        addLike(LikeType.CONTAINS, path, bind(value));
         break;
       case STARTS_WITH:
-        peekExprList().startsWith(path, bindString(value));
+        addLike(LikeType.STARTS_WITH, path, bind(value));
         break;
       case ENDS_WITH:
-        peekExprList().endsWith(path, bindString(value));
+        addLike(LikeType.ENDS_WITH, path, bind(value));
         break;
       case ILIKE:
         peekExprList().ilike(path, bindString(value));
@@ -94,6 +95,10 @@ class EqlAdapterHelper {
 
   }
 
+  private void addLike(LikeType likeType, String path, Object bindValue) {
+    peekExprList().add(owner.like(likeType, path, bindValue));
+  }
+
   private String bindString(String value) {
     ValueType valueType = getValueType(value);
     switch (valueType) {
@@ -120,7 +125,7 @@ class EqlAdapterHelper {
       case BOOL: return Boolean.parseBoolean(value);
       case NUMBER: return new BigDecimal(value);
       case STRING: return unquote(value);
-      case NAMED_PARAM: return new NamedParameter(value.substring(1));
+      case NAMED_PARAM: return owner.namedParam(value.substring(1));
       default:
         throw new IllegalArgumentException("Unhandled valueType "+valueType);
     }
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/querydefn/DefaultOrmQuery.java b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/querydefn/DefaultOrmQuery.java
index c2dec2647..7a8bd1a69 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/querydefn/DefaultOrmQuery.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/querydefn/DefaultOrmQuery.java
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import com.avaje.ebeaninternal.api.ManyWhereJoins;
 import com.avaje.ebeaninternal.api.SpiExpression;
 import com.avaje.ebeaninternal.api.SpiExpressionList;
 import com.avaje.ebeaninternal.api.SpiExpressionValidation;
+import com.avaje.ebeaninternal.api.SpiNamedParam;
 import com.avaje.ebeaninternal.api.SpiQuery;
 import com.avaje.ebeaninternal.api.SpiQuerySecondary;
 import com.avaje.ebeaninternal.server.autotune.ProfilingListener;
@@ -28,6 +29,7 @@ import com.avaje.ebeaninternal.server.query.CancelableQuery;
 
 import java.sql.Timestamp;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.Iterator;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
@@ -135,6 +137,8 @@ public class DefaultOrmQuery<T> implements SpiQuery<T> {
    */
   private Object id;
 
+  private Map<String,ONamedParam> namedParams;
+
   /**
    * Bind parameters when using the query language.
    */
@@ -1138,6 +1142,15 @@ public class DefaultOrmQuery<T> implements SpiQuery<T> {
    */
   @Override
   public DefaultOrmQuery<T> setParameter(String name, Object value) {
+
+    if (namedParams != null) {
+      ONamedParam param = namedParams.get(name);
+      if (param != null) {
+        param.setValue(value);
+        return this;
+      }
+    }
+
     if (bindParams == null) {
       bindParams = new BindParams();
     }
@@ -1375,6 +1388,20 @@ public class DefaultOrmQuery<T> implements SpiQuery<T> {
     this.generatedSql = generatedSql;
   }
 
+  @Override
+  public SpiNamedParam createNamedParameter(String name) {
+    if (namedParams == null) {
+      namedParams = new HashMap<String, ONamedParam>();
+    }
+
+    ONamedParam param = namedParams.get(name);
+    if (param == null) {
+      param = new ONamedParam(name);
+      namedParams.put(name, param);
+    }
+    return param;
+  }
+
   @Override
   public void setDefaultFetchBuffer(int fetchSize) {
     if (bufferFetchSizeHint == 0) {
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/querydefn/ONamedParam.java b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/querydefn/ONamedParam.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..04fa405e7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/querydefn/ONamedParam.java
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+package com.avaje.ebeaninternal.server.querydefn;
+
+import com.avaje.ebeaninternal.api.SpiNamedParam;
+
+public class ONamedParam implements SpiNamedParam {
+
+  private final String name;
+
+  private Object value;
+
+  public ONamedParam(String name) {
+    this.name = name;
+  }
+
+  public void setValue(Object value) {
+    this.value = value;
+  }
+
+  public Object getValue() {
+    return value;
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/grammer/EqlParserTest.java b/src/test/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/grammer/EqlParserTest.java
index 645bafae2..92a72c97b 100644
--- a/src/test/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/grammer/EqlParserTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/grammer/EqlParserTest.java
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ public class EqlParserTest {
     assertThat(query.getGeneratedSql()).contains("where t0.name = ?");
   }
 
-  @Test @Ignore
+  @Test
   public void where_namedParam() throws Exception {
 
     Query<Customer> query = parse("where name eq :name");
@@ -47,6 +47,16 @@ public class EqlParserTest {
     assertThat(query.getGeneratedSql()).contains("where t0.name = ?");
   }
 
+//  @Test
+//  public void where_namedParam_startsWith() throws Exception {
+//
+//    Query<Customer> query = parse("where name startsWith :name");
+//    query.setParameter("name", "Rob");
+//    query.findList();
+//
+//    assertThat(query.getGeneratedSql()).contains("where t0.name like ?");
+//  }
+
   @Test
   public void where_or1() throws Exception {