diff --git a/uk/ac/sanger/artemis/components/genebuilder/cv/GoBox.java b/uk/ac/sanger/artemis/components/genebuilder/cv/GoBox.java
index 5e96de930a6d3592f0904feef65c2e98527d09d6..4b5494dfc763cbb7c7108cc00f8ab43b41065821 100644
--- a/uk/ac/sanger/artemis/components/genebuilder/cv/GoBox.java
+++ b/uk/ac/sanger/artemis/components/genebuilder/cv/GoBox.java
@@ -213,7 +213,9 @@ public class GoBox extends AbstractCvBox
   {
     for(int i=0; i<evidenceCodes[2].length; i++)
     {
-      if(evidenceCodes[2][i].equalsIgnoreCase(evidence))
+      // look for full text or abbreviation of the code
+      if(evidenceCodes[2][i].equalsIgnoreCase(evidence) ||
+         evidenceCodes[0][i].equalsIgnoreCase(evidence))
         return i;
     }