diff --git a/handlers/views_handler_filter_string.inc b/handlers/views_handler_filter_string.inc
index 125e313..9522889 100644
--- a/handlers/views_handler_filter_string.inc
+++ b/handlers/views_handler_filter_string.inc
@@ -228,12 +228,11 @@ class views_handler_filter_string extends views_handler_filter {
   }
 
   function op_equal($field) {
-    $this->query->add_where($this->options['group'], $field, $this->value, $this->operator());
+    $this->query->add_where($this->options['group'], $field, db_like($this->value), $this->operator());
   }
 
   function op_contains($field) {
-    $placeholder = $this->placeholder();
-    $this->query->add_where_expression($this->options['group'], "$field LIKE $placeholder", array($placeholder => '%' . db_like($this->value) . '%'));
+    $this->query->add_where($this->options['group'], $field, '%' . db_like($this->value) . '%', 'LIKE');
   }
 
   function op_word($field) {
@@ -265,28 +264,23 @@ class views_handler_filter_string extends views_handler_filter {
   }
 
   function op_starts($field) {
-    $placeholder = $this->placeholder();
-    $this->query->add_where_expression($this->options['group'], "$field LIKE $placeholder", array($placeholder => db_like($this->value) . '%'));
+    $this->query->add_where($this->options['group'], $field, db_like($this->value) . '%', 'LIKE');
   }
 
   function op_not_starts($field) {
-    $placeholder = $this->placeholder();
-    $this->query->add_where_expression($this->options['group'], "$field NOT LIKE $placeholder", array($placeholder => db_like($this->value) . '%'));
+    $this->query->add_where($this->options['group'], $field, db_like($this->value) . '%', 'NOT LIKE');
   }
 
   function op_ends($field) {
-    $placeholder = $this->placeholder();
-    $this->query->add_where_expression($this->options['group'], "$field LIKE $placeholder", array($placeholder => '%' . db_like($this->value)));
+    $this->query->add_where($this->options['group'], $field, '%' . db_like($this->value), 'LIKE');
   }
 
   function op_not_ends($field) {
-    $placeholder = $this->placeholder();
-    $this->query->add_where_expression($this->options['group'], "$field NOT LIKE $placeholder", array($placeholder => '%' . db_like($this->value)));
+    $this->query->add_where($this->options['group'], $field, '%' . db_like($this->value), 'NOT LIKE');
   }
 
   function op_not($field) {
-    $placeholder = $this->placeholder();
-    $this->query->add_where_expression($this->options['group'], "$field NOT LIKE $placeholder", array($placeholder => '%' . db_like($this->value) . '%'));
+    $this->query->add_where($this->options['group'], $field, '%' . db_like($this->value) . '%', 'NOT LIKE');
   }
 
   function op_shorter($field) {