--- a/views/entityreference_plugin_display.inc
+++ b/views/entityreference_plugin_display.inc
@@ -112,10 +112,15 @@
     // Restrict the autocomplete options based on what's been typed already.
     if (isset($options['match'])) {
       $style_options = $this->get_option('style_options');
-      $value = db_like($options['match']) . '%';
-      if ($options['match_operator'] != 'STARTS_WITH') {
-        $value = '%' . $value;
-      }
+      if ($options['match_operator'] == '=') {
+        $value = $options['match'];
+      }
+      else {
+        $value = db_like($options['match']) . '%';
+        if ($options['match_operator'] != 'STARTS_WITH') {
+          $value = '%' . $value;
+        }
+      }
 
       // Multiple search fields are OR'd together
       $conditions = db_or();