diff --git a/Packages/MIES/MIES_Utilities_Algorithm.ipf b/Packages/MIES/MIES_Utilities_Algorithm.ipf
index c6c72fd28d..59115c7453 100644
--- a/Packages/MIES/MIES_Utilities_Algorithm.ipf
+++ b/Packages/MIES/MIES_Utilities_Algorithm.ipf
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ End
 /// @brief Return the row index of the given value, string converted to a variable, or wv
 ///
 /// Assumes wv being one dimensional and does not use any tolerance for numerical values.
-threadsafe Function GetRowIndex(WAVE wv, [variable val, string str, WAVE/Z refWave, variable reverseSearch])
+threadsafe Function GetRowIndex(WAVE wv, [variable val, string str, WAVE/Z refWave, variable reverseSearch, variable textOp])
 
 	variable numEntries, i
 
@@ -271,6 +271,10 @@ threadsafe Function GetRowIndex(WAVE wv, [variable val, string str, WAVE/Z refWa
 		reverseSearch = !!reverseSearch
 	endif
 
+	if(ParamIsDefault(textOp))
+		textOp = 4
+	endif
+
 	if(!ParamIsDefault(refWave))
 		ASSERT_TS(IsWaveRefWave(wv), "wv must be a wave holding wave references")
 		numEntries = DimSize(wv, ROWS)
@@ -336,9 +340,9 @@ threadsafe Function GetRowIndex(WAVE wv, [variable val, string str, WAVE/Z refWa
 			endif
 
 			if(!reverseSearch)
-				FindValue/TEXT=(str)/TXOP=4 wv
+				FindValue/TEXT=(str)/TXOP=(textOp) wv
 			else
-				FindValue/TEXT=(str)/TXOP=4/R wv
+				FindValue/TEXT=(str)/TXOP=(textOp)/R wv
 			endif
 
 			if(V_Value >= 0)
diff --git a/Packages/tests/Basic/UTF_Utils_Algorithm.ipf b/Packages/tests/Basic/UTF_Utils_Algorithm.ipf
index 95381a902b..8dc07231fe 100644
--- a/Packages/tests/Basic/UTF_Utils_Algorithm.ipf
+++ b/Packages/tests/Basic/UTF_Utils_Algorithm.ipf
@@ -205,6 +205,15 @@ static Function TestGetRowIndex()
 	CHECK_EQUAL_VAR(GetRowIndex(textWave, str = "b"), 1)
 	CHECK_EQUAL_VAR(GetRowIndex(textWave, val = 123), NaN)
 
+	// text waves with textOp
+	Make/FREE/T textWave = {"a1", "b2", "c", "d", "1", "2"}
+	CHECK_EQUAL_VAR(GetRowIndex(textWave, val = 1), 4)
+	CHECK_EQUAL_VAR(GetRowIndex(textWave, val = 1, textOp = 4), 4)
+	CHECK_EQUAL_VAR(GetRowIndex(textWave, val = 1, textOp = 0), 0)
+	CHECK_EQUAL_VAR(GetRowIndex(textWave, str = "2"), 5)
+	CHECK_EQUAL_VAR(GetRowIndex(textWave, str = "2", textOp = 4), 5)
+	CHECK_EQUAL_VAR(GetRowIndex(textWave, str = "2", textOp = 0), 1)
+
 	// wave ref waves
 	Make/FREE/WAVE/N=2 waveRefWave
 	Make/FREE content