diff --git a/CuckooChess/src/uci/EngineControl.java b/CuckooChess/src/uci/EngineControl.java
index 01edbcb..eec2d4b 100644
--- a/CuckooChess/src/uci/EngineControl.java
+++ b/CuckooChess/src/uci/EngineControl.java
@@ -129,8 +129,8 @@ public class EngineControl {
         computeTimeLimit(sPar);
         ponder = false;
         infinite = (maxTimeLimit < 0) && (maxDepth < 0) && (maxNodes < 0);
-        startThread(minTimeLimit, maxTimeLimit, maxDepth, maxNodes);
         searchMoves = sPar.searchMoves;
+        startThread(minTimeLimit, maxTimeLimit, maxDepth, maxNodes);
     }
 
     final public void startPonder(Position pos, List<Move> moves, SearchParams sPar) {
@@ -229,9 +229,8 @@ public class EngineControl {
         sc.setStrength(strength, randomSeed);
         MoveGen.MoveList moves = moveGen.pseudoLegalMoves(pos);
         MoveGen.removeIllegal(pos, moves);
-        if ((searchMoves != null) && (searchMoves.size() > 0)) {
-            Arrays.asList(moves.m).retainAll(searchMoves);
-        }
+        if ((searchMoves != null) && (searchMoves.size() > 0))
+            moves.filter(searchMoves);
         final MoveGen.MoveList srchMoves = moves;
         onePossibleMove = false;
         if ((srchMoves.size < 2) && !infinite) {
diff --git a/CuckooChessEngine/src/chess/MoveGen.java b/CuckooChessEngine/src/chess/MoveGen.java
index ee112b4..28cf3c8 100644
--- a/CuckooChessEngine/src/chess/MoveGen.java
+++ b/CuckooChessEngine/src/chess/MoveGen.java
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@
 
 package chess;
 
+import java.util.List;
+
 /**
  *
  * @author petero
@@ -35,6 +37,13 @@ public final class MoveGen {
             m = new Move[MAX_MOVES];
             this.size = 0;
         }
+        public final void filter(List<Move> searchMoves) {
+            int used = 0;
+            for (int i = 0; i < size; i++)
+                if (searchMoves.contains(m[i]))
+                    m[used++] = m[i];
+            size = used;
+        }
     }
 
     /**