diff --git a/src/basecamp.cpp b/src/basecamp.cpp
index 3c7a49f67c428..8573b5ca59657 100644
--- a/src/basecamp.cpp
+++ b/src/basecamp.cpp
@@ -221,7 +221,7 @@ std::string basecamp::om_upgrade_description( const std::string &bldg, bool trun
         comp = comp + elem + "\n";
     }
     comp = string_format( _( "Notes:\n%s\n\nSkills used: %s\n%s\n" ),
-                          making.description, making.required_skills_string(), comp );
+                          making.description, making.required_all_skills_string(), comp );
     if( !trunc ) {
         time_duration base_time = making.batch_duration();
         comp += string_format( _( "Risk: None\nTime: %s\n" ),
diff --git a/src/crafting_gui.cpp b/src/crafting_gui.cpp
index 8d286387e31d2..c187a378ee9e4 100644
--- a/src/crafting_gui.cpp
+++ b/src/crafting_gui.cpp
@@ -488,23 +488,14 @@ const recipe *select_crafting_recipe( int &batch_size )
             const int xpos = 30;
 
             if( display_mode == 0 ) {
-                auto player_skill = g->u.get_skill_level( current[line]->skill_used );
-                std::string difficulty_color =
-                    current[line]->difficulty > player_skill ? "yellow" : "green";
-                std::string primary_skill_level = string_format( "(%s/%s)", player_skill,
-                                                  current[line]->difficulty );
                 print_colored_text(
                     w_data, point( xpos, ypos++ ), col, col,
-                    string_format( _( "Primary skill: <color_cyan>%s</color> <color_%s>%s</color>" ),
-                                   ( !current[line]->skill_used ? _( "N/A" ) :
-                                     current[line]->skill_used.obj().name() ),
-                                   difficulty_color,
-                                   ( !current[line]->skill_used ? "" : primary_skill_level )
-                                 ) );
+                    string_format( _( "Primary skill: %s" ),
+                                   current[line]->primary_skill_string( &g->u, false ) ) );
 
                 ypos += fold_and_print( w_data, point( xpos, ypos ), pane, col,
                                         _( "Other skills: %s" ),
-                                        current[line]->required_skills_string( &g->u ) );
+                                        current[line]->required_skills_string( &g->u, false, false ) );
 
                 const int expected_turns = g->u.expected_time_to_craft( *current[line],
                                            count ) / to_moves<int>( 1_turns );
diff --git a/src/recipe.cpp b/src/recipe.cpp
index 323eefee09d77..0381b5d68d6f0 100644
--- a/src/recipe.cpp
+++ b/src/recipe.cpp
@@ -471,22 +471,18 @@ bool recipe::has_byproducts() const
     return !byproducts.empty();
 }
 
-std::string recipe::required_skills_string( const Character *c, bool print_skill_level ) const
+// Format a std::pair<skill_id, int> for the crafting menu.
+// skill colored green (or yellow if beyond characters skill)
+// optionally with the skill level (player / difficulty)
+template<typename Iter>
+std::string required_skills_as_string( Iter first, Iter last, const Character *c,
+                                       const bool print_skill_level )
 {
-    if( required_skills.empty() ) {
-        if( difficulty == 0 ) {
-            return _( "<color_cyan>none</color>" );
-        } else {
-            const int player_skill = c ? c->get_skill_level( skill_used ) : 0;
-            std::string difficulty_color = difficulty > player_skill ? "yellow" : "green";
-            std::string skill_level_string = print_skill_level ? "" :
-                                             ( std::to_string( player_skill ) + "/" );
-            skill_level_string += std::to_string( difficulty );
-            return string_format( "<color_cyan>%s</color> <color_%s>(%s)</color>",
-                                  skill_used.obj().name(), difficulty_color, skill_level_string );
-        }
+    if( first == last ) {
+        return _( "<color_cyan>none</color>" );
     }
-    return enumerate_as_string( required_skills.begin(), required_skills.end(),
+
+    return enumerate_as_string( first, last,
     [&]( const std::pair<skill_id, int> &skill ) {
         const int player_skill = c ? c->get_skill_level( skill.first ) : 0;
         std::string difficulty_color = skill.second > player_skill ? "yellow" : "green";
@@ -497,28 +493,65 @@ std::string recipe::required_skills_string( const Character *c, bool print_skill
     } );
 }
 
-std::string recipe::required_skills_string( const Character *c ) const
+// Format a std::pair<skill_id, int> for the basecamp bulletin board.
+// skill colored white with difficulty in parenthesis.
+template<typename Iter>
+std::string required_skills_as_string( Iter first, Iter last )
 {
-    return required_skills_string( c, false );
-}
-
-std::string recipe::required_skills_string() const
-{
-    if( required_skills.empty() ) {
-        if( difficulty == 0 ) {
-            return _( "<color_cyan>none</color>" );
-        } else {
-            return string_format( "<color_white>%s: %d</color>", skill_used.obj().name(),
-                                  difficulty );
-        }
+    if( first == last ) {
+        return _( "<color_cyan>none</color>" );
     }
-    return enumerate_as_string( required_skills.begin(), required_skills.end(),
+
+    return enumerate_as_string( first, last,
     [&]( const std::pair<skill_id, int> &skill ) {
-        return string_format( "<color_white>%s: %d</color>", skill.first.obj().name(),
+        return string_format( "<color_white>%s (%d)</color>", skill.first.obj().name(),
                               skill.second );
     } );
 }
 
+std::string recipe::primary_skill_string( const Character *c, bool print_skill_level ) const
+{
+    std::vector< std::pair<skill_id, int> > skillList;
+
+    if( !skill_used.is_null() ) {
+        skillList.push_back( std::pair<skill_id, int>( skill_used, difficulty ) );
+    }
+
+    return required_skills_as_string( skillList.begin(), skillList.end(), c, print_skill_level );
+}
+
+std::string recipe::required_skills_string( const Character *c, bool include_primary_skill,
+        bool print_skill_level ) const
+{
+    // There is no primary skill used or it shouldn't be included then we can just use the required_skills directly.
+    if( skill_used.is_null() || !include_primary_skill ) {
+        return required_skills_as_string( required_skills.begin(), required_skills.end(), c,
+                                          print_skill_level );
+    }
+
+    std::vector< std::pair<skill_id, int> > skillList;
+    skillList.push_back( std::pair<skill_id, int>( skill_used, difficulty ) );
+    std::copy( required_skills.begin(), required_skills.end(),
+               std::back_inserter<std::vector<std::pair<skill_id, int> > >( skillList ) );
+
+    return required_skills_as_string( skillList.begin(), skillList.end(), c, print_skill_level );
+}
+
+std::string recipe::required_all_skills_string() const
+{
+    // There is no primary skill used, we can just use the required_skills directly.
+    if( skill_used.is_null() ) {
+        return required_skills_as_string( required_skills.begin(), required_skills.end() );
+    }
+
+    std::vector< std::pair<skill_id, int> > skillList;
+    skillList.push_back( std::pair<skill_id, int>( skill_used, difficulty ) );
+    std::copy( required_skills.begin(), required_skills.end(),
+               std::back_inserter<std::vector<std::pair<skill_id, int> > >( skillList ) );
+
+    return required_skills_as_string( skillList.begin(), skillList.end() );
+}
+
 std::string recipe::batch_savings_string() const
 {
     return ( batch_rsize != 0 ) ?
diff --git a/src/recipe.h b/src/recipe.h
index cf7fdac5ade91..58a219420a475 100644
--- a/src/recipe.h
+++ b/src/recipe.h
@@ -117,9 +117,19 @@ class recipe
         // Create a string list to describe the skill requirements for this recipe
         // Format: skill_name(level/amount), skill_name(level/amount)
         // Character object (if provided) used to color levels
-        std::string required_skills_string( const Character *, bool print_skill_level ) const;
-        std::string required_skills_string( const Character * ) const;
-        std::string required_skills_string() const;
+
+        // These are primarily used by the crafting menu.
+        // Format the primary skill string.
+        std::string primary_skill_string( const Character *c, bool print_skill_level ) const;
+
+        // Format the other skills string.  This is also used for searching within the crafting
+        // menu which includes the primary skill.
+        std::string required_skills_string( const Character *, bool include_primary_skill,
+                                            bool print_skill_level ) const;
+
+        // This is used by the basecamp bulletin board.
+        std::string required_all_skills_string() const;
+
 
         // Create a string to describe the time savings of batch-crafting, if any.
         // Format: "N% at >M units" or "none"
diff --git a/src/recipe_dictionary.cpp b/src/recipe_dictionary.cpp
index 3c90a2a34bc83..0c861241f5558 100644
--- a/src/recipe_dictionary.cpp
+++ b/src/recipe_dictionary.cpp
@@ -158,8 +158,7 @@ std::vector<const recipe *> recipe_subset::search( const std::string &txt,
                 return lcmatch( r->result_name(), txt );
 
             case search_type::skill:
-                return lcmatch( r->required_skills_string( nullptr ), txt ) ||
-                       lcmatch( r->skill_used->name(), txt );
+                return lcmatch( r->required_skills_string( nullptr, true, false ), txt );
 
             case search_type::primary_skill:
                 return lcmatch( r->skill_used->name(), txt );