diff --git a/lib/knowledge_explorer/query.rb b/lib/knowledge_explorer/query.rb
index 779f14b..eb21386 100644
--- a/lib/knowledge_explorer/query.rb
+++ b/lib/knowledge_explorer/query.rb
@@ -36,7 +36,8 @@ module KnowledgeExplorer
 
         if tags_count == tag_filters.length
           tag_filters.each_with_index do |tag, index|
-            sql_alias = ['t', index].join
+            # to_i to make it clear this is not an injection
+            sql_alias = "t#{index.to_i}"
             results = results.joins("INNER JOIN topic_tags #{sql_alias} ON #{sql_alias}.topic_id = topics.id AND #{sql_alias}.tag_id = #{tag}")
           end
         else
@@ -46,7 +47,22 @@ module KnowledgeExplorer
 
       # filter results by search term
       if @filters[:search_term].present?
-        results = results.where('lower(title) LIKE ?', "%#{@filters[:search_term].downcase}%")
+        term = Search.prepare_data(@filters[:search_term])
+        escaped_ts_query = Search.ts_query(term: term)
+
+        results = results.where(<<~SQL)
+          topics.id IN (
+            SELECT pp.topic_id FROM post_search_data pd
+            JOIN posts pp ON pp.id = pd.post_id AND pp.post_number = 1
+            JOIN topics tt ON pp.topic_id = tt.id
+            WHERE
+              tt.id = topics.id AND
+              pp.deleted_at IS NULL AND
+              tt.deleted_at IS NULL AND
+              pp.post_type <> #{Post.types[:whisper].to_i} AND
+              pd.search_data @@ #{escaped_ts_query}
+          )
+        SQL
       end
 
       if @filters[:order] == "title"
diff --git a/spec/requests/knowledge_explorer_controller_spec.rb b/spec/requests/knowledge_explorer_controller_spec.rb
index a6e6cb6..5165443 100644
--- a/spec/requests/knowledge_explorer_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/requests/knowledge_explorer_controller_spec.rb
@@ -3,10 +3,10 @@
 require 'rails_helper'
 
 describe KnowledgeExplorer::KnowledgeExplorerController do
-  let!(:category) { Fabricate(:category) }
-  let!(:topic) { Fabricate(:topic, category: category) }
-  let!(:topic2) { Fabricate(:topic, category: category) }
-  let!(:tag) { Fabricate(:tag, topics: [topic], name: 'test') }
+  fab!(:category) { Fabricate(:category) }
+  fab!(:topic) { Fabricate(:topic, category: category) }
+  fab!(:topic2) { Fabricate(:topic, category: category) }
+  fab!(:tag) { Fabricate(:tag, topics: [topic], name: 'test') }
 
   before do
     SiteSetting.tagging_enabled = true
@@ -100,15 +100,43 @@ describe KnowledgeExplorer::KnowledgeExplorerController do
     end
 
     context 'when searching' do
-      it 'should return a list filtered by search term in title' do
-        get "/knowledge-explorer.json?search=topic 1"
+      before do
+        SearchIndexer.enable
+      end
+
+      # no fab here otherwise will be missing from search
+      let!(:post) do
+        topic = Fabricate(:topic, title: "I love banana today", category: category)
+        Fabricate(:post, topic: topic, raw: "walking and running is fun")
+      end
+
+      let!(:post2) do
+        topic = Fabricate(:topic, title: "I love the amazing tomorrow", category: category)
+        Fabricate(:post, topic: topic, raw: "I also eat bananas")
+      end
+
+      it 'should correctly filter topics' do
+        get "/knowledge-explorer.json?search=banana"
 
         expect(response.status).to eq(200)
 
         json = JSON.parse(response.body)
         topics = json['topics']['topic_list']['topics']
 
+        # ordered by latest for now
+
+        expect(topics[0]["id"]).to eq(post2.topic_id)
+        expect(topics[1]["id"]).to eq(post.topic_id)
+
+        expect(topics.size).to eq(2)
+
+        get "/knowledge-explorer.json?search=walk"
+
+        json = JSON.parse(response.body)
+        topics = json['topics']['topic_list']['topics']
+
         expect(topics.size).to eq(1)
+
       end
     end
   end