diff --git a/src/Simplex/Chat.hs b/src/Simplex/Chat.hs
index 477b71a16d..79e7d33325 100644
--- a/src/Simplex/Chat.hs
+++ b/src/Simplex/Chat.hs
@@ -2463,7 +2463,7 @@ chatCommandP =
       "/_db import " *> (APIImportArchive <$> jsonP),
       "/_db delete" $> APIDeleteStorage,
       "/_get chats" *> (APIGetChats <$> (" pcc=on" $> True <|> " pcc=off" $> False <|> pure False)),
-      "/_get chat " *> (APIGetChat <$> chatRefP <* A.space <*> chatPaginationP <*> optional (A.space *> search)),
+      "/_get chat " *> (APIGetChat <$> chatRefP <* A.space <*> chatPaginationP <*> optional searchP),
       "/_get items count=" *> (APIGetChatItems <$> A.decimal),
       "/_send " *> (APISendMessage <$> chatRefP <*> (" json " *> jsonP <|> " text " *> (ComposedMessage Nothing Nothing <$> mcTextP))),
       "/_update item " *> (APIUpdateChatItem <$> chatRefP <* A.space <*> A.decimal <* A.space <*> msgContentP),
@@ -2592,7 +2592,7 @@ chatCommandP =
       n <- (A.space *> A.takeByteString) <|> pure ""
       pure $ if B.null n then name else safeDecodeUtf8 n
     filePath = T.unpack . safeDecodeUtf8 <$> A.takeByteString
-    search = T.unpack . safeDecodeUtf8 <$> A.takeByteString
+    searchP = T.unpack . safeDecodeUtf8 <$> (" search=" *> A.takeByteString)
     memberRole =
       (" owner" $> GROwner)
         <|> (" admin" $> GRAdmin)
diff --git a/tests/ChatTests.hs b/tests/ChatTests.hs
index 046ee25cf0..c44a49bfca 100644
--- a/tests/ChatTests.hs
+++ b/tests/ChatTests.hs
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ testAddContact = versionTestMatrix2 runTestAddContact
       alice #$> ("/_get chat @2 after=1 count=100", chat, [(0, "hello there"), (0, "how are you?")])
       alice #$> ("/_get chat @2 before=2 count=100", chat, [(1, "hello there 🙂")])
       -- search
-      alice #$> ("/_get chat @2 count=100 ello ther", chat, [(1, "hello there 🙂"), (0, "hello there")])
+      alice #$> ("/_get chat @2 count=100 search=ello ther", chat, [(1, "hello there 🙂"), (0, "hello there")])
       -- read messages
       alice #$> ("/_read chat @2 from=1 to=100", id, "ok")
       bob #$> ("/_read chat @2 from=1 to=100", id, "ok")
@@ -479,7 +479,7 @@ testGroupShared alice bob cath checkMessages = do
       -- so we take into account group event items as well as sent group invitations in direct chats
       alice #$> ("/_get chat #1 after=5 count=100", chat, [(0, "hi there"), (0, "hey team")])
       alice #$> ("/_get chat #1 before=7 count=100", chat, [(0, "connected"), (0, "connected"), (1, "hello"), (0, "hi there")])
-      alice #$> ("/_get chat #1 count=100 team", chat, [(0, "hey team")])
+      alice #$> ("/_get chat #1 count=100 search=team", chat, [(0, "hey team")])
       bob @@@ [("@cath", "hey"), ("#team", "hey team"), ("@alice", "received invitation to join group team as admin")]
       bob #$> ("/_get chat #1 count=100", chat, [(0, "connected"), (0, "added cath (Catherine)"), (0, "connected"), (0, "hello"), (1, "hi there"), (0, "hey team")])
       cath @@@ [("@bob", "hey"), ("#team", "hey team"), ("@alice", "received invitation to join group team as admin")]