diff --git a/rslib/src/search/notes.rs b/rslib/src/search/notes.rs
index 8dda0fb62..286848f65 100644
--- a/rslib/src/search/notes.rs
+++ b/rslib/src/search/notes.rs
@@ -8,14 +8,31 @@ use crate::notes::NoteID;
 use crate::search::parser::parse;
 
 impl Collection {
-    pub(crate) fn search_notes(&mut self, search: &str) -> Result<Vec<NoteID>> {
+    /// This supports card queries as well, but is slower.
+    pub fn search_notes(&mut self, search: &str) -> Result<Vec<NoteID>> {
+        self.search_notes_inner(search, |sql| {
+            format!(
+                "select distinct n.id from cards c, notes n where c.nid=n.id and {}",
+                sql
+            )
+        })
+    }
+
+    /// This only supports note-related search terms.
+    pub fn search_notes_only(&mut self, search: &str) -> Result<Vec<NoteID>> {
+        self.search_notes_inner(search, |sql| {
+            format!("select n.id from notes n where {}", sql)
+        })
+    }
+
+    fn search_notes_inner<F>(&mut self, search: &str, build_sql: F) -> Result<Vec<NoteID>>
+    where
+        F: FnOnce(String) -> String,
+    {
         let top_node = Node::Group(parse(search)?);
         let (sql, args) = node_to_sql(self, &top_node)?;
 
-        let sql = format!(
-            "select n.id from cards c, notes n where c.nid=n.id and {}",
-            sql
-        );
+        let sql = build_sql(sql);
 
         let mut stmt = self.storage.db.prepare(&sql)?;
         let ids: Vec<_> = stmt