diff --git a/app/Services/SearchApiV2Service.php b/app/Services/SearchApiV2Service.php
index 397af6b1..0471224b 100644
--- a/app/Services/SearchApiV2Service.php
+++ b/app/Services/SearchApiV2Service.php
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ class SearchApiV2Service
 		$limit = $this->query->input('limit') ?? 20;
 		$offset = $this->query->input('offset') ?? 0;
 		$rawQuery = $initalQuery ? $initalQuery : $this->query->input('q');
-		$query = '%' . $rawQuery . '%';
+		$query = $rawQuery . '%';
 		if(Str::substrCount($rawQuery, '@') >= 1 && Str::contains($rawQuery, config('pixelfed.domain.app'))) {
 			$deliminatorCount = Str::substrCount($rawQuery, '@');
 			$query = explode('@', $rawQuery)[$deliminatorCount == 1 ? 0 : 1];
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ class SearchApiV2Service
 		$mastodonMode = self::$mastodonMode;
 		$limit = $this->query->input('limit') ?? 20;
 		$offset = $this->query->input('offset') ?? 0;
-		$query = '%' . $this->query->input('q') . '%';
+        $query = $this->query->input('q') . '%';
 		return Hashtag::where('can_search', true)
 			->where('name', 'like', $query)
 			->offset($offset)