diff --git a/lib/mix/tasks/benchmark.ex b/lib/mix/tasks/benchmark.ex
index 0fbb4dbb1..e4b1a638a 100644
--- a/lib/mix/tasks/benchmark.ex
+++ b/lib/mix/tasks/benchmark.ex
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ def run(["search"]) do
 
     Benchee.run(%{
       "search" => fn ->
-        Pleroma.Web.MastodonAPI.MastodonAPIController.status_search(nil, "cofe")
+        Pleroma.Activity.search(nil, "cofe")
       end
     })
   end
diff --git a/lib/pleroma/activity.ex b/lib/pleroma/activity.ex
index 99589590c..6db41fe6e 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/activity.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/activity.ex
@@ -343,4 +343,6 @@ def restrict_deactivated_users(query) do
         )
     )
   end
+
+  defdelegate search(user, query), to: Pleroma.Activity.Search
 end
diff --git a/lib/pleroma/activity/search.ex b/lib/pleroma/activity/search.ex
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f2fdfffe1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/pleroma/activity/search.ex
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+# Pleroma: A lightweight social networking server
+# Copyright © 2017-2019 Pleroma Authors <https://pleroma.social/>
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-only
+
+defmodule Pleroma.Activity.Search do
+  alias Pleroma.Activity
+  alias Pleroma.Object.Fetcher
+  alias Pleroma.Repo
+  alias Pleroma.User
+  alias Pleroma.Web.ActivityPub.Visibility
+
+  import Ecto.Query
+
+  def search(user, search_query) do
+    index_type = if Pleroma.Config.get([:database, :rum_enabled]), do: :rum, else: :gin
+
+    Activity
+    |> Activity.with_preloaded_object()
+    |> Activity.restrict_deactivated_users()
+    |> restrict_public()
+    |> query_with(index_type, search_query)
+    |> maybe_restrict_local(user)
+    |> Repo.all()
+    |> maybe_fetch(user, search_query)
+  end
+
+  defp restrict_public(q) do
+    from([a, o] in q,
+      where: fragment("?->>'type' = 'Create'", a.data),
+      where: "https://www.w3.org/ns/activitystreams#Public" in a.recipients,
+      limit: 40
+    )
+  end
+
+  defp query_with(q, :gin, search_query) do
+    from([a, o] in q,
+      where:
+        fragment(
+          "to_tsvector('english', ?->>'content') @@ plainto_tsquery('english', ?)",
+          o.data,
+          ^search_query
+        ),
+      order_by: [desc: :id]
+    )
+  end
+
+  defp query_with(q, :rum, search_query) do
+    from([a, o] in q,
+      where:
+        fragment(
+          "? @@ plainto_tsquery('english', ?)",
+          o.fts_content,
+          ^search_query
+        ),
+      order_by: [fragment("? <=> now()::date", o.inserted_at)]
+    )
+  end
+
+  # users can search everything
+  defp maybe_restrict_local(q, %User{}), do: q
+
+  # unauthenticated users can only search local activities
+  defp maybe_restrict_local(q, _), do: where(q, local: true)
+
+  defp maybe_fetch(activities, user, search_query) do
+    with true <- Regex.match?(~r/https?:/, search_query),
+         {:ok, object} <- Fetcher.fetch_object_from_id(search_query),
+         %Activity{} = activity <- Activity.get_create_by_object_ap_id(object.data["id"]),
+         true <- Visibility.visible_for_user?(activity, user) do
+      activities ++ [activity]
+    else
+      _ -> activities
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/lib/pleroma/user.ex b/lib/pleroma/user.ex
index d873d7623..d9f7e14b0 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/user.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/user.ex
@@ -735,122 +735,6 @@ def get_recipients_from_activity(%Activity{recipients: to}) do
     |> Repo.all()
   end
 
-  def search(query, resolve \\ false, for_user \\ nil) do
-    # Strip the beginning @ off if there is a query
-    query = String.trim_leading(query, "@")
-
-    if resolve, do: get_or_fetch(query)
-
-    {:ok, results} =
-      Repo.transaction(fn ->
-        Ecto.Adapters.SQL.query(Repo, "select set_limit(0.25)", [])
-        Repo.all(search_query(query, for_user))
-      end)
-
-    results
-  end
-
-  def search_query(query, for_user) do
-    fts_subquery = fts_search_subquery(query)
-    trigram_subquery = trigram_search_subquery(query)
-    union_query = from(s in trigram_subquery, union_all: ^fts_subquery)
-    distinct_query = from(s in subquery(union_query), order_by: s.search_type, distinct: s.id)
-
-    from(s in subquery(boost_search_rank_query(distinct_query, for_user)),
-      order_by: [desc: s.search_rank],
-      limit: 40
-    )
-  end
-
-  defp boost_search_rank_query(query, nil), do: query
-
-  defp boost_search_rank_query(query, for_user) do
-    friends_ids = get_friends_ids(for_user)
-    followers_ids = get_followers_ids(for_user)
-
-    from(u in subquery(query),
-      select_merge: %{
-        search_rank:
-          fragment(
-            """
-             CASE WHEN (?) THEN (?) * 1.3
-             WHEN (?) THEN (?) * 1.2
-             WHEN (?) THEN (?) * 1.1
-             ELSE (?) END
-            """,
-            u.id in ^friends_ids and u.id in ^followers_ids,
-            u.search_rank,
-            u.id in ^friends_ids,
-            u.search_rank,
-            u.id in ^followers_ids,
-            u.search_rank,
-            u.search_rank
-          )
-      }
-    )
-  end
-
-  defp fts_search_subquery(term, query \\ User) do
-    processed_query =
-      term
-      |> String.replace(~r/\W+/, " ")
-      |> String.trim()
-      |> String.split()
-      |> Enum.map(&(&1 <> ":*"))
-      |> Enum.join(" | ")
-
-    from(
-      u in query,
-      select_merge: %{
-        search_type: ^0,
-        search_rank:
-          fragment(
-            """
-            ts_rank_cd(
-              setweight(to_tsvector('simple', regexp_replace(?, '\\W', ' ', 'g')), 'A') ||
-              setweight(to_tsvector('simple', regexp_replace(coalesce(?, ''), '\\W', ' ', 'g')), 'B'),
-              to_tsquery('simple', ?),
-              32
-            )
-            """,
-            u.nickname,
-            u.name,
-            ^processed_query
-          )
-      },
-      where:
-        fragment(
-          """
-            (setweight(to_tsvector('simple', regexp_replace(?, '\\W', ' ', 'g')), 'A') ||
-            setweight(to_tsvector('simple', regexp_replace(coalesce(?, ''), '\\W', ' ', 'g')), 'B')) @@ to_tsquery('simple', ?)
-          """,
-          u.nickname,
-          u.name,
-          ^processed_query
-        )
-    )
-    |> restrict_deactivated()
-  end
-
-  defp trigram_search_subquery(term) do
-    from(
-      u in User,
-      select_merge: %{
-        # ^1 gives 'Postgrex expected a binary, got 1' for some weird reason
-        search_type: fragment("?", 1),
-        search_rank:
-          fragment(
-            "similarity(?, trim(? || ' ' || coalesce(?, '')))",
-            ^term,
-            u.nickname,
-            u.name
-          )
-      },
-      where: fragment("trim(? || ' ' || coalesce(?, '')) % ?", u.nickname, u.name, ^term)
-    )
-    |> restrict_deactivated()
-  end
-
   def mute(muter, %User{ap_id: ap_id}) do
     info_cng =
       muter.info
@@ -1449,4 +1333,6 @@ def get_ap_ids_by_nicknames(nicknames) do
     )
     |> Repo.all()
   end
+
+  defdelegate search(query, opts \\ []), to: User.Search
 end
diff --git a/lib/pleroma/user/search.ex b/lib/pleroma/user/search.ex
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d5b2eaa9f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/pleroma/user/search.ex
@@ -0,0 +1,145 @@
+# Pleroma: A lightweight social networking server
+# Copyright © 2017-2019 Pleroma Authors <https://pleroma.social/>
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-only
+
+defmodule Pleroma.User.Search do
+  alias Pleroma.Repo
+  alias Pleroma.User
+  import Ecto.Query
+
+  def search(query, opts \\ []) do
+    resolve = Keyword.get(opts, :resolve, false)
+    for_user = Keyword.get(opts, :for_user)
+
+    # Strip the beginning @ off if there is a query
+    query = String.trim_leading(query, "@")
+
+    if match?(%User{}, for_user) and resolve, do: User.get_or_fetch(query)
+
+    {:ok, results} =
+      Repo.transaction(fn ->
+        Ecto.Adapters.SQL.query(Repo, "select set_limit(0.25)", [])
+
+        query
+        |> search_query(for_user)
+        |> Repo.all()
+      end)
+
+    results
+  end
+
+  defp search_query(query, for_user) do
+    query
+    |> union_query()
+    |> distinct_query()
+    |> boost_search_rank_query(for_user)
+    |> subquery()
+    |> order_by(desc: :search_rank)
+    |> limit(20)
+    |> maybe_restrict_local(for_user)
+  end
+
+  defp union_query(query) do
+    fts_subquery = fts_search_subquery(query)
+    trigram_subquery = trigram_search_subquery(query)
+
+    from(s in trigram_subquery, union_all: ^fts_subquery)
+  end
+
+  defp distinct_query(q) do
+    from(s in subquery(q), order_by: s.search_type, distinct: s.id)
+  end
+
+  # unauthenticated users can only search local activities
+  defp maybe_restrict_local(q, %User{}), do: q
+  defp maybe_restrict_local(q, _), do: where(q, [u], u.local == true)
+
+  defp boost_search_rank_query(query, nil), do: query
+
+  defp boost_search_rank_query(query, for_user) do
+    friends_ids = User.get_friends_ids(for_user)
+    followers_ids = User.get_followers_ids(for_user)
+
+    from(u in subquery(query),
+      select_merge: %{
+        search_rank:
+          fragment(
+            """
+             CASE WHEN (?) THEN (?) * 1.3
+             WHEN (?) THEN (?) * 1.2
+             WHEN (?) THEN (?) * 1.1
+             ELSE (?) END
+            """,
+            u.id in ^friends_ids and u.id in ^followers_ids,
+            u.search_rank,
+            u.id in ^friends_ids,
+            u.search_rank,
+            u.id in ^followers_ids,
+            u.search_rank,
+            u.search_rank
+          )
+      }
+    )
+  end
+
+  defp fts_search_subquery(term, query \\ User) do
+    processed_query =
+      term
+      |> String.replace(~r/\W+/, " ")
+      |> String.trim()
+      |> String.split()
+      |> Enum.map(&(&1 <> ":*"))
+      |> Enum.join(" | ")
+
+    from(
+      u in query,
+      select_merge: %{
+        search_type: ^0,
+        search_rank:
+          fragment(
+            """
+            ts_rank_cd(
+              setweight(to_tsvector('simple', regexp_replace(?, '\\W', ' ', 'g')), 'A') ||
+              setweight(to_tsvector('simple', regexp_replace(coalesce(?, ''), '\\W', ' ', 'g')), 'B'),
+              to_tsquery('simple', ?),
+              32
+            )
+            """,
+            u.nickname,
+            u.name,
+            ^processed_query
+          )
+      },
+      where:
+        fragment(
+          """
+            (setweight(to_tsvector('simple', regexp_replace(?, '\\W', ' ', 'g')), 'A') ||
+            setweight(to_tsvector('simple', regexp_replace(coalesce(?, ''), '\\W', ' ', 'g')), 'B')) @@ to_tsquery('simple', ?)
+          """,
+          u.nickname,
+          u.name,
+          ^processed_query
+        )
+    )
+    |> User.restrict_deactivated()
+  end
+
+  defp trigram_search_subquery(term) do
+    from(
+      u in User,
+      select_merge: %{
+        # ^1 gives 'Postgrex expected a binary, got 1' for some weird reason
+        search_type: fragment("?", 1),
+        search_rank:
+          fragment(
+            "similarity(?, trim(? || ' ' || coalesce(?, '')))",
+            ^term,
+            u.nickname,
+            u.name
+          )
+      },
+      where: fragment("trim(? || ' ' || coalesce(?, '')) % ?", u.nickname, u.name, ^term)
+    )
+    |> User.restrict_deactivated()
+  end
+end
diff --git a/lib/pleroma/web/mastodon_api/mastodon_api_controller.ex b/lib/pleroma/web/mastodon_api/mastodon_api_controller.ex
index d825555c6..92cd77f62 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/web/mastodon_api/mastodon_api_controller.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/web/mastodon_api/mastodon_api_controller.ex
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Web.MastodonAPI.MastodonAPIController do
   alias Pleroma.HTTP
   alias Pleroma.Notification
   alias Pleroma.Object
-  alias Pleroma.Object.Fetcher
   alias Pleroma.Pagination
   alias Pleroma.Repo
   alias Pleroma.ScheduledActivity
@@ -1125,64 +1124,9 @@ def unsubscribe(%{assigns: %{user: user}} = conn, %{"id" => id}) do
     end
   end
 
-  def status_search_query_with_gin(q, query) do
-    from([a, o] in q,
-      where:
-        fragment(
-          "to_tsvector('english', ?->>'content') @@ plainto_tsquery('english', ?)",
-          o.data,
-          ^query
-        ),
-      order_by: [desc: :id]
-    )
-  end
-
-  def status_search_query_with_rum(q, query) do
-    from([a, o] in q,
-      where:
-        fragment(
-          "? @@ plainto_tsquery('english', ?)",
-          o.fts_content,
-          ^query
-        ),
-      order_by: [fragment("? <=> now()::date", o.inserted_at)]
-    )
-  end
-
-  def status_search(user, query) do
-    fetched =
-      if Regex.match?(~r/https?:/, query) do
-        with {:ok, object} <- Fetcher.fetch_object_from_id(query),
-             %Activity{} = activity <- Activity.get_create_by_object_ap_id(object.data["id"]),
-             true <- Visibility.visible_for_user?(activity, user) do
-          [activity]
-        else
-          _e -> []
-        end
-      end || []
-
-    q =
-      from([a, o] in Activity.with_preloaded_object(Activity),
-        where: fragment("?->>'type' = 'Create'", a.data),
-        where: "https://www.w3.org/ns/activitystreams#Public" in a.recipients,
-        limit: 40
-      )
-
-    q =
-      if Pleroma.Config.get([:database, :rum_enabled]) do
-        status_search_query_with_rum(q, query)
-      else
-        status_search_query_with_gin(q, query)
-      end
-
-    Repo.all(q) ++ fetched
-  end
-
   def search2(%{assigns: %{user: user}} = conn, %{"q" => query} = params) do
     accounts = User.search(query, resolve: params["resolve"] == "true", for_user: user)
-
-    statuses = status_search(user, query)
-
+    statuses = Activity.search(user, query)
     tags_path = Web.base_url() <> "/tag/"
 
     tags =
@@ -1205,8 +1149,7 @@ def search2(%{assigns: %{user: user}} = conn, %{"q" => query} = params) do
 
   def search(%{assigns: %{user: user}} = conn, %{"q" => query} = params) do
     accounts = User.search(query, resolve: params["resolve"] == "true", for_user: user)
-
-    statuses = status_search(user, query)
+    statuses = Activity.search(user, query)
 
     tags =
       query
diff --git a/priv/repo/migrations/20190603115238_add_index_on_activities_local.exs b/priv/repo/migrations/20190603115238_add_index_on_activities_local.exs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..89daa9705
--- /dev/null
+++ b/priv/repo/migrations/20190603115238_add_index_on_activities_local.exs
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+defmodule Pleroma.Repo.Migrations.AddIndexOnActivitiesLocal do
+  use Ecto.Migration
+
+  def change do
+    create(index("activities", [:local]))
+  end
+end
diff --git a/test/activity_test.exs b/test/activity_test.exs
index 15c95502a..1814e313d 100644
--- a/test/activity_test.exs
+++ b/test/activity_test.exs
@@ -99,4 +99,44 @@ test "when association is not loaded" do
       assert Activity.get_bookmark(queried_activity, user) == bookmark
     end
   end
+
+  describe "search" do
+    setup do
+      Tesla.Mock.mock_global(fn env -> apply(HttpRequestMock, :request, [env]) end)
+
+      user = insert(:user)
+
+      params = %{
+        "@context" => "https://www.w3.org/ns/activitystreams",
+        "actor" => "http://mastodon.example.org/users/admin",
+        "type" => "Create",
+        "id" => "http://mastodon.example.org/users/admin/activities/1",
+        "object" => %{
+          "type" => "Note",
+          "content" => "find me!",
+          "id" => "http://mastodon.example.org/users/admin/objects/1",
+          "attributedTo" => "http://mastodon.example.org/users/admin"
+        },
+        "to" => ["https://www.w3.org/ns/activitystreams#Public"]
+      }
+
+      {:ok, local_activity} = Pleroma.Web.CommonAPI.post(user, %{"status" => "find me!"})
+      {:ok, remote_activity} = Pleroma.Web.Federator.incoming_ap_doc(params)
+      %{local_activity: local_activity, remote_activity: remote_activity, user: user}
+    end
+
+    test "find local and remote statuses for authenticated users", %{
+      local_activity: local_activity,
+      remote_activity: remote_activity,
+      user: user
+    } do
+      activities = Enum.sort_by(Activity.search(user, "find me"), & &1.id)
+
+      assert [^local_activity, ^remote_activity] = activities
+    end
+
+    test "find only local statuses for unauthenticated users", %{local_activity: local_activity} do
+      assert [^local_activity] = Activity.search(nil, "find me")
+    end
+  end
 end
diff --git a/test/user_test.exs b/test/user_test.exs
index d7473ef43..1a82aa6f7 100644
--- a/test/user_test.exs
+++ b/test/user_test.exs
@@ -1055,7 +1055,7 @@ test "finds users, ranking by similarity" do
       u3 = insert(:user, %{name: "ebn", nickname: "lain@mastodon.social"})
       u4 = insert(:user, %{nickname: "lain@pleroma.soykaf.com"})
 
-      assert [u4.id, u3.id, u1.id] == Enum.map(User.search("lain@ple"), & &1.id)
+      assert [u4.id, u3.id, u1.id] == Enum.map(User.search("lain@ple", for_user: u1), & &1.id)
     end
 
     test "finds users, handling misspelled requests" do
@@ -1077,6 +1077,28 @@ test "finds users, boosting ranks of friends and followers" do
                Enum.map(User.search("doe", resolve: false, for_user: u1), & &1.id) == []
     end
 
+    test "find local and remote statuses for authenticated users" do
+      u1 = insert(:user, %{name: "lain"})
+      u2 = insert(:user, %{name: "ebn", nickname: "lain@mastodon.social", local: false})
+      u3 = insert(:user, %{nickname: "lain@pleroma.soykaf.com", local: false})
+
+      results =
+        "lain"
+        |> User.search(for_user: u1)
+        |> Enum.map(& &1.id)
+        |> Enum.sort()
+
+      assert [u1.id, u2.id, u3.id] == results
+    end
+
+    test "find only local statuses for unauthenticated users" do
+      %{id: id} = insert(:user, %{name: "lain"})
+      insert(:user, %{name: "ebn", nickname: "lain@mastodon.social", local: false})
+      insert(:user, %{nickname: "lain@pleroma.soykaf.com", local: false})
+
+      assert [%{id: ^id}] = User.search("lain")
+    end
+
     test "finds a user whose name is nil" do
       _user = insert(:user, %{name: "notamatch", nickname: "testuser@pleroma.amplifie.red"})
       user_two = insert(:user, %{name: nil, nickname: "lain@pleroma.soykaf.com"})
@@ -1097,7 +1119,11 @@ test "does not yield false-positive matches" do
     end
 
     test "works with URIs" do
-      results = User.search("http://mastodon.example.org/users/admin", resolve: true)
+      user = insert(:user)
+
+      results =
+        User.search("http://mastodon.example.org/users/admin", resolve: true, for_user: user)
+
       result = results |> List.first()
 
       user = User.get_cached_by_ap_id("http://mastodon.example.org/users/admin")
diff --git a/test/web/mastodon_api/mastodon_api_controller_test.exs b/test/web/mastodon_api/mastodon_api_controller_test.exs
index 8679a083d..51c1cdfac 100644
--- a/test/web/mastodon_api/mastodon_api_controller_test.exs
+++ b/test/web/mastodon_api/mastodon_api_controller_test.exs
@@ -2173,8 +2173,11 @@ test "search doesn't show statuses that it shouldn't", %{conn: conn} do
   end
 
   test "search fetches remote accounts", %{conn: conn} do
+    user = insert(:user)
+
     conn =
       conn
+      |> assign(:user, user)
       |> get("/api/v1/search", %{"q" => "shp@social.heldscal.la", "resolve" => "true"})
 
     assert results = json_response(conn, 200)