diff --git a/lib/philomena/comments/query.ex b/lib/philomena/comments/query.ex
index 9e9c8986..49ec6d68 100644
--- a/lib/philomena/comments/query.ex
+++ b/lib/philomena/comments/query.ex
@@ -92,8 +92,8 @@ defmodule Philomena.Comments.Query do
     |> Parser.parse(query_string, context)
   end
 
-  def compile(user, query_string) do
-    query_string = query_string || ""
+  def compile(query_string, opts \\ []) do
+    user = Keyword.get(opts, :user)
 
     case user do
       nil ->
diff --git a/lib/philomena/filters/query.ex b/lib/philomena/filters/query.ex
index 3b6bb3ef..3460a459 100644
--- a/lib/philomena/filters/query.ex
+++ b/lib/philomena/filters/query.ex
@@ -33,8 +33,8 @@ defmodule Philomena.Filters.Query do
     |> Parser.parse(query_string, context)
   end
 
-  def compile(user, query_string) do
-    query_string = query_string || ""
+  def compile(query_string, opts \\ []) do
+    user = Keyword.get(opts, :user)
 
     case user do
       nil ->
diff --git a/lib/philomena/galleries/query.ex b/lib/philomena/galleries/query.ex
index e04ceecc..ddfa1e8b 100644
--- a/lib/philomena/galleries/query.ex
+++ b/lib/philomena/galleries/query.ex
@@ -15,8 +15,6 @@ defmodule Philomena.Galleries.Query do
   end
 
   def compile(query_string) do
-    query_string = query_string || ""
-
     fields()
     |> Parser.new()
     |> Parser.parse(query_string)
diff --git a/lib/philomena/images/query.ex b/lib/philomena/images/query.ex
index 9eedcd74..74d1b835 100644
--- a/lib/philomena/images/query.ex
+++ b/lib/philomena/images/query.ex
@@ -144,8 +144,9 @@ defmodule Philomena.Images.Query do
     |> Parser.parse(query_string, context)
   end
 
-  def compile(user, query_string, watch \\ false) do
-    query_string = query_string || ""
+  def compile(query_string, opts \\ []) do
+    user = Keyword.get(opts, :user)
+    watch = Keyword.get(opts, :watch, false)
 
     case user do
       nil ->
diff --git a/lib/philomena/posts/query.ex b/lib/philomena/posts/query.ex
index 331655c7..58d94d6c 100644
--- a/lib/philomena/posts/query.ex
+++ b/lib/philomena/posts/query.ex
@@ -90,8 +90,8 @@ defmodule Philomena.Posts.Query do
     |> Parser.parse(query_string, context)
   end
 
-  def compile(user, query_string) do
-    query_string = query_string || ""
+  def compile(query_string, opts \\ []) do
+    user = Keyword.get(opts, :user)
 
     case user do
       nil ->
diff --git a/lib/philomena/reports/query.ex b/lib/philomena/reports/query.ex
index c9d9be44..e88e2172 100644
--- a/lib/philomena/reports/query.ex
+++ b/lib/philomena/reports/query.ex
@@ -17,6 +17,6 @@ defmodule Philomena.Reports.Query do
   def compile(query_string) do
     fields()
     |> Parser.new()
-    |> Parser.parse(query_string || "", %{})
+    |> Parser.parse(query_string, %{})
   end
 end
diff --git a/lib/philomena/schema/search.ex b/lib/philomena/schema/search.ex
index 9b4e7e08..819823f2 100644
--- a/lib/philomena/schema/search.ex
+++ b/lib/philomena/schema/search.ex
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ defmodule Philomena.Schema.Search do
 
   def validate_search(changeset, field, user, watched \\ false) do
     query = changeset |> get_field(field) |> String.normalize()
-    output = Query.compile(user, query, watched)
+    output = Query.compile(query, user: user, watch: watched)
 
     case output do
       {:ok, _} ->
diff --git a/lib/philomena/tags/query.ex b/lib/philomena/tags/query.ex
index da148da4..6af25454 100644
--- a/lib/philomena/tags/query.ex
+++ b/lib/philomena/tags/query.ex
@@ -20,6 +20,6 @@ defmodule Philomena.Tags.Query do
   def compile(query_string) do
     fields()
     |> Parser.new()
-    |> Parser.parse(query_string || "")
+    |> Parser.parse(query_string)
   end
 end
diff --git a/lib/philomena_query/parse/parser.ex b/lib/philomena_query/parse/parser.ex
index a89434d2..e615653f 100644
--- a/lib/philomena_query/parse/parser.ex
+++ b/lib/philomena_query/parse/parser.ex
@@ -184,18 +184,18 @@ defmodule PhilomenaQuery.Parse.Parser do
   @spec parse(t(), String.t(), context()) :: {:ok, query()} | {:error, String.t()}
   def parse(parser, input, context \\ nil)
 
-  # Empty search should emit a match_none.
-  def parse(_parser, "", _context) do
-    {:ok, %{match_none: %{}}}
-  end
-
   def parse(%Parser{} = parser, input, context) do
     parser = %{parser | __data__: context}
 
-    with {:ok, tokens, _1, _2, _3, _4} <- Lexer.lex(input),
+    with {:ok, input} <- coerce_string(input),
+         {:ok, tokens, _1, _2, _3, _4} <- Lexer.lex(input),
+         {:ok, tokens} <- convert_empty_token_list(tokens),
          {:ok, {tree, []}} <- search_top(parser, tokens) do
       {:ok, tree}
     else
+      {:error, :empty_query} ->
+        {:ok, %{match_none: %{}}}
+
       {:ok, {_tree, tokens}} ->
         {:error, "junk at end of expression: " <> debug_tokens(tokens)}
 
@@ -211,6 +211,13 @@ defmodule PhilomenaQuery.Parse.Parser do
     end
   end
 
+  defp coerce_string(term) when is_binary(term), do: {:ok, term}
+  defp coerce_string(nil), do: {:ok, ""}
+  defp coerce_string(_), do: {:error, "search query is not a string"}
+
+  defp convert_empty_token_list([]), do: {:error, :empty_query}
+  defp convert_empty_token_list(tokens), do: {:ok, tokens}
+
   defp debug_tokens(tokens) do
     Enum.map_join(tokens, fn {_k, v} -> v end)
   end
diff --git a/lib/philomena_web/controllers/api/json/search/comment_controller.ex b/lib/philomena_web/controllers/api/json/search/comment_controller.ex
index 5dbe5e4c..6942a4ff 100644
--- a/lib/philomena_web/controllers/api/json/search/comment_controller.ex
+++ b/lib/philomena_web/controllers/api/json/search/comment_controller.ex
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ defmodule PhilomenaWeb.Api.Json.Search.CommentController do
     user = conn.assigns.current_user
     filter = conn.assigns.current_filter
 
-    case Query.compile(user, params["q"] || "") do
+    case Query.compile(params["q"], user: user) do
       {:ok, query} ->
         comments =
           Comment
diff --git a/lib/philomena_web/controllers/api/json/search/filter_controller.ex b/lib/philomena_web/controllers/api/json/search/filter_controller.ex
index 7b402065..7c4f81b5 100644
--- a/lib/philomena_web/controllers/api/json/search/filter_controller.ex
+++ b/lib/philomena_web/controllers/api/json/search/filter_controller.ex
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ defmodule PhilomenaWeb.Api.Json.Search.FilterController do
   def index(conn, params) do
     user = conn.assigns.current_user
 
-    case Query.compile(user, params["q"] || "") do
+    case Query.compile(params["q"], user: user) do
       {:ok, query} ->
         filters =
           Filter
diff --git a/lib/philomena_web/controllers/api/json/search/gallery_controller.ex b/lib/philomena_web/controllers/api/json/search/gallery_controller.ex
index 8b2f247b..e1b999bb 100644
--- a/lib/philomena_web/controllers/api/json/search/gallery_controller.ex
+++ b/lib/philomena_web/controllers/api/json/search/gallery_controller.ex
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ defmodule PhilomenaWeb.Api.Json.Search.GalleryController do
   import Ecto.Query
 
   def index(conn, params) do
-    case Query.compile(params["q"] || "") do
+    case Query.compile(params["q"]) do
       {:ok, query} ->
         galleries =
           Gallery
diff --git a/lib/philomena_web/controllers/api/json/search/post_controller.ex b/lib/philomena_web/controllers/api/json/search/post_controller.ex
index 919a5b13..c305de12 100644
--- a/lib/philomena_web/controllers/api/json/search/post_controller.ex
+++ b/lib/philomena_web/controllers/api/json/search/post_controller.ex
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ defmodule PhilomenaWeb.Api.Json.Search.PostController do
   def index(conn, params) do
     user = conn.assigns.current_user
 
-    case Query.compile(user, params["q"] || "") do
+    case Query.compile(params["q"], user: user) do
       {:ok, query} ->
         posts =
           Post
diff --git a/lib/philomena_web/controllers/api/json/search/tag_controller.ex b/lib/philomena_web/controllers/api/json/search/tag_controller.ex
index 8cdaf7f4..b860cf46 100644
--- a/lib/philomena_web/controllers/api/json/search/tag_controller.ex
+++ b/lib/philomena_web/controllers/api/json/search/tag_controller.ex
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ defmodule PhilomenaWeb.Api.Json.Search.TagController do
   import Ecto.Query
 
   def index(conn, params) do
-    case Query.compile(params["q"] || "") do
+    case Query.compile(params["q"]) do
       {:ok, query} ->
         tags =
           Tag
diff --git a/lib/philomena_web/controllers/comment_controller.ex b/lib/philomena_web/controllers/comment_controller.ex
index 99b14f25..d64f3e16 100644
--- a/lib/philomena_web/controllers/comment_controller.ex
+++ b/lib/philomena_web/controllers/comment_controller.ex
@@ -13,8 +13,8 @@ defmodule PhilomenaWeb.CommentController do
     conn = Map.put(conn, :params, params)
     user = conn.assigns.current_user
 
-    user
-    |> Query.compile(cq)
+    cq
+    |> Query.compile(user: user)
     |> render_index(conn, user)
   end
 
diff --git a/lib/philomena_web/controllers/filter_controller.ex b/lib/philomena_web/controllers/filter_controller.ex
index 61469ffd..cbe001da 100644
--- a/lib/philomena_web/controllers/filter_controller.ex
+++ b/lib/philomena_web/controllers/filter_controller.ex
@@ -13,8 +13,8 @@ defmodule PhilomenaWeb.FilterController do
   def index(conn, %{"fq" => fq}) do
     user = conn.assigns.current_user
 
-    user
-    |> Query.compile(fq)
+    fq
+    |> Query.compile(user: user)
     |> render_index(conn, user)
   end
 
diff --git a/lib/philomena_web/controllers/image/navigate_controller.ex b/lib/philomena_web/controllers/image/navigate_controller.ex
index 9cb61d48..13facfae 100644
--- a/lib/philomena_web/controllers/image/navigate_controller.ex
+++ b/lib/philomena_web/controllers/image/navigate_controller.ex
@@ -54,7 +54,10 @@ defmodule PhilomenaWeb.Image.NavigateController do
   defp compile_query(conn) do
     user = conn.assigns.current_user
 
-    {:ok, query} = Query.compile(user, match_all_if_blank(conn.params["q"]))
+    {:ok, query} =
+      conn.params["q"]
+      |> match_all_if_blank()
+      |> Query.compile(user: user)
 
     query
   end
diff --git a/lib/philomena_web/controllers/post_controller.ex b/lib/philomena_web/controllers/post_controller.ex
index 17b8fcd5..6f00ff7c 100644
--- a/lib/philomena_web/controllers/post_controller.ex
+++ b/lib/philomena_web/controllers/post_controller.ex
@@ -13,8 +13,8 @@ defmodule PhilomenaWeb.PostController do
     conn = Map.put(conn, :params, params)
     user = conn.assigns.current_user
 
-    user
-    |> Query.compile(pq)
+    pq
+    |> Query.compile(user: user)
     |> render_index(conn, user)
   end
 
diff --git a/lib/philomena_web/controllers/tag_controller.ex b/lib/philomena_web/controllers/tag_controller.ex
index 82ea790a..4900ddd3 100644
--- a/lib/philomena_web/controllers/tag_controller.ex
+++ b/lib/philomena_web/controllers/tag_controller.ex
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ defmodule PhilomenaWeb.TagController do
       |> String.trim()
       |> String.downcase()
 
-    case Images.Query.compile(nil, name) do
+    case Images.Query.compile(name) do
       {:ok, %{term: %{"namespaced_tags.name" => ^name}}} ->
         name
 
diff --git a/lib/philomena_web/image_loader.ex b/lib/philomena_web/image_loader.ex
index d2bc80ea..81271e05 100644
--- a/lib/philomena_web/image_loader.ex
+++ b/lib/philomena_web/image_loader.ex
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ defmodule PhilomenaWeb.ImageLoader do
   def search_string(conn, search_string, options \\ []) do
     user = conn.assigns.current_user
 
-    with {:ok, tree} <- Query.compile(user, search_string) do
+    with {:ok, tree} <- Query.compile(search_string, user: user) do
       {:ok, query(conn, tree, options)}
     else
       error ->
diff --git a/lib/philomena_web/plugs/filter_forced_users_plug.ex b/lib/philomena_web/plugs/filter_forced_users_plug.ex
index e28de969..d9881f96 100644
--- a/lib/philomena_web/plugs/filter_forced_users_plug.ex
+++ b/lib/philomena_web/plugs/filter_forced_users_plug.ex
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ defmodule PhilomenaWeb.FilterForcedUsersPlug do
 
   import Phoenix.Controller
   import Plug.Conn
-  alias PhilomenaQuery.Parse.String, as: SearchString
+  alias PhilomenaQuery.Parse.String
   alias PhilomenaQuery.Parse.Evaluator
   alias Philomena.Images.Query
   alias PhilomenaWeb.ImageView
@@ -53,7 +53,10 @@ defmodule PhilomenaWeb.FilterForcedUsersPlug do
   end
 
   defp compile_filter(user, search_string) do
-    case Query.compile(user, SearchString.normalize(search_string)) do
+    search_string
+    |> String.normalize()
+    |> Query.compile(user: user)
+    |> case do
       {:ok, query} -> query
       _error -> %{match_all: %{}}
     end
diff --git a/lib/philomena_web/plugs/image_filter_plug.ex b/lib/philomena_web/plugs/image_filter_plug.ex
index c8138d68..a6d46187 100644
--- a/lib/philomena_web/plugs/image_filter_plug.ex
+++ b/lib/philomena_web/plugs/image_filter_plug.ex
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 defmodule PhilomenaWeb.ImageFilterPlug do
   import Plug.Conn
-  import PhilomenaQuery.Parse.String
-
+  alias PhilomenaQuery.Parse.String
   alias Philomena.Images.Query
 
   # No options
@@ -50,7 +49,10 @@ defmodule PhilomenaWeb.ImageFilterPlug do
   end
 
   defp invalid_filter_guard(user, search_string) do
-    case Query.compile(user, normalize(search_string)) do
+    search_string
+    |> String.normalize()
+    |> Query.compile(user: user)
+    |> case do
       {:ok, query} -> query
       _error -> %{match_all: %{}}
     end