diff --git a/lib/philomena_web/controllers/activity_controller.ex b/lib/philomena_web/controllers/activity_controller.ex
index 4f13bf0d..befbfe50 100644
--- a/lib/philomena_web/controllers/activity_controller.ex
+++ b/lib/philomena_web/controllers/activity_controller.ex
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ defmodule PhilomenaWeb.ActivityController do
       ImageLoader.query(
         conn,
         %{range: %{first_seen_at: %{gt: "now-3d"}}},
-        sorts: [%{wilson_score: :desc}, %{first_seen_at: :desc}],
+        sorts: &%{query: &1, sorts: [%{wilson_score: :desc}, %{first_seen_at: :desc}]},
         pagination: %{page_number: :rand.uniform(6), page_size: 4}
       )
 
diff --git a/lib/philomena_web/controllers/api/json/search/image_controller.ex b/lib/philomena_web/controllers/api/json/search/image_controller.ex
index 5998ff87..8d3062ce 100644
--- a/lib/philomena_web/controllers/api/json/search/image_controller.ex
+++ b/lib/philomena_web/controllers/api/json/search/image_controller.ex
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ defmodule PhilomenaWeb.Api.Json.Search.ImageController do
   use PhilomenaWeb, :controller
 
   alias PhilomenaWeb.ImageLoader
-  alias PhilomenaWeb.ImageSorter
   alias Philomena.Interactions
   alias Philomena.Images.Image
   import Ecto.Query
@@ -10,14 +9,8 @@ defmodule PhilomenaWeb.Api.Json.Search.ImageController do
   def index(conn, params) do
     queryable = Image |> preload([:tags, :user, :intensity])
     user = conn.assigns.current_user
-    sort = ImageSorter.parse_sort(params)
 
-    case ImageLoader.search_string(conn, params["q"],
-           sorts: sort.sorts,
-           queries: sort.queries,
-           constant_score: sort.constant_score,
-           queryable: queryable
-         ) do
+    case ImageLoader.search_string(conn, params["q"], queryable: queryable) do
       {:ok, {images, _tags}} ->
         interactions = Interactions.user_interactions(images, user)
 
diff --git a/lib/philomena_web/controllers/gallery_controller.ex b/lib/philomena_web/controllers/gallery_controller.ex
index a9e66ace..36f2f399 100644
--- a/lib/philomena_web/controllers/gallery_controller.ex
+++ b/lib/philomena_web/controllers/gallery_controller.ex
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ defmodule PhilomenaWeb.GalleryController do
 
   alias PhilomenaWeb.ImageLoader
   alias PhilomenaWeb.NotificationCountPlug
-  alias PhilomenaWeb.ImageSorter
   alias Philomena.Elasticsearch
   alias Philomena.Interactions
   alias Philomena.Galleries.Gallery
@@ -52,12 +51,11 @@ defmodule PhilomenaWeb.GalleryController do
         "sd" => position_order(gallery)
       })
 
-    sort = ImageSorter.parse_sort(params)
+    conn = %{conn | params: params}
 
-    {:ok, {images, _tags}} =
-      ImageLoader.search_string(conn, query, queries: sort.queries, sorts: sort.sorts)
+    {:ok, {images, _tags}} = ImageLoader.search_string(conn, query)
 
-    {gallery_prev, gallery_next} = prev_next_page_images(conn, query, sort)
+    {gallery_prev, gallery_next} = prev_next_page_images(conn, query)
 
     interactions = Interactions.user_interactions([images, gallery_prev, gallery_next], user)
 
@@ -145,32 +143,26 @@ defmodule PhilomenaWeb.GalleryController do
     |> redirect(to: Routes.gallery_path(conn, :index))
   end
 
-  defp prev_next_page_images(conn, query, sort) do
+  defp prev_next_page_images(conn, query) do
     limit = conn.assigns.image_pagination.page_size
     offset = (conn.assigns.image_pagination.page_number - 1) * limit
 
     # Inconsistency: Elasticsearch doesn't allow requesting offsets which are less than 0,
     # but it does allow requesting offsets which are beyond the total number of results.
 
-    prev_image = gallery_image(offset - 1, conn, query, sort)
-    next_image = gallery_image(offset + limit, conn, query, sort)
+    prev_image = gallery_image(offset - 1, conn, query)
+    next_image = gallery_image(offset + limit, conn, query)
 
     {prev_image, next_image}
   end
 
-  defp gallery_image(offset, _conn, _query, _sorts) when offset < 0, do: nil
+  defp gallery_image(offset, _conn, _query) when offset < 0, do: nil
 
-  defp gallery_image(offset, conn, query, sort) do
+  defp gallery_image(offset, conn, query) do
     pagination_params = %{page_number: offset + 1, page_size: 1}
 
     {:ok, {image, _tags}} =
-      ImageLoader.search_string(
-        conn,
-        query,
-        pagination: pagination_params,
-        queries: sort.queries,
-        sorts: sort.sorts
-      )
+      ImageLoader.search_string(conn, query, pagination: pagination_params)
 
     case Enum.to_list(image) do
       [image] -> image
diff --git a/lib/philomena_web/controllers/image/random_controller.ex b/lib/philomena_web/controllers/image/random_controller.ex
index d0cac233..153078b7 100644
--- a/lib/philomena_web/controllers/image/random_controller.ex
+++ b/lib/philomena_web/controllers/image/random_controller.ex
@@ -31,21 +31,22 @@ defmodule PhilomenaWeb.Image.RandomController do
   defp query(_user, _), do: %{match_all: %{}}
 
   defp random_image_id(query, filter) do
-    sort = ImageSorter.parse_sort(%{"sf" => "random"})
+    %{query: query, sorts: sort} =
+      ImageSorter.parse_sort(%{"sf" => "random"}, query)
 
     Elasticsearch.search_records(
       Image,
       %{
         query: %{
           bool: %{
-            must: List.flatten([sort.queries, query]),
+            must: query,
             must_not: [
               filter,
               %{term: %{hidden_from_users: true}}
             ]
           }
         },
-        sort: sort.sorts
+        sort: sort
       },
       %{page_size: 1},
       Image
diff --git a/lib/philomena_web/controllers/search_controller.ex b/lib/philomena_web/controllers/search_controller.ex
index b2fdf2c7..8e3171bf 100644
--- a/lib/philomena_web/controllers/search_controller.ex
+++ b/lib/philomena_web/controllers/search_controller.ex
@@ -2,18 +2,12 @@ defmodule PhilomenaWeb.SearchController do
   use PhilomenaWeb, :controller
 
   alias PhilomenaWeb.ImageLoader
-  alias PhilomenaWeb.ImageSorter
   alias Philomena.Interactions
 
   def index(conn, params) do
     user = conn.assigns.current_user
-    sort = ImageSorter.parse_sort(params)
 
-    case ImageLoader.search_string(conn, params["q"],
-           sorts: sort.sorts,
-           queries: sort.queries,
-           constant_score: sort.constant_score
-         ) do
+    case ImageLoader.search_string(conn, params["q"]) do
       {:ok, {images, tags}} ->
         interactions = Interactions.user_interactions(images, user)
 
diff --git a/lib/philomena_web/image_loader.ex b/lib/philomena_web/image_loader.ex
index 595a65a7..399f5190 100644
--- a/lib/philomena_web/image_loader.ex
+++ b/lib/philomena_web/image_loader.ex
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 defmodule PhilomenaWeb.ImageLoader do
+  alias PhilomenaWeb.ImageSorter
   alias Philomena.Elasticsearch
   alias Philomena.Images.{Image, Query}
   alias PhilomenaWeb.TextileRenderer
@@ -18,11 +19,9 @@ defmodule PhilomenaWeb.ImageLoader do
   end
 
   def query(conn, body, options \\ []) do
-    sort_queries = Keyword.get(options, :queries, [])
-    sort_sorts = Keyword.get(options, :sorts, [%{created_at: :desc}])
     pagination = Keyword.get(options, :pagination, conn.assigns.image_pagination)
     queryable = Keyword.get(options, :queryable, Image |> preload(:tags))
-    constant_score = Keyword.get(options, :constant_score, true)
+    sorts = Keyword.get(options, :sorts, &ImageSorter.parse_sort(conn.params, &1))
 
     tags =
       body
@@ -33,7 +32,8 @@ defmodule PhilomenaWeb.ImageLoader do
     user = conn.assigns.current_user
     filter = conn.assigns.compiled_filter
     filters = create_filters(conn, user, filter)
-    body = maybe_constant_score(body, constant_score)
+
+    %{query: query, sorts: sort} = sorts.(body)
 
     records =
       Elasticsearch.search_records(
@@ -41,11 +41,11 @@ defmodule PhilomenaWeb.ImageLoader do
         %{
           query: %{
             bool: %{
-              must: List.flatten([body, sort_queries]),
+              must: query,
               must_not: filters
             }
           },
-          sort: sort_sorts
+          sort: sort
         },
         pagination,
         queryable
@@ -95,9 +95,6 @@ defmodule PhilomenaWeb.ImageLoader do
   defp maybe_custom_hide(filters, _user, _param),
     do: filters
 
-  defp maybe_constant_score(body, false), do: body
-  defp maybe_constant_score(body, _), do: %{bool: %{filter: body}}
-
   # TODO: the search parser should try to optimize queries
   defp search_tag_name(%{term: %{"namespaced_tags.name" => tag_name}}), do: [tag_name]
   defp search_tag_name(_other_query), do: []
diff --git a/lib/philomena_web/image_navigator.ex b/lib/philomena_web/image_navigator.ex
index 3c3bcf50..8276af60 100644
--- a/lib/philomena_web/image_navigator.ex
+++ b/lib/philomena_web/image_navigator.ex
@@ -33,10 +33,11 @@ defmodule PhilomenaWeb.ImageNavigator do
       |> Map.merge(empty_fields())
       |> ElasticsearchIndex.as_json()
 
-    sort_data = ImageSorter.parse_sort(params)
+    %{query: compiled_query, sorts: sort} =
+      ImageSorter.parse_sort(params, compiled_query)
 
     {sorts, filters} =
-      sort_data.sorts
+      sort
       |> Enum.map(&extract_filters(&1, image_index, rel))
       |> Enum.unzip()
 
@@ -48,7 +49,7 @@ defmodule PhilomenaWeb.ImageNavigator do
       %{
         query: %{
           bool: %{
-            must: List.flatten([compiled_query, sort_data.queries, filters]),
+            must: List.flatten([compiled_query, filters]),
             must_not: [
               compiled_filter,
               %{term: %{hidden_from_users: true}},
diff --git a/lib/philomena_web/image_sorter.ex b/lib/philomena_web/image_sorter.ex
index 32a307e3..648f705e 100644
--- a/lib/philomena_web/image_sorter.ex
+++ b/lib/philomena_web/image_sorter.ex
@@ -16,42 +16,42 @@ defmodule PhilomenaWeb.ImageSorter do
     wilson_score
   )
 
-  def parse_sort(params) do
+  def parse_sort(params, query) do
     sd = parse_sd(params)
 
-    parse_sf(params, sd)
+    parse_sf(params, sd, query)
   end
 
   defp parse_sd(%{"sd" => sd}) when sd in ~W(asc desc), do: sd
   defp parse_sd(_params), do: "desc"
 
-  defp parse_sf(%{"sf" => sf}, sd) when sf in @allowed_fields do
-    %{queries: [], sorts: [%{sf => sd}], constant_score: true}
+  defp parse_sf(%{"sf" => sf}, sd, query) when sf in @allowed_fields do
+    %{query: query, sorts: [%{sf => sd}]}
   end
 
-  defp parse_sf(%{"sf" => "_score"}, sd) do
-    %{queries: [], sorts: [%{"_score" => sd}], constant_score: false}
+  defp parse_sf(%{"sf" => "_score"}, sd, query) do
+    %{query: query, sorts: [%{"_score" => sd}]}
   end
 
-  defp parse_sf(%{"sf" => "random"}, sd) do
-    random_query(:rand.uniform(4_294_967_296), sd)
+  defp parse_sf(%{"sf" => "random"}, sd, query) do
+    random_query(:rand.uniform(4_294_967_296), sd, query)
   end
 
-  defp parse_sf(%{"sf" => <<"random:", seed::binary>>}, sd) do
+  defp parse_sf(%{"sf" => <<"random:", seed::binary>>}, sd, query) do
     case Integer.parse(seed) do
       {seed, _rest} ->
-        random_query(seed, sd)
+        random_query(seed, sd, query)
 
       _ ->
-        random_query(:rand.uniform(4_294_967_296), sd)
+        random_query(:rand.uniform(4_294_967_296), sd, query)
     end
   end
 
-  defp parse_sf(%{"sf" => <<"gallery_id:", gallery::binary>>}, sd) do
+  defp parse_sf(%{"sf" => <<"gallery_id:", gallery::binary>>}, sd, query) do
     case Integer.parse(gallery) do
       {gallery, _rest} ->
         %{
-          queries: [],
+          query: query,
           sorts: [
             %{
               "galleries.position" => %{
@@ -65,31 +65,27 @@ defmodule PhilomenaWeb.ImageSorter do
               }
             }
           ],
-          constant_score: true
         }
 
       _ ->
-        %{queries: [%{match_none: %{}}], sorts: [], constant_score: true}
+        %{query: query, sorts: []}
     end
   end
 
-  defp parse_sf(_params, sd) do
-    %{queries: [], sorts: [%{"created_at" => sd}], constant_score: true}
+  defp parse_sf(_params, sd, query) do
+    %{query: query, sorts: [%{"created_at" => sd}]}
   end
 
-  defp random_query(seed, sd) do
+  defp random_query(seed, sd, query) do
     %{
-      queries: [
-        %{
-          function_score: %{
-            query: %{match_all: %{}},
-            random_score: %{seed: seed, field: :id},
-            boost_mode: :replace
-          }
+      query: %{
+        function_score: %{
+          query: query,
+          random_score: %{seed: seed, field: :id},
+          boost_mode: :replace
         }
-      ],
-      sorts: [%{"_score" => sd}],
-      constant_score: true
+      },
+      sorts: [%{"_score" => sd}]
     }
   end
 end