diff --git a/lib/philomena/mod_notes.ex b/lib/philomena/mod_notes.ex
index 9ae9313b..4c75e3bc 100644
--- a/lib/philomena/mod_notes.ex
+++ b/lib/philomena/mod_notes.ex
@@ -7,18 +7,56 @@ defmodule Philomena.ModNotes do
   alias Philomena.Repo
 
   alias Philomena.ModNotes.ModNote
+  alias Philomena.Polymorphic
 
   @doc """
-  Returns the list of mod_notes.
+  Returns a `m:Scrivener.Page` of 2-tuples of messages and rendered output
+  for the query string current pagination.
+
+  All mod notes containing the substring `query_string` are matched and returned
+  case-insensitively.
+
+  See `list_mod_notes/3` for more information.
 
   ## Examples
 
-      iex> list_mod_notes()
-      [%ModNote{}, ...]
+      iex> list_mod_notes_by_query_string("quack", & &1.body, page_size: 15)
+      %Scrivener.Page{}
 
   """
-  def list_mod_notes do
-    Repo.all(ModNote)
+  def list_mod_notes_by_query_string(query_string, collection_renderer, pagination) do
+    ModNote
+    |> where([m], ilike(m.body, ^"%#{query_string}%"))
+    |> list_mod_notes(collection_renderer, pagination)
+  end
+
+  @doc """
+  Returns a `m:Scrivener.Page` of 2-tuples of messages and rendered output
+  for the current pagination.
+
+  When coerced to a list and rendered as Markdown, the result may look like:
+
+      [
+        {%ModNote{body: "hello *world*"}, "hello <strong>world</strong>"}
+      ]
+
+  ## Examples
+
+      iex> list_mod_notes(& &1.body, page_size: 15)
+      %Scrivener.Page{}
+
+  """
+  def list_mod_notes(queryable \\ ModNote, collection_renderer, pagination) do
+    mod_notes =
+      queryable
+      |> preload(:moderator)
+      |> order_by(desc: :id)
+      |> Repo.paginate(pagination)
+
+    bodies = collection_renderer.(mod_notes)
+    preloaded = Polymorphic.load_polymorphic(mod_notes, notable: [notable_id: :notable_type])
+
+    put_in(mod_notes.entries, Enum.zip(bodies, preloaded))
   end
 
   @doc """
diff --git a/lib/philomena_web/controllers/admin/mod_note_controller.ex b/lib/philomena_web/controllers/admin/mod_note_controller.ex
index f5b3999f..604e0140 100644
--- a/lib/philomena_web/controllers/admin/mod_note_controller.ex
+++ b/lib/philomena_web/controllers/admin/mod_note_controller.ex
@@ -5,33 +5,23 @@ defmodule PhilomenaWeb.Admin.ModNoteController do
   alias Philomena.ModNotes.ModNote
   alias Philomena.Polymorphic
   alias Philomena.ModNotes
-  alias Philomena.Repo
-  import Ecto.Query
 
   plug :verify_authorized
   plug :load_resource, model: ModNote, only: [:edit, :update, :delete]
   plug :preload_association when action in [:edit, :update, :delete]
 
-  def index(conn, %{"q" => q}) do
-    ModNote
-    |> where([m], ilike(m.body, ^"%#{q}%"))
-    |> load_mod_notes(conn)
-  end
+  def index(conn, params) do
+    pagination = conn.assigns.scrivener
+    renderer = &MarkdownRenderer.render_collection(&1, conn)
 
-  def index(conn, _params) do
-    load_mod_notes(ModNote, conn)
-  end
-
-  defp load_mod_notes(queryable, conn) do
     mod_notes =
-      queryable
-      |> preload(:moderator)
-      |> order_by(desc: :id)
-      |> Repo.paginate(conn.assigns.scrivener)
+      case params do
+        %{"q" => q} ->
+          ModNotes.list_mod_notes_by_query_string(q, renderer, pagination)
 
-    bodies = MarkdownRenderer.render_collection(mod_notes, conn)
-    preloaded = Polymorphic.load_polymorphic(mod_notes, notable: [notable_id: :notable_type])
-    mod_notes = %{mod_notes | entries: Enum.zip(bodies, preloaded)}
+        _ ->
+          ModNotes.list_mod_notes(renderer, pagination)
+      end
 
     render(conn, "index.html", title: "Admin - Mod Notes", mod_notes: mod_notes)
   end