diff --git a/include/functions_search.inc.php b/include/functions_search.inc.php
index a03e2e572..f70fab46e 100644
--- a/include/functions_search.inc.php
+++ b/include/functions_search.inc.php
@@ -67,14 +67,6 @@ function get_search_array($search_id)
   {
     bad_request('this search identifier does not exist');
   }
-  else
-  {
-    if (!empty($search['created_by']) and $search['created_by'] != $user['user_id'])
-    {
-      // we need to fork this search
-      save_search_and_redirect(unserialize($search['rules']), $search['id']);
-    }
-  }
 
   return unserialize($search['rules']);
 }
@@ -1726,7 +1718,7 @@ SELECT
   }
 }
 
-function save_search_and_redirect($rules, $forked_from=null)
+function save_search($rules, $forked_from=null)
 {
   global $user;
 
@@ -1745,14 +1737,14 @@ function save_search_and_redirect($rules, $forked_from=null)
     )
   );
 
-  redirect(
-    make_index_url(
-      array(
-        'section' => 'search',
-        'search'  => $search_uuid,
-      )
+  $url = make_index_url(
+    array(
+      'section' => 'search',
+      'search'  => $search_uuid,
     )
   );
+
+  return array($search_uuid, $url);
 }
 
 ?>
diff --git a/include/ws_functions/pwg.images.php b/include/ws_functions/pwg.images.php
index c90764196..cb71da75b 100644
--- a/include/ws_functions/pwg.images.php
+++ b/include/ws_functions/pwg.images.php
@@ -690,34 +690,29 @@ SELECT *
 
 /**
  * API method
- * Returns a list of elements corresponding to a query search
+ * Registers a new search
  * @param mixed[] $params
  *    @option string query
- *    @option int per_page
- *    @option int page
- *    @option string order (optional)
  */
-function ws_images_filteredSearch_update($params, $service)
+function ws_images_filteredSearch_create($params, $service)
 {
   global $user;
 
   include_once(PHPWG_ROOT_PATH.'include/functions_search.inc.php');
 
   // * check the search exists
-  if (empty(get_search_id_pattern($params['search_id'])))
+  if (isset($params['search_id']))
   {
-    return new PwgError(WS_ERR_INVALID_PARAM, 'Invalid search_id input parameter.');
-  }
+    if (empty(get_search_id_pattern($params['search_id'])))
+    {
+      return new PwgError(WS_ERR_INVALID_PARAM, 'Invalid search_id input parameter.');
+    }
 
-  $search_info = get_search_info($params['search_id']);
-  if (empty($search_info))
-  {
-    return new PwgError(WS_ERR_INVALID_PARAM, 'This search does not exist.');
-  }
-
-  if (!empty($search_info['created_by']) and $search_info['created_by'] != $user['user_id'])
-  {
-    return new PwgError(WS_ERR_INVALID_PARAM, 'This search was created by another user.');
+    $search_info = get_search_info($params['search_id']);
+    if (empty($search_info))
+    {
+      return new PwgError(WS_ERR_INVALID_PARAM, 'This search does not exist.');
+    }
   }
 
   $search = array('mode' => 'AND');
@@ -846,15 +841,12 @@ function ws_images_filteredSearch_update($params, $service)
     $search['fields']['date_posted'] = $params['date_posted'];
   }
 
-  // register search rules in database, then they will be available on
-  // thumbnails page and picture page.
-  $query ='
-UPDATE '.SEARCH_TABLE.'
-  SET rules = \''.pwg_db_real_escape_string(serialize($search)).'\'
-    , last_seen = NOW()
-  WHERE id = '.$search_info['id'].'
-;';
-  pwg_query($query);
+  list($search_uuid, $search_url) = save_search($search, $search_info['id'] ?? null);
+
+  return array(
+    'search_id' => $search_uuid,
+    'search_url' => $search_url,
+  );
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/search.php b/search.php
index 42ba61321..83e8311f2 100644
--- a/search.php
+++ b/search.php
@@ -92,5 +92,6 @@ if (count($first_author) > 0)
   );
 }
 
-save_search_and_redirect($search);
+list($search_uuid, $search_url) = save_search($search);
+redirect($search_url);
 ?>
diff --git a/themes/default/js/mcs.js b/themes/default/js/mcs.js
index 1ec844e4c..26deeb127 100644
--- a/themes/default/js/mcs.js
+++ b/themes/default/js/mcs.js
@@ -700,13 +700,13 @@ $(document).ready(function () {
 
 function performSearch(params, reload = false) {
   $.ajax({
-    url: "ws.php?format=json&method=pwg.images.filteredSearch.update",
+    url: "ws.php?format=json&method=pwg.images.filteredSearch.create",
     type:"POST",
     dataType: "json",
     data: params,
     success:function(data) {
-      if (reload) {
-        reloadPage();
+      if (reload && typeof data.result.search_url !== 'undefined') {
+       reloadPage(data.result.search_url);
       }
     },
     error:function(e) {
@@ -842,6 +842,6 @@ function updateFilters(filterName, mode) {
   }
 }
 
-function reloadPage(){
-  location.reload(true);
+function reloadPage(url){
+  window.location.href = url;
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/ws.php b/ws.php
index 45857e027..c205c84a3 100644
--- a/ws.php
+++ b/ws.php
@@ -1369,10 +1369,13 @@ enabled_high, registration_date, registration_date_string, registration_date_sin
     );
 
     $service->addMethod(
-      'pwg.images.filteredSearch.update',
-      'ws_images_filteredSearch_update',
+      'pwg.images.filteredSearch.create',
+      'ws_images_filteredSearch_create',
       array(
-        'search_id' => array(),
+        'search_id' => array(
+          'flags' => WS_PARAM_OPTIONAL,
+          'info' => 'prior search_id (or search_key), if any',
+        ),
         'allwords' => array(
           'flags' => WS_PARAM_OPTIONAL,
           'info' => 'query to search by words',