diff --git a/packages/server/src/api/routes/tests/search.spec.ts b/packages/server/src/api/routes/tests/search.spec.ts
index ba2b3f0acf..76ce4a0243 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/api/routes/tests/search.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/api/routes/tests/search.spec.ts
@@ -3554,27 +3554,30 @@ if (descriptions.length) {
                   }).toContainExactly([row])
                 })
 
-                it("can filter by the related _id", async () => {
-                  await expectSearch({
-                    query: {
-                      equal: { "rel._id": row.rel[0]._id },
-                    },
-                  }).toContainExactly([row])
+                isInternal &&
+                  describe("search by _id for relations", () => {
+                    it("can filter by the related _id", async () => {
+                      await expectSearch({
+                        query: {
+                          equal: { "rel._id": row.rel[0]._id },
+                        },
+                      }).toContainExactly([row])
 
-                  await expectSearch({
-                    query: {
-                      equal: { "rel._id": row.rel[1]._id },
-                    },
-                  }).toContainExactly([row])
-                })
+                      await expectSearch({
+                        query: {
+                          equal: { "rel._id": row.rel[1]._id },
+                        },
+                      }).toContainExactly([row])
+                    })
 
-                it("can filter by the related _id and find nothing", async () => {
-                  await expectSearch({
-                    query: {
-                      equal: { "rel._id": "rel_none" },
-                    },
-                  }).toFindNothing()
-                })
+                    it("can filter by the related _id and find nothing", async () => {
+                      await expectSearch({
+                        query: {
+                          equal: { "rel._id": "rel_none" },
+                        },
+                      }).toFindNothing()
+                    })
+                  })
               })
 
             !isInternal &&
diff --git a/packages/server/src/sdk/app/rows/queryUtils.ts b/packages/server/src/sdk/app/rows/queryUtils.ts
index 12e724b5d8..629fb50545 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/sdk/app/rows/queryUtils.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/sdk/app/rows/queryUtils.ts
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import {
 } from "@budibase/types"
 import { cloneDeep } from "lodash/fp"
 import sdk from "../../../sdk"
+import { isInternal } from "../tables/utils"
 
 export const removeInvalidFilters = (
   filters: SearchFilters,
@@ -69,8 +70,11 @@ export const getQueryableFields = async (
     fromTables: string[],
     opts?: { noRelationships?: boolean }
   ): Promise<string[]> => {
-    // Querying by _id is always allowed, even if it's never part of the schema
-    const result = ["_id"]
+    const result = []
+    if (isInternal({ table })) {
+      result.push("_id")
+    }
+
     for (const field of Object.keys(table.schema).filter(
       f => allowedFields.includes(f) && table.schema[f].visible !== false
     )) {
@@ -114,7 +118,8 @@ export const getQueryableFields = async (
     return result
   }
 
-  const result = []
+  // Querying by _id is always allowed, even if it's never part of the schema
+  const result = ["_id"]
 
   if (fields == null) {
     fields = Object.keys(table.schema)