diff --git a/packages/server/__mocks__/node-fetch.ts b/packages/server/__mocks__/node-fetch.ts
index 1a7015fa52..dfffa7eb58 100644
--- a/packages/server/__mocks__/node-fetch.ts
+++ b/packages/server/__mocks__/node-fetch.ts
@@ -57,12 +57,19 @@ module FetchMock {
         404
       )
     } else if (url.includes("_search")) {
+      const body = opts.body
+      const parts = body.split("tableId:")
+      let tableId
+      if (parts && parts[1]) {
+        tableId = parts[1].split('"')[0]
+      }
       return json({
         rows: [
           {
             doc: {
               _id: "test",
-              tableId: opts.body.split("tableId:")[1].split('"')[0],
+              tableId: tableId,
+              query: opts.body,
             },
           },
         ],
diff --git a/packages/server/src/api/controllers/row/internalSearch.js b/packages/server/src/api/controllers/row/internalSearch.js
index ab084d9e0b..a403b76aed 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/api/controllers/row/internalSearch.js
+++ b/packages/server/src/api/controllers/row/internalSearch.js
@@ -313,6 +313,9 @@ class QueryBuilder {
   }
 }
 
+// exported for unit testing
+exports.QueryBuilder = QueryBuilder
+
 /**
  * Executes a lucene search query.
  * @param url The query URL
diff --git a/packages/server/src/api/routes/tests/internalSearch.spec.js b/packages/server/src/api/routes/tests/internalSearch.spec.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..238b915cf2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/server/src/api/routes/tests/internalSearch.spec.js
@@ -0,0 +1,136 @@
+const search = require("../../controllers/row/internalSearch")
+// this will be mocked out for _search endpoint
+const fetch = require("node-fetch")
+const PARAMS = {
+  tableId: "ta_12345679abcdef",
+  version: "1",
+  bookmark: null,
+  sort: null,
+  sortOrder: "ascending",
+  sortType: "string",
+}
+
+function checkLucene(resp, expected, params = PARAMS) {
+  const query = resp.rows[0].query
+  const json = JSON.parse(query)
+  if (PARAMS.sort) {
+    expect(json.sort).toBe(`${PARAMS.sort}<${PARAMS.sortType}>`)
+  }
+  if (PARAMS.bookmark) {
+    expect(json.bookmark).toBe(PARAMS.bookmark)
+  }
+  expect(json.include_docs).toBe(true)
+  expect(json.q).toBe(`(${expected}) AND tableId:"${params.tableId}"`)
+  expect(json.limit).toBe(params.limit || 50)
+}
+
+describe("internal search", () => {
+  it("default query", async () => {
+    const response = await search.paginatedSearch({
+    }, PARAMS)
+    checkLucene(response, `*:*`)
+  })
+
+  it("test equal query", async () => {
+    const response = await search.paginatedSearch({
+      equal: {
+        "column": "1",
+      }
+    }, PARAMS)
+    checkLucene(response, `*:* AND column:"1"`)
+  })
+
+  it("test notEqual query", async () => {
+    const response = await search.paginatedSearch({
+      notEqual: {
+        "column": "1",
+      }
+    }, PARAMS)
+    checkLucene(response, `*:* AND !column:"1"`)
+  })
+
+  it("test OR query", async () => {
+    const response = await search.paginatedSearch({
+      allOr: true,
+      equal: {
+        "column": "2",
+      },
+      notEqual: {
+        "column": "1",
+      }
+    }, PARAMS)
+    checkLucene(response, `column:"2" OR !column:"1"`)
+  })
+
+  it("test AND query", async () => {
+    const response = await search.paginatedSearch({
+      equal: {
+        "column": "2",
+      },
+      notEqual: {
+        "column": "1",
+      }
+    }, PARAMS)
+    checkLucene(response, `*:* AND column:"2" AND !column:"1"`)
+  })
+
+  it("test pagination query", async () => {
+    const updatedParams = {
+      ...PARAMS,
+      limit: 100,
+      bookmark: "awd",
+      sort: "column",
+    }
+    const response = await search.paginatedSearch({
+      string: {
+        "column": "2",
+      },
+    }, updatedParams)
+    checkLucene(response, `*:* AND column:2*`, updatedParams)
+  })
+
+  it("test range query", async () => {
+    const response = await search.paginatedSearch({
+      range: {
+        "column": { low: 1, high: 2 },
+      },
+    }, PARAMS)
+    checkLucene(response, `*:* AND column:[1 TO 2]`, PARAMS)
+  })
+
+  it("test empty query", async () => {
+    const response = await search.paginatedSearch({
+      empty: {
+        "column": "",
+      },
+    }, PARAMS)
+    checkLucene(response, `*:* AND !column:["" TO *]`, PARAMS)
+  })
+
+  it("test notEmpty query", async () => {
+    const response = await search.paginatedSearch({
+      notEmpty: {
+        "column": "",
+      },
+    }, PARAMS)
+    checkLucene(response, `*:* AND column:["" TO *]`, PARAMS)
+  })
+
+  it("test oneOf query", async () => {
+    const response = await search.paginatedSearch({
+      oneOf: {
+        "column": ["a", "b"],
+      },
+    }, PARAMS)
+    checkLucene(response, `*:* AND column:("a" OR "b")`, PARAMS)
+  })
+
+  it("test contains query", async () => {
+    const response = await search.paginatedSearch({
+      contains: {
+        "column": "a",
+      },
+    }, PARAMS)
+    checkLucene(response, `*:* AND column:a`, PARAMS)
+  })
+})
\ No newline at end of file