diff --git a/internal/handlers/media.go b/internal/handlers/media.go
index cda1a45..56ff196 100644
--- a/internal/handlers/media.go
+++ b/internal/handlers/media.go
@@ -155,6 +155,12 @@ func (h *MediaHandler) DownloadBook(c *echo.Context) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+// ExecuteSearch performs search and returns results with count
+// Public wrapper for shared search logic used by both JSON and HTML endpoints
+func (h *MediaHandler) ExecuteSearch(ctx context.Context, params services.SearchParams) ([]database.SearchMediaItemsUnifiedRow, int, error) {
+	return h.searchService.ExecuteSearch(ctx, params)
+}
+
 type AddToShelfRequest struct {
 	MediaItemIDs  []string `json:"media_item_ids" validate:"required"`
 	ShelfName     string   `json:"shelf_name"`
@@ -1450,13 +1456,12 @@ func (mh *MediaHandler) SearchMediaItems(c *echo.Context) error {
 		"library_id_uuid", libUUID.Valid,
 		"library_id_bytes", libUUID.Bytes)
 
-	// Call SearchService instead of DB directly
-	results, err := mh.searchService.SearchMediaItemsUnified(c.Request().Context(), params)
-	if err != nil && err != pgx.ErrNoRows {
+	// Call shared search service
+	results, _, err := mh.searchService.ExecuteSearch(c.Request().Context(), params)
+	if err != nil {
 		c.Logger().Error("search error", "error", err.Error())
 		return c.JSON(http.StatusInternalServerError, map[string]string{"error": err.Error()})
 	}
-
 	if len(results) == 0 {
 		return c.JSON(http.StatusNotFound, map[string]interface{}{
 			"error":   "no results found",
@@ -1464,7 +1469,6 @@ func (mh *MediaHandler) SearchMediaItems(c *echo.Context) error {
 			"results": []interface{}{},
 		})
 	}
-
 	return c.JSON(http.StatusOK, results)
 }