diff --git a/internal/database/queries.sql.go b/internal/database/queries.sql.go
index fe885ab..b054422 100644
--- a/internal/database/queries.sql.go
+++ b/internal/database/queries.sql.go
@@ -7259,9 +7259,17 @@ WHERE COALESCE(lv.is_visible, true) = true
     SELECT 1 FROM unnest(mi.tags_search) AS tag
     WHERE word_similarity($7, tag) > 0.3
   ))
-  -- Year range (exact)
-  AND ($8 = 0 OR mi.copyright_year >= $8)
-  AND ($9 = 0 OR mi.copyright_year <= $9)
+  -- Year range (exact) - prioritize date_published, fallback to copyright_year
+  AND (
+    $8 = 0 OR
+    EXTRACT(YEAR FROM mi.date_published) >= $8 OR
+    (mi.date_published IS NULL AND mi.copyright_year >= $8)
+  )
+  AND (
+    $9 = 0 OR
+    EXTRACT(YEAR FROM mi.date_published) <= $9 OR
+    (mi.date_published IS NULL AND mi.copyright_year <= $9)
+  )
   -- Boolean (exact)
   AND ($10 = false OR mi.cover_image_path IS NOT NULL)
   -- Search query (fuzzy or exact based on quotes)
@@ -7284,12 +7292,21 @@ WHERE COALESCE(lv.is_visible, true) = true
       )
     ) OR
     -- Exact search (with quotes)
+    -- Keeping old pattern commented out in case we want wildcard exact back. See search.go line 62
+    -- sqlc.narg('is_exact_search') = true AND (
+    --   mi.title ILIKE sqlc.narg('search_pattern') OR
+    --   mi.author ILIKE sqlc.narg('search_pattern') OR
+    --   mi.series ILIKE sqlc.narg('search_pattern') OR
+    --   sqlc.narg('search_pattern') = ANY(mi.tags_search) OR
+    --   sqlc.narg('search_pattern') = ANY(mi.contributors_search)
+    -- )
+    -- Exact search (with quotes) - true exact match, not substring
     $12 = true AND (
-      mi.title ILIKE $13 OR
-      mi.author ILIKE $13 OR
-      mi.series ILIKE $13 OR
-      $13 = ANY(mi.tags_search) OR
-      $13 = ANY(mi.contributors_search)
+        mi.title = $11 OR
+        COALESCE(mi.author, '') = $11 OR
+        COALESCE(mi.series, '') = $11 OR
+        $11 = ANY(mi.tags_search) OR
+        $11 = ANY(mi.contributors_search)
     )
   )
 ORDER BY
@@ -7313,40 +7330,40 @@ ORDER BY
   END DESC,
   -- Secondary sort: user-specified sort parameter
   CASE
-    WHEN $14 = 'title ASC' THEN mi.title
+    WHEN $13 = 'title ASC' THEN mi.title
     ELSE ''
   END ASC,
   CASE
-    WHEN $14 = 'title DESC' THEN mi.title
+    WHEN $13 = 'title DESC' THEN mi.title
     ELSE ''
   END DESC,
   CASE
-    WHEN $14 = 'author ASC' THEN COALESCE(mi.author, '')
+    WHEN $13 = 'author ASC' THEN COALESCE(mi.author, '')
     ELSE ''
   END ASC,
   CASE
-    WHEN $14 = 'author DESC' THEN COALESCE(mi.author, '')
+    WHEN $13 = 'author DESC' THEN COALESCE(mi.author, '')
     ELSE ''
   END DESC,
   CASE
-    WHEN $14 = 'created_at ASC' THEN mi.created_at
+    WHEN $13 = 'created_at ASC' THEN mi.created_at
     ELSE '1970-01-01'::timestamp
   END ASC,
   CASE
-    WHEN $14 = 'created_at DESC' THEN mi.created_at
+    WHEN $13 = 'created_at DESC' THEN mi.created_at
     ELSE '1970-01-01'::timestamp
   END DESC,
   CASE
-    WHEN $14 = 'page_count ASC' THEN COALESCE(mi.page_count::text, '0')
+    WHEN $13 = 'page_count ASC' THEN COALESCE(mi.page_count::text, '0')
     ELSE ''
   END ASC,
   CASE
-    WHEN $14 = 'page_count DESC' THEN COALESCE(mi.page_count::text, '0')
+    WHEN $13 = 'page_count DESC' THEN COALESCE(mi.page_count::text, '0')
     ELSE ''
   END DESC,
   -- Tertiary sort: title (default fallback)
   mi.title ASC
-LIMIT $16 OFFSET $15
+LIMIT $15 OFFSET $14
 `
 
 type SearchMediaItemsUnifiedParams struct {
@@ -7362,7 +7379,6 @@ type SearchMediaItemsUnifiedParams struct {
 	HasCover       interface{} `db:"has_cover" json:"has_cover"`
 	SearchQuery    interface{} `db:"search_query" json:"search_query"`
 	IsExactSearch  interface{} `db:"is_exact_search" json:"is_exact_search"`
-	SearchPattern  pgtype.Text `db:"search_pattern" json:"search_pattern"`
 	Sort           interface{} `db:"sort" json:"sort"`
 	Offset         pgtype.Int4 `db:"offset" json:"offset"`
 	Limit          pgtype.Int4 `db:"limit" json:"limit"`
@@ -7431,7 +7447,6 @@ func (q *Queries) SearchMediaItemsUnified(ctx context.Context, arg SearchMediaIt
 		arg.HasCover,
 		arg.SearchQuery,
 		arg.IsExactSearch,
-		arg.SearchPattern,
 		arg.Sort,
 		arg.Offset,
 		arg.Limit,
diff --git a/internal/database/queries/queries.sql b/internal/database/queries/queries.sql
index 2f68ab9..78808ee 100644
--- a/internal/database/queries/queries.sql
+++ b/internal/database/queries/queries.sql
@@ -440,9 +440,17 @@ WHERE COALESCE(lv.is_visible, true) = true
     SELECT 1 FROM unnest(mi.tags_search) AS tag
     WHERE word_similarity(sqlc.narg('tags_filter'), tag) > 0.3
   ))
-  -- Year range (exact)
-  AND (sqlc.narg('year_min') = 0 OR mi.copyright_year >= sqlc.narg('year_min'))
-  AND (sqlc.narg('year_max') = 0 OR mi.copyright_year <= sqlc.narg('year_max'))
+  -- Year range (exact) - prioritize date_published, fallback to copyright_year
+  AND (
+    sqlc.narg('year_min') = 0 OR
+    EXTRACT(YEAR FROM mi.date_published) >= sqlc.narg('year_min') OR
+    (mi.date_published IS NULL AND mi.copyright_year >= sqlc.narg('year_min'))
+  )
+  AND (
+    sqlc.narg('year_max') = 0 OR
+    EXTRACT(YEAR FROM mi.date_published) <= sqlc.narg('year_max') OR
+    (mi.date_published IS NULL AND mi.copyright_year <= sqlc.narg('year_max'))
+  )
   -- Boolean (exact)
   AND (sqlc.narg('has_cover') = false OR mi.cover_image_path IS NOT NULL)
   -- Search query (fuzzy or exact based on quotes)
@@ -465,12 +473,21 @@ WHERE COALESCE(lv.is_visible, true) = true
       )
     ) OR
     -- Exact search (with quotes)
+    -- Keeping old pattern commented out in case we want wildcard exact back. See search.go line 62
+    -- sqlc.narg('is_exact_search') = true AND (
+    --   mi.title ILIKE sqlc.narg('search_pattern') OR
+    --   mi.author ILIKE sqlc.narg('search_pattern') OR
+    --   mi.series ILIKE sqlc.narg('search_pattern') OR
+    --   sqlc.narg('search_pattern') = ANY(mi.tags_search) OR
+    --   sqlc.narg('search_pattern') = ANY(mi.contributors_search)
+    -- )
+    -- Exact search (with quotes) - true exact match, not substring
     sqlc.narg('is_exact_search') = true AND (
-      mi.title ILIKE sqlc.narg('search_pattern') OR
-      mi.author ILIKE sqlc.narg('search_pattern') OR
-      mi.series ILIKE sqlc.narg('search_pattern') OR
-      sqlc.narg('search_pattern') = ANY(mi.tags_search) OR
-      sqlc.narg('search_pattern') = ANY(mi.contributors_search)
+        mi.title = sqlc.narg('search_query') OR
+        COALESCE(mi.author, '') = sqlc.narg('search_query') OR
+        COALESCE(mi.series, '') = sqlc.narg('search_query') OR
+        sqlc.narg('search_query') = ANY(mi.tags_search) OR
+        sqlc.narg('search_query') = ANY(mi.contributors_search)
     )
   )
 ORDER BY
diff --git a/internal/router/frontend.go b/internal/router/frontend.go
index 8783430..4d495a1 100644
--- a/internal/router/frontend.go
+++ b/internal/router/frontend.go
@@ -208,10 +208,10 @@ func registerFrontendRoutes(cfg *Config) {
 					HasCover:       pgtype.Bool{Bool: false, Valid: true}, // Changed
 					SearchQuery:    pgtype.Text{String: "", Valid: true},  // NEW: Required
 					IsExactSearch:  pgtype.Bool{Bool: false, Valid: true}, // NEW: Required
-					SearchPattern:  pgtype.Text{Valid: false},             // NEW: Empty for no exact search
-					Sort:           pgtype.Text{String: "created_at DESC", Valid: true},
-					Limit:          pgtype.Int4{Int32: int32(limit), Valid: true},
-					Offset:         pgtype.Int4{Int32: int32(offset), Valid: true},
+					// SearchPattern:  pgtype.Text{Valid: false},             // NEW: Empty for no exact search
+					Sort:   pgtype.Text{String: "created_at DESC", Valid: true},
+					Limit:  pgtype.Int4{Int32: int32(limit), Valid: true},
+					Offset: pgtype.Int4{Int32: int32(offset), Valid: true},
 				})
 
 				if err != nil {
diff --git a/internal/services/search.go b/internal/services/search.go
index 7a20861..9f2aa22 100644
--- a/internal/services/search.go
+++ b/internal/services/search.go
@@ -59,10 +59,11 @@ func (s *SearchService) parseSearchQuery(query string) (bool, string) {
 func (s *SearchService) SearchMediaItemsUnified(ctx context.Context, params SearchParams) ([]database.SearchMediaItemsUnifiedRow, error) {
 	// Parse search query for exact match detection
 	isExact, searchQuery := s.parseSearchQuery(params.SearchQuery)
-	searchPattern := ""
-	if isExact {
-		searchPattern = "%" + searchQuery + "%"
-	}
+	// For now implementing real exact search. If you want to reimplement wildcard patterns uncomment this and line 81 and check queries.sql line 475 and frontend.go line 211
+	// searchPattern := ""
+	// if isExact {
+	// 	searchPattern = "%" + searchQuery + "%"
+	// }
 
 	// Build database parameters - only set valid true if filter
 	dbParams := database.SearchMediaItemsUnifiedParams{
@@ -77,10 +78,10 @@ func (s *SearchService) SearchMediaItemsUnified(ctx context.Context, params Sear
 		HasCover:       pgtype.Bool{Bool: params.HasCover, Valid: true},
 		SearchQuery:    pgtype.Text{String: searchQuery, Valid: true},
 		IsExactSearch:  pgtype.Bool{Bool: isExact, Valid: true},
-		SearchPattern:  pgtype.Text{String: searchPattern, Valid: isExact},
-		Sort:           pgtype.Text{String: params.Sort, Valid: true},
-		Limit:          pgtype.Int4{Int32: int32(params.Limit), Valid: true},
-		Offset:         pgtype.Int4{Int32: int32(params.Offset), Valid: true},
+		// SearchPattern:  pgtype.Text{String: searchPattern, Valid: isExact},
+		Sort:   pgtype.Text{String: params.Sort, Valid: true},
+		Limit:  pgtype.Int4{Int32: int32(params.Limit), Valid: true},
+		Offset: pgtype.Int4{Int32: int32(params.Offset), Valid: true},
 	}
 
 	if params.LibraryID.Valid {