diff --git a/components/Search/Controller/Search.php b/components/Search/Controller/Search.php
index ec99d2015c..9d751cd7a1 100644
--- a/components/Search/Controller/Search.php
+++ b/components/Search/Controller/Search.php
@@ -47,11 +47,14 @@ class Search extends FeedController
         $note_qb->select('note')->from('App\Entity\Note', 'note')->orderBy('note.created', 'DESC');
         $actor_qb->select('actor')->from('App\Entity\Actor', 'actor')->orderBy('actor.created', 'DESC');
         Event::handle('SearchQueryAddJoins', [&$note_qb, &$actor_qb]);
+
         $notes = $actors = [];
         if (!\is_null($note_criteria)) {
             $note_qb->addCriteria($note_criteria);
             $notes = $note_qb->getQuery()->execute();
-        } elseif (!\is_null($actor_criteria)) {
+        }
+
+        if (!\is_null($actor_criteria)) {
             $actor_qb->addCriteria($actor_criteria);
             $actors = $actor_qb->getQuery()->execute();
         }
diff --git a/components/Search/Search.php b/components/Search/Search.php
index 0c862e1cf8..4c98d76fff 100644
--- a/components/Search/Search.php
+++ b/components/Search/Search.php
@@ -99,8 +99,8 @@ class Search extends Component
     {
         if (Formatting::startsWith($term, ['lang', 'language'])) {
             $search_term = str_contains($term, ':') ? explode(':', $term)[1] : $term;
-            $note_expr   = $eb->eq('language.locale', $search_term);
-            $actor_expr  = $eb->eq('language.locale', $search_term);
+            $note_expr   = $eb->startsWith('language.locale', $search_term);
+            $actor_expr  = $eb->startsWith('language.locale', $search_term);
             return Event::stop;
         }
         return Event::next;
diff --git a/components/Search/Util/Parser.php b/components/Search/Util/Parser.php
index d4c1f8446a..306f45edc6 100644
--- a/components/Search/Util/Parser.php
+++ b/components/Search/Util/Parser.php
@@ -80,12 +80,12 @@ abstract class Parser
                     $ret      = Event::handle('SearchCreateExpression', [$eb, $term, $language, &$note_res, &$actor_res]);
                     if (\is_null($note_res) && \is_null($actor_res)) {
                         throw new ServerException("No one claimed responsibility for a match term: {$term}");
-                    } elseif (!\is_null($note_res)) {
+                    }
+                    if (!\is_null($note_res)) {
                         $note_parts[] = $note_res;
-                    } elseif (!\is_null($actor_res)) {
+                    }
+                    if (!\is_null($actor_res)) {
                         $actor_parts[] = $actor_res;
-                    } else {
-                        throw new ServerException('Unexpected state in Search parser');
                     }
 
                     $right = $left = $index + 1;
@@ -109,7 +109,8 @@ abstract class Parser
         if (!empty($note_parts)) {
             self::connectParts($note_parts, $note_criteria_arr, $last_op, $eb, force: true);
             $note_criteria = new Criteria($eb->orX(...$note_criteria_arr));
-        } elseif (!empty($actor_parts)) {
+        }
+        if (!empty($actor_parts)) {
             self::connectParts($actor_parts, $actor_criteria_arr, $last_op, $eb, force: true);
             $actor_criteria = new Criteria($eb->orX(...$actor_criteria_arr));
         }