diff --git a/changelog/unreleased/polish-search.md b/changelog/unreleased/polish-search.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5993a17795
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/unreleased/polish-search.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+Bugfix: Polish search
+
+We improved the feedback when providing invalid search queries and added support for limiting the number of results returned.
+
+https://github.com/owncloud/ocis/pull/4094
diff --git a/services/search/pkg/search/index/index.go b/services/search/pkg/search/index/index.go
index 8ce98b18b7..7ad0107408 100644
--- a/services/search/pkg/search/index/index.go
+++ b/services/search/pkg/search/index/index.go
@@ -223,6 +223,9 @@ func (i *Index) Search(ctx context.Context, req *searchsvc.SearchIndexRequest) (
 	)
 	bleveReq := bleve.NewSearchRequest(query)
 	bleveReq.Size = 200
+	if req.PageSize > 0 {
+		bleveReq.Size = int(req.PageSize)
+	}
 	bleveReq.Fields = []string{"*"}
 	res, err := i.bleveIndex.Search(bleveReq)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/services/search/pkg/search/provider/searchprovider.go b/services/search/pkg/search/provider/searchprovider.go
index 310909021f..d82c724639 100644
--- a/services/search/pkg/search/provider/searchprovider.go
+++ b/services/search/pkg/search/provider/searchprovider.go
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ func New(gwClient gateway.GatewayAPIClient, indexClient search.IndexClient, mach
 
 func (p *Provider) Search(ctx context.Context, req *searchsvc.SearchRequest) (*searchsvc.SearchResponse, error) {
 	if req.Query == "" {
-		return nil, errtypes.PreconditionFailed("empty query provided")
+		return nil, errtypes.BadRequest("empty query provided")
 	}
 	p.logger.Debug().Str("query", req.Query).Msg("performing a search")
 
@@ -144,6 +144,7 @@ func (p *Provider) Search(ctx context.Context, req *searchsvc.SearchRequest) (*s
 				},
 				Path: mountpointPrefix,
 			},
+			PageSize: req.PageSize,
 		})
 		if err != nil {
 			p.logger.Error().Err(err).Str("space", space.Id.OpaqueId).Msg("failed to search the index")
diff --git a/services/search/pkg/service/v0/service.go b/services/search/pkg/service/v0/service.go
index d3fd24724a..9fd0da6d40 100644
--- a/services/search/pkg/service/v0/service.go
+++ b/services/search/pkg/service/v0/service.go
@@ -7,10 +7,12 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/blevesearch/bleve/v2"
 	revactx "github.com/cs3org/reva/v2/pkg/ctx"
+	"github.com/cs3org/reva/v2/pkg/errtypes"
 	"github.com/cs3org/reva/v2/pkg/events"
 	"github.com/cs3org/reva/v2/pkg/events/server"
 	"github.com/cs3org/reva/v2/pkg/rgrpc/todo/pool"
 	"github.com/go-micro/plugins/v4/events/natsjs"
+	merrors "go-micro.dev/v4/errors"
 	"go-micro.dev/v4/metadata"
 	grpcmetadata "google.golang.org/grpc/metadata"
 
@@ -92,10 +94,16 @@ func (s Service) Search(ctx context.Context, in *searchsvc.SearchRequest, out *s
 	ctx = grpcmetadata.AppendToOutgoingContext(ctx, revactx.TokenHeader, t)
 
 	res, err := s.provider.Search(ctx, &searchsvc.SearchRequest{
-		Query: in.Query,
+		Query:    in.Query,
+		PageSize: in.PageSize,
 	})
 	if err != nil {
-		return err
+		switch err.(type) {
+		case errtypes.BadRequest:
+			return merrors.BadRequest(s.id, err.Error())
+		default:
+			return merrors.InternalServerError(s.id, err.Error())
+		}
 	}
 
 	out.Matches = res.Matches
diff --git a/services/webdav/pkg/service/v0/search.go b/services/webdav/pkg/service/v0/search.go
index 7ba77db16f..084475ab93 100644
--- a/services/webdav/pkg/service/v0/search.go
+++ b/services/webdav/pkg/service/v0/search.go
@@ -44,7 +44,8 @@ func (g Webdav) Search(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	ctx := revactx.ContextSetToken(r.Context(), t)
 	ctx = metadata.Set(ctx, revactx.TokenHeader, t)
 	rsp, err := g.searchClient.Search(ctx, &searchsvc.SearchRequest{
-		Query: rep.SearchFiles.Search.Pattern,
+		Query:    rep.SearchFiles.Search.Pattern,
+		PageSize: int32(rep.SearchFiles.Search.Limit),
 	})
 	if err != nil {
 		e := merrors.Parse(err.Error())
diff --git a/tests/acceptance/expected-failures-API-on-OCIS-storage.md b/tests/acceptance/expected-failures-API-on-OCIS-storage.md
index 963e0f7c73..cc9d42b968 100644
--- a/tests/acceptance/expected-failures-API-on-OCIS-storage.md
+++ b/tests/acceptance/expected-failures-API-on-OCIS-storage.md
@@ -965,10 +965,6 @@ _ocdav: api compatibility, return correct status code_
 - [apiWebdavOperations/search.feature:264](https://github.com/owncloud/core/blob/master/tests/acceptance/features/apiWebdavOperations/search.feature#L264)
 - [apiWebdavOperations/search.feature:270](https://github.com/owncloud/core/blob/master/tests/acceptance/features/apiWebdavOperations/search.feature#L270)
 
-### [Different response status code while searching with empty pattern with new webdav](https://github.com/owncloud/ocis/issues/4016)
-
-- [apiWebdavOperations/search.feature:103](https://github.com/owncloud/core/blob/master/tests/acceptance/features/apiWebdavOperations/search.feature#L103)
-
 ### [No permisions propertry in response while searching for files and folders on ocis with new webdav](https://github.com/owncloud/ocis/issues/4009)
 
 - [apiWebdavOperations/search.feature:208](https://github.com/owncloud/core/blob/master/tests/acceptance/features/apiWebdavOperations/search.feature#L208)