diff --git a/include/api.php b/include/api.php
index 4bd9e34a3c..4f4f1c5885 100644
--- a/include/api.php
+++ b/include/api.php
@@ -1538,7 +1538,7 @@ function api_search($type)
 	$page = (!empty($_REQUEST['page']) ? $_REQUEST['page'] - 1 : 0);
 	$start = $page * $count;
 	$params = ['order' => ['id' => true], 'limit' => [$start, $count]];
-	if (preg_match('/^\#([^#]+)/', $searchTerm, $matches) === 1 && isset($matches[1])) {
+	if (preg_match('/^#(\w+)$/', $searchTerm, $matches) === 1 && isset($matches[1])) {
 		$searchTerm = $matches[1];
 		$condition = ["`oid` > ?
 			AND (`uid` = 0 OR (`uid` = ? AND NOT `global`))