diff --git a/database.sql b/database.sql
index 6f4d9ca791..ffe02585e2 100644
--- a/database.sql
+++ b/database.sql
@@ -514,6 +514,7 @@ CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS `item` (
 	`network` char(4) NOT NULL DEFAULT '' COMMENT 'Network from where the item comes from',
 	`rendered-hash` varchar(32) NOT NULL DEFAULT '' COMMENT '',
 	`rendered-html` mediumtext COMMENT 'item.body converted to html',
+	`global` boolean NOT NULL DEFAULT '0' COMMENT '',
 	 PRIMARY KEY(`id`),
 	 INDEX `guid` (`guid`(191)),
 	 INDEX `uri` (`uri`(191)),
diff --git a/include/api.php b/include/api.php
index 4dce85ed50..94adecf0c0 100644
--- a/include/api.php
+++ b/include/api.php
@@ -1632,7 +1632,7 @@ function api_search($type)
 	$r = dba::p(
 		"SELECT ".item_fieldlists()."
 		FROM `item` ".item_joins(api_user())."
-		WHERE ".item_condition()." AND (`item`.`uid` = 0 OR (`item`.`uid` = ? AND NOT `item`.`public`))
+		WHERE ".item_condition()." AND (`item`.`uid` = 0 OR (`item`.`uid` = ? AND NOT `item`.`global`))
 		AND `item`.`body` LIKE CONCAT('%',?,'%')
 		$sql_extra
 		AND `item`.`id`>?
@@ -2066,7 +2066,7 @@ function api_conversation_show($type)
 		$sql_extra = ' AND `item`.`id` <= ' . intval($max_id);
 	}
 
-	$r = q("SELECT `item`.`*` FROM `item`
+	$r = q("SELECT `item`.* FROM `item`
 		STRAIGHT_JOIN `contact` ON `contact`.`id` = `item`.`contact-id`
 			AND (NOT `contact`.`blocked` OR `contact`.`pending`)
 		WHERE `item`.`parent` = %d AND `item`.`visible`
diff --git a/src/Database/DBStructure.php b/src/Database/DBStructure.php
index 03146dd5de..f5c778b219 100644
--- a/src/Database/DBStructure.php
+++ b/src/Database/DBStructure.php
@@ -1195,6 +1195,7 @@ class DBStructure
 						"network" => ["type" => "char(4)", "not null" => "1", "default" => "", "comment" => "Network from where the item comes from"],
 						"rendered-hash" => ["type" => "varchar(32)", "not null" => "1", "default" => "", "comment" => ""],
 						"rendered-html" => ["type" => "mediumtext", "comment" => "item.body converted to html"],
+						"global" => ["type" => "boolean", "not null" => "1", "default" => "0", "comment" => ""],
 						],
 				"indexes" => [
 						"PRIMARY" => ["id"],
diff --git a/src/Model/Item.php b/src/Model/Item.php
index 1b64aafd01..c15d10f197 100644
--- a/src/Model/Item.php
+++ b/src/Model/Item.php
@@ -724,6 +724,16 @@ class Item extends BaseObject
 			}
 		}
 
+		// Is this item available in the global items (with uid=0)?
+		if ($item["uid"] == 0) {
+			$item["global"] = true;
+
+			// Set the global flag on all items if this was a global item entry
+			dba::update('item', ['global' => true], ['uri' => $item["uri"]]);
+		} else {
+			$item["global"] = dba::exists('item', ['uid' => 0, 'uri' => $item["uri"]]);
+		}
+
 		// ACL settings
 		if (strlen($allow_cid) || strlen($allow_gid) || strlen($deny_cid) || strlen($deny_gid)) {
 			$private = 1;