diff --git a/files/routes/search.py b/files/routes/search.py
index 783a6409e..741e52ee1 100644
--- a/files/routes/search.py
+++ b/files/routes/search.py
@@ -247,7 +247,6 @@ def searchcomments(v):
 	if v.admin_level < PERMS['POST_COMMENT_MODERATION']:
 		comments = comments.filter(
 			Comment.is_banned==False,
-			Comment.deleted_utc == 0,
 			or_(
 				Post.draft == False,
 				Comment.wall_user_id != None
diff --git a/migrations/20240811-fix-searching-comments.sql b/migrations/20240811-fix-searching-comments.sql
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..fdf6b5079
--- /dev/null
+++ b/migrations/20240811-fix-searching-comments.sql
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+CREATE INDEX comments_body_ts_idx ON public.comments USING GIN (body_ts);