diff --git a/crates/apub/src/api/search.rs b/crates/apub/src/api/search.rs
index dff2dffeb..32128a3c1 100644
--- a/crates/apub/src/api/search.rs
+++ b/crates/apub/src/api/search.rs
@@ -104,6 +104,7 @@ pub async fn search(
       users = PersonQuery {
         sort,
         search_term: (Some(q)),
+        listing_type: (listing_type),
         page: (page),
         limit: (limit),
       }
@@ -174,6 +175,7 @@ pub async fn search(
         PersonQuery {
           sort,
           search_term: (Some(q)),
+          listing_type: (listing_type),
           page: (page),
           limit: (limit),
         }
diff --git a/crates/db_views_actor/src/person_view.rs b/crates/db_views_actor/src/person_view.rs
index 08ad2880f..24b6d691f 100644
--- a/crates/db_views_actor/src/person_view.rs
+++ b/crates/db_views_actor/src/person_view.rs
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ use lemmy_db_schema::{
     Queries,
     ReadFn,
   },
+  ListingType,
   SortType,
 };
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
@@ -115,6 +116,15 @@ fn queries<'a>(
 
         let (limit, offset) = limit_and_offset(options.page, options.limit)?;
         query = query.limit(limit).offset(offset);
+
+        if let Some(listing_type) = options.listing_type {
+          query = match listing_type {
+            // return nothing as its not possible to follow users
+            ListingType::Subscribed => query.limit(0),
+            ListingType::Local => query.filter(person::local.eq(true)),
+            _ => query,
+          };
+        }
       }
     }
     query.load::<PersonView>(&mut conn).await
@@ -141,6 +151,7 @@ impl PersonView {
 pub struct PersonQuery {
   pub sort: Option<SortType>,
   pub search_term: Option<String>,
+  pub listing_type: Option<ListingType>,
   pub page: Option<i64>,
   pub limit: Option<i64>,
 }