diff --git a/packages/api/src/utils/search.ts b/packages/api/src/utils/search.ts
index 4c068c4f2..871c1d984 100644
--- a/packages/api/src/utils/search.ts
+++ b/packages/api/src/utils/search.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { LiqeQuery, parse } from '@omnivore/liqe'
 
 export const parseSearchQuery = (query: string): LiqeQuery => {
-  const searchQuery = query
+  let searchQuery = query
     .replace(/\W\s":/g, '')
     .replace('in:subscription', 'has:subscriptions') // compatibility with old search
     .replace('in:library', 'no:subscription') // compatibility with old search
@@ -10,9 +10,14 @@ export const parseSearchQuery = (query: string): LiqeQuery => {
     // remove any quotes that are in the array value for example: label:"test","test2" -> label:"test,test2"
     .replace(/","/g, ',')
 
+  // if the query contains includes:, we want to search in all folders
+  if (searchQuery.includes('includes:')) {
+    searchQuery = `(${searchQuery}) in:all`
+  }
+
   // by default we want to search in the inbox if no in: is specified
   if (!searchQuery.includes('in:')) {
-    return parse(`(${searchQuery}) in:inbox`)
+    searchQuery = `(${searchQuery}) in:inbox`
   }
 
   return parse(searchQuery)