diff --git a/src/server/internalServer.cpp b/src/server/internalServer.cpp
index 52b5960e6..4dd343274 100644
--- a/src/server/internalServer.cpp
+++ b/src/server/internalServer.cpp
@@ -668,6 +668,22 @@ std::unique_ptr<Response> InternalServer::handle_catalog(const RequestContext& r
     uuid = zim::Uuid::generate(host);
     bookIdsToDump = mp_library->filter(kiwix::Filter().valid(true).local(true).remote(true));
   } else if (url == "search") {
+    bookIdsToDump = search_catalog(request, opdsDumper);
+    uuid = zim::Uuid::generate();
+  }
+
+  opdsDumper.setId(kiwix::to_string(uuid));
+  auto response = ContentResponse::build(
+      *this,
+      opdsDumper.dumpOPDSFeed(bookIdsToDump),
+      "application/atom+xml; profile=opds-catalog; kind=acquisition; charset=utf-8");
+  return std::move(response);
+}
+
+std::vector<std::string>
+InternalServer::search_catalog(const RequestContext& request,
+                               kiwix::OPDSDumper& opdsDumper)
+{
     auto filter = kiwix::Filter().valid(true).local(true).remote(true);
     string query("<Empty query>");
     size_t count(10);
@@ -698,22 +714,14 @@ std::unique_ptr<Response> InternalServer::handle_catalog(const RequestContext& r
       filter.rejectTags(kiwix::split(request.get_argument("notag"), ";"));
     } catch (...) {}
     opdsDumper.setTitle("Search result for " + query);
-    uuid = zim::Uuid::generate();
-    bookIdsToDump = mp_library->filter(filter);
+    std::vector<std::string> bookIdsToDump = mp_library->filter(filter);
     auto totalResults = bookIdsToDump.size();
     bookIdsToDump.erase(bookIdsToDump.begin(), bookIdsToDump.begin()+startIndex);
     if (count>0 && bookIdsToDump.size() > count) {
       bookIdsToDump.resize(count);
     }
     opdsDumper.setOpenSearchInfo(totalResults, startIndex, bookIdsToDump.size());
-  }
-
-  opdsDumper.setId(kiwix::to_string(uuid));
-  auto response = ContentResponse::build(
-      *this,
-      opdsDumper.dumpOPDSFeed(bookIdsToDump),
-      "application/atom+xml; profile=opds-catalog; kind=acquisition; charset=utf-8");
-  return std::move(response);
+    return bookIdsToDump;
 }
 
 namespace
diff --git a/src/server/internalServer.h b/src/server/internalServer.h
index 19720df41..318f4d426 100644
--- a/src/server/internalServer.h
+++ b/src/server/internalServer.h
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ namespace kiwix {
 typedef kainjow::mustache::data MustacheData;
 
 class Entry;
+class OPDSDumper;
 
 class InternalServer {
   public:
@@ -79,6 +80,9 @@ class InternalServer {
     std::unique_ptr<Response> handle_captured_external(const RequestContext& request);
     std::unique_ptr<Response> handle_content(const RequestContext& request);
 
+    std::vector<std::string> search_catalog(const RequestContext& request,
+                                            kiwix::OPDSDumper& opdsDumper);
+
     MustacheData get_default_data() const;
     MustacheData homepage_data() const;