diff --git a/backend/routes/search.js b/backend/routes/search.js
index 0f1427f..f10eacb 100644
--- a/backend/routes/search.js
+++ b/backend/routes/search.js
@@ -38,7 +38,9 @@ function searchHandler(dbConn) {
     console.log('Q:', q)
 
     // transform syntax and seperate climate queries from price queries
-    q = oldToNewQuerySyntax(q)
+    if (!req.query.q) {
+      q = oldToNewQuerySyntax(q)
+    }
     // CHOOSE PARAMS WHICH SHALL BE PASSED TO SCORE AND SEARCH
     let scoreQueryObj = prepareQueries(q)
 
diff --git a/backend/util/scoreAndSearch.js b/backend/util/scoreAndSearch.js
index e7d5f41..ebd7ba4 100644
--- a/backend/util/scoreAndSearch.js
+++ b/backend/util/scoreAndSearch.js
@@ -23,8 +23,7 @@ const MULTIPLIER = {
 module.exports = function (dbConn) {
     return async function (from, to, q) {
         console.log('search')
-        console.log((_.isEmpty(to) || _.isEmpty(from)) && !_.isEmpty(q))
-        if ( (_.isEmpty(to) || _.isEmpty(from)) && (!_.isEmpty(q.climate) || !_.isEmpty(q.costs)) ) {
+        if ((_.isNil(to) || _.isNil(from)) && !(_.isEmpty(q.climate) || _.isEmpty(q.costs))) {
             throw new Error('invalid query')
         }
         // PREPARE SEARCH