diff --git a/swh/web/common/archive.py b/swh/web/common/archive.py
--- a/swh/web/common/archive.py
+++ b/swh/web/common/archive.py
@@ -359,11 +359,18 @@
         Iterable of origin metadata information for existing origins
 
     """
-    matches = idx_storage.origin_intrinsic_metadata_search_fulltext(
-        conjunction=[fulltext], limit=limit
-    )
-    matches = [match.to_dict() for match in matches]
     results = []
+    if search and config.get_config()["metadata_search_backend"] == "swh-search":
+        page_result = search.origin_search(metadata_pattern=fulltext, limit=limit,)
+        matches = idx_storage.origin_intrinsic_metadata_get(
+            [r["url"] for r in page_result.results]
+        )
+    else:
+        matches = idx_storage.origin_intrinsic_metadata_search_fulltext(
+            conjunction=[fulltext], limit=limit
+        )
+
+    matches = [match.to_dict() for match in matches]
     origins = storage.origin_get([match["id"] for match in matches])
     for origin, match in zip(origins, matches):
         if not origin:
@@ -371,6 +378,7 @@
         match["from_revision"] = hashutil.hash_to_hex(match["from_revision"])
         del match["id"]
         results.append(OriginMetadataInfo(url=origin.url, metadata=match))
+
     return results
 
 
diff --git a/swh/web/config.py b/swh/web/config.py
--- a/swh/web/config.py
+++ b/swh/web/config.py
@@ -103,6 +103,7 @@
             "json_path": "1.0/status/578e5eddcdc0cc7951000520",
         },
     ),
+    "metadata_search_backend": ("string", "swh-indexer-storage"),  # or "swh-search"
 }
 
 swhweb_config = {}  # type: Dict[str, Any]
diff --git a/swh/web/tests/api/views/test_origin.py b/swh/web/tests/api/views/test_origin.py
--- a/swh/web/tests/api/views/test_origin.py
+++ b/swh/web/tests/api/views/test_origin.py
@@ -565,7 +565,11 @@
     assert len(rv.data) == 1000
 
 
-def test_api_origin_metadata_search(api_client):
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("backend", ["swh-search", "swh-indexer-storage"])
+def test_api_origin_metadata_search(api_client, mocker, backend):
+
+    mock_config = mocker.patch("swh.web.common.archive.config")
+    mock_config.get_config.return_value = {"metadata_search_backend": backend}
 
     url = reverse(
         "api-1-origin-metadata-search", query_params={"fulltext": ORIGIN_METADATA_VALUE}
diff --git a/swh/web/tests/data.py b/swh/web/tests/data.py
--- a/swh/web/tests/data.py
+++ b/swh/web/tests/data.py
@@ -238,6 +238,7 @@
     content_path = {}
 
     # Get all objects loaded into the test archive
+    metadata = {ORIGIN_METADATA_KEY: ORIGIN_METADATA_VALUE}
     for origin in _TEST_ORIGINS:
         snp = snapshot_get_latest(storage, origin["url"])
         snapshots.add(hash_to_hex(snp.id))
@@ -251,10 +252,14 @@
                         id=origin["url"],
                         from_revision=branch_data.target,
                         indexer_configuration_id=idx_tool["id"],
-                        metadata={ORIGIN_METADATA_KEY: ORIGIN_METADATA_VALUE},
+                        metadata=metadata,
                         mappings=[],
                     )
                     idx_storage.origin_intrinsic_metadata_add([origin_metadata])
+                    search.origin_update(
+                        [{"url": origin["url"], "intrinsic_metadata": metadata}]
+                    )
+
                     ORIGIN_MASTER_REVISION[origin["url"]] = hash_to_hex(
                         branch_data.target
                     )