diff --git a/swh/search/elasticsearch.py b/swh/search/elasticsearch.py
--- a/swh/search/elasticsearch.py
+++ b/swh/search/elasticsearch.py
@@ -428,8 +428,11 @@
         if visit_types is not None:
             query_filters.append(f"visit_type = {escape(visit_types)}")
 
-        combined_filters = f"({' and '.join(query_filters)})"
-        query = f"{combined_filters}{' and ' if query != '' else ' '}{query}"
+        combined_filters = " and ".join(query_filters)
+        if combined_filters and query:
+            query = f"{combined_filters} and {query}"
+        else:
+            query = combined_filters or query
         parsed_query = self._translator.parse_query(query)
         query_clauses.append(parsed_query["filters"])
 
diff --git a/swh/search/tests/test_elasticsearch.py b/swh/search/tests/test_elasticsearch.py
--- a/swh/search/tests/test_elasticsearch.py
+++ b/swh/search/tests/test_elasticsearch.py
@@ -16,6 +16,37 @@
 
 from .test_search import CommonSearchTest
 
+now = datetime.now(tz=timezone.utc).isoformat()
+now_minus_5_hours = (datetime.now(tz=timezone.utc) - timedelta(hours=5)).isoformat()
+now_plus_5_hours = (datetime.now(tz=timezone.utc) + timedelta(hours=5)).isoformat()
+
+ORIGINS = [
+    {
+        "url": "http://foobar.1.com",
+        "nb_visits": 1,
+        "last_visit_date": now_minus_5_hours,
+        "last_eventful_visit_date": now_minus_5_hours,
+    },
+    {
+        "url": "http://foobar.2.com",
+        "nb_visits": 2,
+        "last_visit_date": now,
+        "last_eventful_visit_date": now,
+    },
+    {
+        "url": "http://foobar.3.com",
+        "nb_visits": 3,
+        "last_visit_date": now_plus_5_hours,
+        "last_eventful_visit_date": now_minus_5_hours,
+    },
+    {
+        "url": "http://barbaz.4.com",
+        "nb_visits": 3,
+        "last_visit_date": now_plus_5_hours,
+        "last_eventful_visit_date": now_minus_5_hours,
+    },
+]
+
 
 class BaseElasticsearchTest(unittest.TestCase):
     @pytest.fixture(autouse=True)
@@ -121,34 +152,6 @@
         assert mock.call_args[1]["index"] == "test-read"
 
     def test_sort_by_and_limit_query(self):
-        now = datetime.now(tz=timezone.utc).isoformat()
-        now_minus_5_hours = (
-            datetime.now(tz=timezone.utc) - timedelta(hours=5)
-        ).isoformat()
-        now_plus_5_hours = (
-            datetime.now(tz=timezone.utc) + timedelta(hours=5)
-        ).isoformat()
-
-        ORIGINS = [
-            {
-                "url": "http://foobar.1.com",
-                "nb_visits": 1,
-                "last_visit_date": now_minus_5_hours,
-                "last_eventful_visit_date": now_minus_5_hours,
-            },
-            {
-                "url": "http://foobar.2.com",
-                "nb_visits": 2,
-                "last_visit_date": now,
-                "last_eventful_visit_date": now,
-            },
-            {
-                "url": "http://foobar.3.com",
-                "nb_visits": 3,
-                "last_visit_date": now_plus_5_hours,
-                "last_eventful_visit_date": now_minus_5_hours,
-            },
-        ]
 
         self.search.origin_update(ORIGINS)
         self.search.flush()
@@ -167,11 +170,21 @@
         _check_results("sort_by = [last_visit] and limit = 2", [0, 1])
         _check_results("sort_by = [-last_eventful_visit, visits] limit = 3", [1, 0, 2])
 
-    def test_query_syntax_error(self):
-        ORIGINS = [
-            {"url": "http://foobar.1.com",},
-        ]
+    def test_search_ql_simple(self):
+        self.search.origin_update(ORIGINS)
+        self.search.flush()
 
+        results = {
+            r["url"]
+            for r in self.search.origin_search(query='origin = "foobar"').results
+        }
+        assert results == {
+            "http://foobar.1.com",
+            "http://foobar.2.com",
+            "http://foobar.3.com",
+        }
+
+    def test_query_syntax_error(self):
         self.search.origin_update(ORIGINS)
         self.search.flush()