diff --git a/config/config.exs b/config/config.exs
index 3fe4b344b..980b6fba4 100644
--- a/config/config.exs
+++ b/config/config.exs
@@ -864,7 +864,13 @@
 
 config :pleroma, Pleroma.Web.WebFinger, domain: nil, update_nickname_on_user_fetch: true
 
-config :pleroma, Pleroma.Search, module: Pleroma.Search.DatabaseSearch
+config :pleroma, Pleroma.Search,
+  module: Pleroma.Search.DatabaseSearch,
+  extensions: %{
+    # this features is placed in the ':extensions' section for clarity
+    # as this is not in the upstream, at least not yet
+    search_type_media: true
+  }
 
 config :pleroma, Pleroma.Search.Meilisearch,
   url: "http://127.0.0.1:7700/",
diff --git a/lib/pleroma/search/database_search.ex b/lib/pleroma/search/database_search.ex
index 6298b301a..c9472374d 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/search/database_search.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/search/database_search.ex
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ def search(user, search_query, options \\ []) do
       |> maybe_restrict_local(user)
       |> maybe_restrict_author(author)
       |> maybe_restrict_blocked(user)
-      |> maybe_only_media(only_media)
+      |> maybe_restrict_media(only_media)
       |> Pagination.fetch_paginated(
         %{"offset" => offset, "limit" => limit, "skip_order" => index_type == :rum},
         :offset
@@ -176,11 +176,11 @@ def maybe_fetch(activities, user, search_query) do
     end
   end
 
-  def maybe_only_media(q, true) do
+  def maybe_restrict_media(q, true) do
     from([a, o] in q,
       where: fragment("not (?)->'attachment' = (?)", o.data, ^[])
     )
   end
 
-  def maybe_only_media(q, _), do: q
+  def maybe_restrict_media(q, _), do: q
 end
diff --git a/lib/pleroma/search/meilisearch.ex b/lib/pleroma/search/meilisearch.ex
index b0cf292a3..66a1c8754 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/search/meilisearch.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/search/meilisearch.ex
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ def search(user, query, options \\ []) do
         |> maybe_restrict_local(user)
         |> maybe_restrict_author(author)
         |> maybe_restrict_blocked(user)
-        |> maybe_only_media(only_media)
+        |> maybe_restrict_media(only_media)
         |> maybe_fetch(user, query)
         |> order_by([object: obj], desc: obj.data["published"])
         |> Pleroma.Repo.all()
diff --git a/lib/pleroma/web/mastodon_api/controllers/search_controller.ex b/lib/pleroma/web/mastodon_api/controllers/search_controller.ex
index c0110adb4..ef69e84f8 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/web/mastodon_api/controllers/search_controller.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/web/mastodon_api/controllers/search_controller.ex
@@ -47,7 +47,19 @@ defp do_search(version, %{assigns: %{user: user}} = conn, %{q: query} = params)
     query = String.trim(query)
     options = search_options(params, user)
     timeout = Keyword.get(Repo.config(), :timeout, 15_000)
-    default_values = %{"statuses" => [], "media" => [], "accounts" => [], "hashtags" => []}
+
+    default_values =
+      Map.new(
+        [
+          "statuses",
+          if Pleroma.Config.get([Pleroma.Search, :extensions, :search_type_media], true) do
+            "media"
+          end,
+          "accounts",
+          "hashtags"
+        ],
+        fn x -> {x, []} end
+      )
 
     result =
       default_values
diff --git a/lib/pleroma/web/mastodon_api/views/instance_view.ex b/lib/pleroma/web/mastodon_api/views/instance_view.ex
index 2b5354873..1f02e97c0 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/web/mastodon_api/views/instance_view.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/web/mastodon_api/views/instance_view.ex
@@ -89,6 +89,9 @@ def features do
       if Config.get([:translator, :enabled], false) do
         "akkoma:machine_translation"
       end,
+      if Config.get([Pleroma.Search, :extensions, :search_type_media], true) do
+        "bnakkoma:search_type_media"
+      end,
       "custom_emoji_reactions",
       "pleroma:get:main/ostatus"
     ]