diff --git a/app/Actions/Search/AlbumSearch.php b/app/Actions/Search/AlbumSearch.php
index 411984776ba..fa264fe1647 100644
--- a/app/Actions/Search/AlbumSearch.php
+++ b/app/Actions/Search/AlbumSearch.php
@@ -53,17 +53,20 @@ public function queryTagAlbums(array $terms): Collection
 	}
 
 	/**
-	 * @param string[] $terms
+	 * @param string[]   $terms
+	 * @param Album|null $album the optional top album which is used as a search base
 	 *
 	 * @return Collection<int,Album>
 	 *
 	 * @throws InternalLycheeException
 	 */
-	public function queryAlbums(array $terms): Collection
+	public function queryAlbums(array $terms, ?Album $album = null): Collection
 	{
 		$album_query = Album::query()
 			->select(['albums.*'])
-			->join('base_albums', 'base_albums.id', '=', 'albums.id');
+			->join('base_albums', 'base_albums.id', '=', 'albums.id')
+			->when($album !== null, fn ($q) => $q->where('albums._lft', '>=', $album->_lft)
+				->where('albums._rgt', '<=', $album->_rgt));
 		$this->addSearchCondition($terms, $album_query);
 		$this->albumQueryPolicy->applyBrowsabilityFilter($album_query);
 
diff --git a/app/Http/Controllers/Gallery/SearchController.php b/app/Http/Controllers/Gallery/SearchController.php
index f595a86536b..4c8e0d11c72 100644
--- a/app/Http/Controllers/Gallery/SearchController.php
+++ b/app/Http/Controllers/Gallery/SearchController.php
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ public function search(GetSearchRequest $request, AlbumSearch $album_search, Pho
 			->orderBy(ColumnSortingPhotoType::TAKEN_AT->value, OrderSortingType::ASC->value)
 			->paginate(Configs::getValueAsInt('search_pagination_limit'));
 
-		$album_results = $album_search->queryAlbums($terms);
+		$album_results = $album_search->queryAlbums($terms, $album);
 
 		return ResultsResource::fromData($album_results, $photo_results);
 	}
diff --git a/app/Http/Requests/Search/GetSearchRequest.php b/app/Http/Requests/Search/GetSearchRequest.php
index 9153044afde..eaf0f4a240c 100644
--- a/app/Http/Requests/Search/GetSearchRequest.php
+++ b/app/Http/Requests/Search/GetSearchRequest.php
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Auth;
 use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Gate;
 use function Safe\base64_decode;
+use function Safe\preg_match_all;
 
 class GetSearchRequest extends BaseApiRequest implements HasAbstractAlbum, HasTerms
 {
@@ -59,10 +60,18 @@ protected function processValidatedValues(array $values, array $files): void
 		$this->album = $this->album_factory->findNullalbleAbstractAlbumOrFail($album_id);
 
 		// Escape special characters for a LIKE query
-		$this->terms = explode(' ', str_replace(
+		$terms = str_replace(
 			['\\', '%', '_'],
 			['\\\\', '\\%', '\\_'],
 			base64_decode($values[RequestAttribute::TERM_ATTRIBUTE], true)
-		));
+		);
+
+		// Explode the string by spaces but keep encapsulated strings as single terms
+		// This regex matches quoted strings and unquoted words
+		// Note: This regex is not perfect and may not handle all edge cases, but it works for most common cases.
+		// It captures quoted strings as a single match and unquoted words separately.
+		// Example: "hello world" foo bar -> ["hello world", "foo", "bar"]
+		preg_match_all('/"[^"]*"|\S+/', $terms, $matches);
+		$this->terms = array_map(fn ($term) => trim($term, '"'), $matches[0]);
 	}
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/resources/js/views/gallery-panels/Search.vue b/resources/js/views/gallery-panels/Search.vue
index 20e2b44dea8..bbcf2c66c47 100644
--- a/resources/js/views/gallery-panels/Search.vue
+++ b/resources/js/views/gallery-panels/Search.vue
@@ -322,7 +322,7 @@ function goBack() {
 	if (photoId.value !== undefined) {
 		photoId.value = undefined;
 		photo.value = undefined;
-		router.push({ name: "search-with-album", params: { albumId: albumId.value } });
+		router.push({ name: "search", params: { albumId: albumId.value } });
 		return;
 	}
 
@@ -410,7 +410,7 @@ onKeyStroke("Escape", () => {
 
 onMounted(() => {
 	if (photoId.value !== undefined) {
-		router.push({ name: "search-with-album", params: { albumId: albumId.value } });
+		router.push({ name: "search", params: { albumId: albumId.value } });
 	}
 
 	if (albumId.value !== "" && albumId.value !== ALL) {