diff --git a/web_server/blueprints/search_bar.py b/web_server/blueprints/search_bar.py
index 15def37..19cc6e4 100644
--- a/web_server/blueprints/search_bar.py
+++ b/web_server/blueprints/search_bar.py
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ def search_results():
                     SELECT bm25(category_fts) AS score, c.category_id, c.category_name
                     FROM categories AS c
                     INNER JOIN category_fts AS f ON c.category_id = f.category_id
-                    WHERE f.category_name LIKE '%' || ? || '%'
+                    WHERE f.category_name LIKE ? || '%'
                     ORDER BY score ASC
                     LIMIT 3;
         """, (query,))
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ def search_results():
                     SELECT bm25(user_fts) AS score, u.user_id, u.username, u.is_live
                     FROM users AS u
                     INNER JOIN user_fts AS f ON u.user_id = f.user_id
-                    WHERE f.username LIKE '%' || ? || '%'
+                    WHERE f.username LIKE ? || '%'
                     ORDER BY score ASC
                     LIMIT 3;
         """, (query,))
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ def search_results():
                     INNER JOIN stream_fts AS f ON s.user_id = f.user_id
                     INNER JOIN users AS u ON s.user_id = u.user_id
                     INNER JOIN categories AS c ON s.category_id = c.category_id
-                    WHERE f.title LIKE '%' || ? || '%'
+                    WHERE f.title LIKE ? || '%'
                     ORDER BY score ASC
                     LIMIT 3;
         """, (query,))