diff --git a/archivebox/index/__init__.py b/archivebox/index/__init__.py
index 34e2c5ff..bf1d0c6a 100644
--- a/archivebox/index/__init__.py
+++ b/archivebox/index/__init__.py
@@ -386,7 +386,7 @@ def search_filter(snapshots: QuerySet, filter_patterns: List[str], filter_type:
     if not search_backend_enabled():
         stderr()
         stderr(
-                '[X] The search backend is not enabled',
+                '[X] The search backend is not enabled, set config.USE_SEARCHING_BACKEND = True',
                 color='red',
             )
         raise SystemExit(2)
@@ -395,12 +395,7 @@ def search_filter(snapshots: QuerySet, filter_patterns: List[str], filter_type:
     for pattern in filter_patterns:
         try:
             qsearch |= query_search_index(pattern)
-        except Exception as err:
-            stderr()
-            stderr(
-                f'[X] The search backend threw an exception={err}:',
-                color='red',
-            )
+        except:
             raise SystemExit(2)
     
     return snapshots & qsearch
diff --git a/archivebox/search/__init__.py b/archivebox/search/__init__.py
index 2a1f4dcd..fdf19a89 100644
--- a/archivebox/search/__init__.py
+++ b/archivebox/search/__init__.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ from django.db.models import QuerySet
 
 from archivebox.index.schema import Link
 from archivebox.util import enforce_types
-from archivebox.config import setup_django, OUTPUT_DIR, USE_INDEXING_BACKEND, USE_SEARCHING_BACKEND, SEARCH_BACKEND_ENGINE
+from archivebox.config import setup_django,stderr, OUTPUT_DIR, USE_INDEXING_BACKEND, USE_SEARCHING_BACKEND, SEARCH_BACKEND_ENGINE
 
 def indexing_enabled():
     return USE_INDEXING_BACKEND
@@ -37,21 +37,37 @@ def write_search_index(link: Link, texts: Union[List[str], None]=None, out_dir:
         snap = Snapshot.objects.filter(url=link.url).first()
         backend = import_backend()
         if snap:
-            backend.index(snapshot_id=str(snap.id), texts=texts)
+            try:
+                backend.index(snapshot_id=str(snap.id), texts=texts)
+            except Exception as err:
+                stderr()
+                stderr(
+                    f'[X] The search backend threw an exception={err}:',
+                color='red',
+                )
 
 @enforce_types
-def query_search_index(query: str, out_dir: Path=OUTPUT_DIR) -> QuerySet:  
-    if search_backend_enabled():
-        setup_django(out_dir, check_db=True)
-        from core.models import Snapshot
+def query_search_index(query: str, out_dir: Path=OUTPUT_DIR) -> QuerySet:
+    setup_django(out_dir, check_db=True)
+    from core.models import Snapshot
 
+    if search_backend_enabled():
         backend = import_backend()
-        snapshot_ids = backend.search(query)
-        # TODO preserve ordering from backend
-        qsearch = Snapshot.objects.filter(pk__in=snapshot_ids)
-        return qsearch
-    else:
-        return Snapshot.objects.none()
+        try:
+            snapshot_ids = backend.search(query)
+        except Exception as err:
+            stderr()
+            stderr(
+                    f'[X] The search backend threw an exception={err}:',
+                color='red',
+                )
+            raise
+        else:
+            # TODO preserve ordering from backend
+            qsearch = Snapshot.objects.filter(pk__in=snapshot_ids)
+            return qsearch
+    
+    return Snapshot.objects.none()
 
 @enforce_types
 def flush_search_index(snapshots: QuerySet):
@@ -59,5 +75,11 @@ def flush_search_index(snapshots: QuerySet):
         return
     backend = import_backend()
     snapshot_ids=(str(pk) for pk in snapshots.values_list('pk',flat=True))
-
-    backend.flush(snapshot_ids)
+    try:
+        backend.flush(snapshot_ids)
+    except Exception as err:
+        stderr()
+        stderr(
+            f'[X] The search backend threw an exception={err}:',
+        color='red',
+        )