diff --git a/packages/backend-core/src/users/users.ts b/packages/backend-core/src/users/users.ts
index a7e1389920..71ac460112 100644
--- a/packages/backend-core/src/users/users.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-core/src/users/users.ts
@@ -14,13 +14,14 @@ import {
 } from "../db"
 import {
   BulkDocsResponse,
+  ContextUser,
+  SearchQuery,
+  SearchQueryOperators,
   SearchUsersRequest,
   User,
-  ContextUser,
 } from "@budibase/types"
-import { getGlobalDB } from "../context"
 import * as context from "../context"
-import { user as userCache } from "../cache"
+import { getGlobalDB } from "../context"
 
 type GetOpts = { cleanup?: boolean }
 
@@ -39,6 +40,27 @@ function removeUserPassword(users: User | User[]) {
   return users
 }
 
+export const isSupportedUserSearch = (query: SearchQuery) => {
+  const allowed = [
+    { op: SearchQueryOperators.STRING, key: "email" },
+    { op: SearchQueryOperators.EQUAL, key: "_id" },
+  ]
+  for (let [key, operation] of Object.entries(query)) {
+    if (typeof operation !== "object") {
+      return false
+    }
+    const fields = Object.keys(operation || {})
+    const allowedOperation = allowed.find(
+      allow =>
+        allow.op === key && fields.length === 1 && fields[0] === allow.key
+    )
+    if (!allowedOperation && fields.length > 0) {
+      return false
+    }
+  }
+  return true
+}
+
 export const bulkGetGlobalUsersById = async (
   userIds: string[],
   opts?: GetOpts
@@ -211,8 +233,8 @@ export const searchGlobalUsersByEmail = async (
 
 const PAGE_LIMIT = 8
 export const paginatedUsers = async ({
-  page,
-  email,
+  bookmark,
+  query,
   appId,
 }: SearchUsersRequest = {}) => {
   const db = getGlobalDB()
@@ -222,18 +244,20 @@ export const paginatedUsers = async ({
     limit: PAGE_LIMIT + 1,
   }
   // add a startkey if the page was specified (anchor)
-  if (page) {
-    opts.startkey = page
+  if (bookmark) {
+    opts.startkey = bookmark
   }
   // property specifies what to use for the page/anchor
   let userList: User[],
     property = "_id",
     getKey
-  if (appId) {
+  if (query?.equal?._id) {
+    userList = [await getById(query.equal._id)]
+  } else if (appId) {
     userList = await searchGlobalUsersByApp(appId, opts)
     getKey = (doc: any) => getGlobalUserByAppPage(appId, doc)
-  } else if (email) {
-    userList = await searchGlobalUsersByEmail(email, opts)
+  } else if (query?.string?.email) {
+    userList = await searchGlobalUsersByEmail(query?.string?.email, opts)
     property = "email"
   } else {
     // no search, query allDocs
diff --git a/packages/client/src/components/app/forms/RelationshipField.svelte b/packages/client/src/components/app/forms/RelationshipField.svelte
index 52faf46615..5dbf51e169 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/components/app/forms/RelationshipField.svelte
+++ b/packages/client/src/components/app/forms/RelationshipField.svelte
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
   import { getContext } from "svelte"
   import Field from "./Field.svelte"
   import { FieldTypes } from "../../../constants"
+  import { onMount } from "svelte"
 
   const { API } = getContext("sdk")
 
@@ -25,6 +26,7 @@
   let tableDefinition
   let searchTerm
   let open
+  let hasFetchedDefault, fetchedDefault
 
   $: type =
     datasourceType === "table" ? FieldTypes.LINK : FieldTypes.BB_REFERENCE
@@ -75,8 +77,8 @@
     }
   }
 
-  $: enrichedOptions = enrichOptions(optionsObj, $fetch.rows)
-  const enrichOptions = (optionsObj, fetchResults) => {
+  $: enrichedOptions = enrichOptions(optionsObj, $fetch.rows, fetchedDefault)
+  const enrichOptions = (optionsObj, fetchResults, fetchedDefault) => {
     const result = (fetchResults || [])?.reduce((accumulator, row) => {
       if (!accumulator[row._id]) {
         accumulator[row._id] = row
@@ -84,7 +86,11 @@
       return accumulator
     }, optionsObj)
 
-    return Object.values(result)
+    const final = Object.values(result)
+    if (fetchedDefault && !final.find(row => row._id === fetchedDefault._id)) {
+      final.push(fetchedDefault)
+    }
+    return final
   }
   $: {
     // We don't want to reorder while the dropdown is open, to avoid UX jumps
@@ -105,16 +111,17 @@
     }
   }
 
-  $: fetchRows(searchTerm, primaryDisplay)
+  $: fetchRows(searchTerm, primaryDisplay, hasFetchedDefault)
 
-  const fetchRows = (searchTerm, primaryDisplay) => {
+  const fetchRows = async (searchTerm, primaryDisplay, gotDefault) => {
     const allRowsFetched =
       $fetch.loaded &&
       !Object.keys($fetch.query?.string || {}).length &&
       !$fetch.hasNextPage
-    // Don't request until we have the primary display
-    if (!allRowsFetched && primaryDisplay) {
-      fetch.update({
+    const shouldFetch = !defaultValue ? !allRowsFetched : gotDefault
+    // Don't request until we have the primary display or default value has been fetched
+    if (shouldFetch && primaryDisplay) {
+      await fetch.update({
         query: { string: { [primaryDisplay]: searchTerm } },
       })
     }
@@ -171,6 +178,20 @@
       fetch.nextPage()
     }
   }
+
+  onMount(async () => {
+    // the pagination might not include the default row
+    if (defaultValue) {
+      await fetch.update({
+        query: { equal: { _id: defaultValue }}
+      })
+      const fetched = $fetch.rows?.[0]
+      if (fetched) {
+        fetchedDefault = { ...fetched }
+      }
+    }
+    hasFetchedDefault = true
+  })
 </script>
 
 <Field
diff --git a/packages/frontend-core/src/api/user.js b/packages/frontend-core/src/api/user.js
index 92b3671c78..95c2167721 100644
--- a/packages/frontend-core/src/api/user.js
+++ b/packages/frontend-core/src/api/user.js
@@ -33,7 +33,6 @@ export const buildUserEndpoints = API => ({
     if (limit) {
       opts.limit = limit
     }
-    console.log(opts)
     return await API.post({
       url: `/api/global/users/search`,
       body: opts,
diff --git a/packages/frontend-core/src/fetch/UserFetch.js b/packages/frontend-core/src/fetch/UserFetch.js
index 2158b3ca57..b1478c3a6d 100644
--- a/packages/frontend-core/src/fetch/UserFetch.js
+++ b/packages/frontend-core/src/fetch/UserFetch.js
@@ -32,9 +32,9 @@ export default class UserFetch extends DataFetch {
     const { cursor, query } = get(this.store)
     let finalQuery
     // convert old format to new one - we now allow use of the lucene format
-    const { appId, paginated, ...rest} = query
-    if (!LuceneUtils.isLuceneFilter(query) && rest.email) {
-      finalQuery = { string: { email: rest.email }}
+    const { appId, paginated, ...rest } = query
+    if (!LuceneUtils.hasFilters(query) && rest.email) {
+      finalQuery = { string: { email: rest.email } }
     } else {
       finalQuery = rest
     }
diff --git a/packages/server/src/api/routes/tests/row.spec.ts b/packages/server/src/api/routes/tests/row.spec.ts
index 3ac8ceaf16..4c2e7a7494 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/api/routes/tests/row.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/api/routes/tests/row.spec.ts
@@ -15,7 +15,8 @@ import {
   QuotaUsageType,
   RelationshipType,
   Row,
-  SaveTableRequest, SearchQueryOperators,
+  SaveTableRequest,
+  SearchQueryOperators,
   SortOrder,
   SortType,
   StaticQuotaName,
@@ -1141,7 +1142,9 @@ describe.each([
         )
 
         const createViewResponse = await config.createView({
-          query: [{ operator: SearchQueryOperators.EQUAL, field: "age", value: 40 }],
+          query: [
+            { operator: SearchQueryOperators.EQUAL, field: "age", value: 40 },
+          ],
           schema: viewSchema,
         })
 
diff --git a/packages/server/src/api/routes/tests/viewV2.spec.ts b/packages/server/src/api/routes/tests/viewV2.spec.ts
index 7f4cf53ff1..40060aef48 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/api/routes/tests/viewV2.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/api/routes/tests/viewV2.spec.ts
@@ -11,8 +11,8 @@ import {
   UpdateViewRequest,
   ViewV2,
 } from "@budibase/types"
-import {generator} from "@budibase/backend-core/tests"
-import {generateDatasourceID} from "../../../db/utils"
+import { generator } from "@budibase/backend-core/tests"
+import { generateDatasourceID } from "../../../db/utils"
 
 function priceTable(): Table {
   return {
@@ -90,7 +90,13 @@ describe.each([
         name: generator.name(),
         tableId: table._id!,
         primaryDisplay: generator.word(),
-        query: [{ operator: SearchQueryOperators.EQUAL, field: "field", value: "value" }],
+        query: [
+          {
+            operator: SearchQueryOperators.EQUAL,
+            field: "field",
+            value: "value",
+          },
+        ],
         sort: {
           field: "fieldToSort",
           order: SortOrder.DESCENDING,
@@ -185,7 +191,13 @@ describe.each([
       const tableId = table._id!
       await config.api.viewV2.update({
         ...view,
-        query: [{ operator: SearchQueryOperators.EQUAL, field: "newField", value: "thatValue" }],
+        query: [
+          {
+            operator: SearchQueryOperators.EQUAL,
+            field: "newField",
+            value: "thatValue",
+          },
+        ],
       })
 
       expect((await config.api.table.get(tableId)).views).toEqual({
@@ -280,7 +292,13 @@ describe.each([
         {
           ...view,
           tableId: generator.guid(),
-          query: [{ operator: SearchQueryOperators.EQUAL, field: "newField", value: "thatValue" }],
+          query: [
+            {
+              operator: SearchQueryOperators.EQUAL,
+              field: "newField",
+              value: "thatValue",
+            },
+          ],
         },
         { expectStatus: 404 }
       )
diff --git a/packages/shared-core/src/filters.ts b/packages/shared-core/src/filters.ts
index 246b089af0..1839a53525 100644
--- a/packages/shared-core/src/filters.ts
+++ b/packages/shared-core/src/filters.ts
@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@ import {
   SortDirection,
   SortType,
 } from "@budibase/types"
-import {OperatorOptions, SqlNumberTypeRangeMap} from "./constants"
-import {deepGet} from "./helpers"
+import { OperatorOptions, SqlNumberTypeRangeMap } from "./constants"
+import { deepGet } from "./helpers"
 
 const HBS_REGEX = /{{([^{].*?)}}/g
 
@@ -239,18 +239,6 @@ export const buildLuceneQuery = (filter: SearchFilter[]) => {
   return query
 }
 
-// type unknown
-export const isLuceneFilter = (search: any) => {
-  if (typeof search !== "object") {
-    return false
-  }
-  const operators = Object.values(SearchQueryOperators) as string[]
-  const anySearchKey = Object.keys(search).find(key => {
-    return operators.includes(key) && typeof search[key] === "object"
-  })
-  return !!anySearchKey
-}
-
 /**
  * Performs a client-side lucene search on an array of data
  * @param docs the data
@@ -286,18 +274,26 @@ export const runLuceneQuery = (docs: any[], query?: SearchQuery) => {
     }
 
   // Process a string match (fails if the value does not start with the string)
-  const stringMatch = match(SearchQueryOperators.STRING, (docValue: string, testValue: string) => {
-    return (
-      !docValue || !docValue?.toLowerCase().startsWith(testValue?.toLowerCase())
-    )
-  })
+  const stringMatch = match(
+    SearchQueryOperators.STRING,
+    (docValue: string, testValue: string) => {
+      return (
+        !docValue ||
+        !docValue?.toLowerCase().startsWith(testValue?.toLowerCase())
+      )
+    }
+  )
 
   // Process a fuzzy match (treat the same as starts with when running locally)
-  const fuzzyMatch = match(SearchQueryOperators.FUZZY, (docValue: string, testValue: string) => {
-    return (
-      !docValue || !docValue?.toLowerCase().startsWith(testValue?.toLowerCase())
-    )
-  })
+  const fuzzyMatch = match(
+    SearchQueryOperators.FUZZY,
+    (docValue: string, testValue: string) => {
+      return (
+        !docValue ||
+        !docValue?.toLowerCase().startsWith(testValue?.toLowerCase())
+      )
+    }
+  )
 
   // Process a range match
   const rangeMatch = match(
@@ -332,29 +328,41 @@ export const runLuceneQuery = (docs: any[], query?: SearchQuery) => {
   )
 
   // Process an empty match (fails if the value is not empty)
-  const emptyMatch = match(SearchQueryOperators.EMPTY, (docValue: string | null) => {
-    return docValue != null && docValue !== ""
-  })
+  const emptyMatch = match(
+    SearchQueryOperators.EMPTY,
+    (docValue: string | null) => {
+      return docValue != null && docValue !== ""
+    }
+  )
 
   // Process a not-empty match (fails is the value is empty)
-  const notEmptyMatch = match(SearchQueryOperators.NOT_EMPTY, (docValue: string | null) => {
-    return docValue == null || docValue === ""
-  })
+  const notEmptyMatch = match(
+    SearchQueryOperators.NOT_EMPTY,
+    (docValue: string | null) => {
+      return docValue == null || docValue === ""
+    }
+  )
 
   // Process an includes match (fails if the value is not included)
-  const oneOf = match(SearchQueryOperators.ONE_OF, (docValue: any, testValue: any) => {
-    if (typeof testValue === "string") {
-      testValue = testValue.split(",")
-      if (typeof docValue === "number") {
-        testValue = testValue.map((item: string) => parseFloat(item))
+  const oneOf = match(
+    SearchQueryOperators.ONE_OF,
+    (docValue: any, testValue: any) => {
+      if (typeof testValue === "string") {
+        testValue = testValue.split(",")
+        if (typeof docValue === "number") {
+          testValue = testValue.map((item: string) => parseFloat(item))
+        }
       }
+      return !testValue?.includes(docValue)
     }
-    return !testValue?.includes(docValue)
-  })
+  )
 
-  const containsAny = match(SearchQueryOperators.CONTAINS_ANY, (docValue: any, testValue: any) => {
-    return !docValue?.includes(...testValue)
-  })
+  const containsAny = match(
+    SearchQueryOperators.CONTAINS_ANY,
+    (docValue: any, testValue: any) => {
+      return !docValue?.includes(...testValue)
+    }
+  )
 
   const contains = match(
     SearchQueryOperators.CONTAINS,
@@ -446,7 +454,7 @@ export const hasFilters = (query?: SearchQuery) => {
     if (skipped.includes(key) || typeof value !== "object") {
       continue
     }
-    if (Object.keys(value).length !== 0) {
+    if (Object.keys(value || {}).length !== 0) {
       return true
     }
   }
diff --git a/packages/types/src/api/web/user.ts b/packages/types/src/api/web/user.ts
index 85e2d89ad1..a1e039cfd7 100644
--- a/packages/types/src/api/web/user.ts
+++ b/packages/types/src/api/web/user.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { User } from "../../documents"
+import { SearchQuery } from "./searchFilter"
 
 export interface SaveUserResponse {
   _id: string
@@ -51,10 +52,10 @@ export interface InviteUsersResponse {
 }
 
 export interface SearchUsersRequest {
-  page?: string
-  email?: string
+  bookmark?: string
+  query?: SearchQuery
   appId?: string
-  paginated?: boolean
+  paginate?: boolean
 }
 
 export interface CreateAdminUserRequest {
diff --git a/packages/worker/src/api/controllers/global/users.ts b/packages/worker/src/api/controllers/global/users.ts
index 822a16d33e..8de3a1444e 100644
--- a/packages/worker/src/api/controllers/global/users.ts
+++ b/packages/worker/src/api/controllers/global/users.ts
@@ -197,7 +197,12 @@ export const getAppUsers = async (ctx: Ctx<SearchUsersRequest>) => {
 export const search = async (ctx: Ctx<SearchUsersRequest>) => {
   const body = ctx.request.body
 
-  if (body.paginated === false) {
+  // TODO: for now only one supported search key, string.email
+  if (body?.query && !userSdk.core.isSupportedUserSearch(body.query)) {
+    ctx.throw(501, "Can only search by string.email or equal._id")
+  }
+
+  if (body.paginate === false) {
     await getAppUsers(ctx)
   } else {
     const paginated = await userSdk.core.paginatedUsers(body)