diff --git a/packages/server/src/api/routes/tests/search.spec.ts b/packages/server/src/api/routes/tests/search.spec.ts
index e774158c23..bad512e5fd 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/api/routes/tests/search.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/api/routes/tests/search.spec.ts
@@ -5,12 +5,12 @@ import {
   knexClient,
 } from "../../../integrations/tests/utils"
 import {
-  db as dbCore,
   context,
+  db as dbCore,
   MAX_VALID_DATE,
   MIN_VALID_DATE,
-  utils,
   SQLITE_DESIGN_DOC_ID,
+  utils,
 } from "@budibase/backend-core"
 
 import * as setup from "./utilities"
@@ -2560,4 +2560,48 @@ describe.each([
         }).toContainExactly([{ name: "foo" }])
       })
     })
+
+  !isInMemory &&
+    describe("search by _id", () => {
+      let row: Row
+
+      beforeAll(async () => {
+        const toRelateTable = await createTable({
+          name: {
+            name: "name",
+            type: FieldType.STRING,
+          },
+        })
+        table = await createTable({
+          name: {
+            name: "name",
+            type: FieldType.STRING,
+          },
+          rel: {
+            name: "rel",
+            type: FieldType.LINK,
+            relationshipType: RelationshipType.MANY_TO_MANY,
+            tableId: toRelateTable._id!,
+            fieldName: "rel",
+          },
+        })
+        const [row1, row2] = await Promise.all([
+          config.api.row.save(toRelateTable._id!, { name: "tag 1" }),
+          config.api.row.save(toRelateTable._id!, { name: "tag 2" }),
+        ])
+        row = await config.api.row.save(table._id!, {
+          name: "product 1",
+          rel: [row1._id, row2._id],
+        })
+      })
+
+      it("can filter by the row ID with limit 1", async () => {
+        await expectSearch({
+          query: {
+            equal: { _id: row._id },
+          },
+          limit: 1,
+        }).toContainExactly([row])
+      })
+    })
 })
diff --git a/packages/server/src/sdk/app/rows/search/external.ts b/packages/server/src/sdk/app/rows/search/external.ts
index c7a89bc0dd..e7fd2888de 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/sdk/app/rows/search/external.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/sdk/app/rows/search/external.ts
@@ -22,21 +22,21 @@ import { HTTPError } from "@budibase/backend-core"
 import pick from "lodash/pick"
 import { outputProcessing } from "../../../../utilities/rowProcessor"
 import sdk from "../../../"
+import { isSearchingByRowID } from "./utils"
 
-export async function search(
-  options: RowSearchParams,
-  table: Table
-): Promise<SearchResponse<Row>> {
-  const { tableId } = options
-  const { countRows, paginate, query, ...params } = options
-  const { limit } = params
-  let bookmark =
-    (params.bookmark && parseInt(params.bookmark as string)) || undefined
-  if (paginate && !bookmark) {
-    bookmark = 0
-  }
+function getPaginationAndLimitParameters(
+  filters: SearchFilters,
+  paginate: boolean | undefined,
+  bookmark: number | undefined,
+  limit: number | undefined
+): PaginationJson | undefined {
   let paginateObj: PaginationJson | undefined
 
+  // only try set limits/pagination if we aren't doing a row ID search
+  if (isSearchingByRowID(filters)) {
+    return
+  }
+
   if (paginate && !limit) {
     throw new Error("Cannot paginate query without a limit")
   }
@@ -49,11 +49,35 @@ export async function search(
     if (bookmark) {
       paginateObj.offset = limit * bookmark
     }
-  } else if (params && limit) {
+  } else if (limit) {
     paginateObj = {
       limit: limit,
     }
   }
+
+  return paginateObj
+}
+
+export async function search(
+  options: RowSearchParams,
+  table: Table
+): Promise<SearchResponse<Row>> {
+  const { tableId } = options
+  const { countRows, paginate, query, ...params } = options
+  const { limit } = params
+  let bookmark =
+    (params.bookmark && parseInt(params.bookmark as string)) || undefined
+  if (paginate && !bookmark) {
+    bookmark = 0
+  }
+
+  let paginateObj = getPaginationAndLimitParameters(
+    query,
+    paginate,
+    bookmark,
+    limit
+  )
+
   let sort: SortJson | undefined
   if (params.sort) {
     const direction =
diff --git a/packages/server/src/sdk/app/rows/search/sqs.ts b/packages/server/src/sdk/app/rows/search/sqs.ts
index c3da565c87..018b2ae4a3 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/sdk/app/rows/search/sqs.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/sdk/app/rows/search/sqs.ts
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ import {
   getTableIDList,
 } from "./filters"
 import { dataFilters, PROTECTED_INTERNAL_COLUMNS } from "@budibase/shared-core"
+import { isSearchingByRowID } from "./utils"
 
 const builder = new sql.Sql(SqlClient.SQL_LITE)
 const MISSING_COLUMN_REGEX = new RegExp(`no such column: .+`)
@@ -264,6 +265,10 @@ export async function search(
 
   const relationships = buildInternalRelationships(table)
 
+  const searchFilters: SearchFilters = {
+    ...cleanupFilters(query, table, allTables),
+    documentType: DocumentType.ROW,
+  }
   const request: QueryJson = {
     endpoint: {
       // not important, we query ourselves
@@ -271,10 +276,7 @@ export async function search(
       entityId: table._id!,
       operation: Operation.READ,
     },
-    filters: {
-      ...cleanupFilters(query, table, allTables),
-      documentType: DocumentType.ROW,
-    },
+    filters: searchFilters,
     table,
     meta: {
       table,
@@ -304,7 +306,8 @@ export async function search(
   }
 
   const bookmark: number = (params.bookmark as number) || 0
-  if (params.limit) {
+  // limits don't apply if we doing a row ID search
+  if (!isSearchingByRowID(searchFilters) && params.limit) {
     paginate = true
     request.paginate = {
       limit: params.limit + 1,
diff --git a/packages/server/src/sdk/app/rows/search/utils.ts b/packages/server/src/sdk/app/rows/search/utils.ts
index 797383eff0..5ffc065353 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/sdk/app/rows/search/utils.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/sdk/app/rows/search/utils.ts
@@ -108,3 +108,18 @@ export function searchInputMapping(table: Table, options: RowSearchParams) {
   }
   return options
 }
+
+export function isSearchingByRowID(query: SearchFilters): boolean {
+  for (let searchField of Object.values(query)) {
+    if (typeof searchField !== "object") {
+      continue
+    }
+    const hasId = Object.keys(searchField).find(
+      key => dbCore.removeKeyNumbering(key) === "_id" && searchField[key]
+    )
+    if (hasId) {
+      return true
+    }
+  }
+  return false
+}