diff --git a/server/models/Document.js b/server/models/Document.js
index c542d7c29..819edd835 100644
--- a/server/models/Document.js
+++ b/server/models/Document.js
@@ -258,6 +258,11 @@ Document.searchForTeam = async (
   const wildcardQuery = `${sequelize.escape(query)}:*`;
   const collectionIds = await team.collectionIds();
 
+  // If the team has access no public collections then shortcircuit the rest of this
+  if (!collectionIds.length) {
+    return [];
+  }
+
   // Build the SQL query to get documentIds, ranking, and search term context
   const sql = `
     SELECT
@@ -328,6 +333,11 @@ Document.searchForUser = async (
     collectionIds = await user.collectionIds();
   }
 
+  // If the user has access to no collections then shortcircuit the rest of this
+  if (!collectionIds.length) {
+    return [];
+  }
+
   let dateFilter;
   if (options.dateFilter) {
     dateFilter = `1 ${options.dateFilter}`;
diff --git a/server/models/Document.test.js b/server/models/Document.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1d52b74e1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/models/Document.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+/* eslint-disable flowtype/require-valid-file-annotation */
+import { flushdb } from '../test/support';
+import { Document } from '../models';
+import { buildDocument, buildCollection, buildTeam } from '../test/factories';
+
+beforeEach(flushdb);
+beforeEach(jest.resetAllMocks);
+
+describe('#searchForTeam', () => {
+  test('should return search results from public collections', async () => {
+    const team = await buildTeam();
+    const collection = await buildCollection({ teamId: team.id });
+    const document = await buildDocument({
+      teamId: team.id,
+      collectionId: collection.id,
+      title: 'test',
+    });
+
+    const results = await Document.searchForTeam(team, 'test');
+    expect(results.length).toBe(1);
+    expect(results[0].document.id).toBe(document.id);
+  });
+
+  test('should not return search results from private collections', async () => {
+    const team = await buildTeam();
+    const collection = await buildCollection({
+      private: true,
+      teamId: team.id,
+    });
+    await buildDocument({
+      teamId: team.id,
+      collectionId: collection.id,
+      title: 'test',
+    });
+
+    const results = await Document.searchForTeam(team, 'test');
+    expect(results.length).toBe(0);
+  });
+
+  test('should handle no collections', async () => {
+    const team = await buildTeam();
+    const results = await Document.searchForTeam(team, 'test');
+    expect(results.length).toBe(0);
+  });
+});