diff --git a/routers/web/repo/repo.go b/routers/web/repo/repo.go
index 7a626a70659b8..bc21de3b83da7 100644
--- a/routers/web/repo/repo.go
+++ b/routers/web/repo/repo.go
@@ -622,26 +622,47 @@ func SearchRepo(ctx *context.Context) {
 		}
 	}
 
-	var err error
+	getErrorStr := func(ctx *context.Context, err error, fallbackStr string) string {
+		if ctx.Doer == nil || !ctx.Doer.IsAdmin {
+			return fallbackStr
+		}
+		return fmt.Sprintf("%s: %v", fallbackStr, err)
+	}
+
+	// To improve performance when only the count is requested
+	if ctx.FormBool("count_only") {
+		count, err := repo_model.CountRepository(ctx, opts)
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Error("CountRepository: %v", err)
+			ctx.JSON(http.StatusInternalServerError, api.SearchError{
+				OK:    false,
+				Error: getErrorStr(ctx, err, "CountRepository internal error"),
+			})
+			return
+		}
+		ctx.SetTotalCountHeader(count)
+		return
+	}
+
 	repos, count, err := repo_model.SearchRepository(ctx, opts)
 	if err != nil {
+		log.Error("SearchRepository: %v", err)
 		ctx.JSON(http.StatusInternalServerError, api.SearchError{
 			OK:    false,
-			Error: err.Error(),
+			Error: getErrorStr(ctx, err, "SearchRepository internal error"),
 		})
 		return
 	}
 
 	ctx.SetTotalCountHeader(count)
 
-	// To improve performance when only the count is requested
-	if ctx.FormBool("count_only") {
-		return
-	}
-
 	latestCommitStatuses, err := commitstatus_service.FindReposLastestCommitStatuses(ctx, repos)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Error("FindReposLastestCommitStatuses: %v", err)
+		ctx.JSON(http.StatusInternalServerError, api.SearchError{
+			OK:    false,
+			Error: getErrorStr(ctx, err, "FindReposLastestCommitStatuses internal error"),
+		})
 		return
 	}