diff --git a/core/imageboard/misc.php b/core/imageboard/misc.php
index 09def27ee..f7bc1c62a 100644
--- a/core/imageboard/misc.php
+++ b/core/imageboard/misc.php
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ function redirect_to_next_image(Image $image): void
     $target_image = $image->get_next($search_terms);
 
     if ($target_image === null) {
-        $redirect_target = referer_or(make_link("post/list"), ['post/view']);
+        $redirect_target = referer_or(search_link(), ['post/view']);
     } else {
         $redirect_target = make_link("post/view/{$target_image->id}", null, $query);
     }
diff --git a/core/tests/urls.test.php b/core/tests/urls.test.php
index fb34d4ab8..e607726a1 100644
--- a/core/tests/urls.test.php
+++ b/core/tests/urls.test.php
@@ -10,6 +10,18 @@
 
 class UrlsTest extends TestCase
 {
+    public function test_search_link()
+    {
+        $this->assertEquals(
+            "/test/post/list/bar+foo/1",
+            search_link(["foo", "bar"])
+        );
+        $this->assertEquals(
+            "/test/post/list/cat%2A+rating%3D%5Eq/1",
+            search_link(["rating=?", "cat*"])
+        );
+    }
+
     public function test_make_link()
     {
         // basic
diff --git a/core/urls.php b/core/urls.php
index 0950f4bca..40261458b 100644
--- a/core/urls.php
+++ b/core/urls.php
@@ -23,6 +23,20 @@ public function make_link(): string
     }
 }
 
+/**
+ * Build a link to a search page for given terms,
+ * with all the appropriate escaping
+ */
+function search_link(array $terms = [], int $page = 1): string
+{
+    if($terms) {
+        $q = urlencode(Tag::caret(Tag::implode($terms)));
+        return make_link("post/list/$q/$page");
+    } else {
+        return make_link("post/list/$page");
+    }
+}
+
 /**
  * Figure out the correct way to link to a page, taking into account
  * things like the nice URLs setting.
diff --git a/ext/approval/main.php b/ext/approval/main.php
index 1f62ed5f6..8c4080e54 100644
--- a/ext/approval/main.php
+++ b/ext/approval/main.php
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ public function onUserBlockBuilding(UserBlockBuildingEvent $event)
     {
         global $user;
         if ($user->can(Permissions::APPROVE_IMAGE)) {
-            $event->add_link("Pending Approval", make_link("/post/list/approved%3Ano/1"), 60);
+            $event->add_link("Pending Approval", search_link(["approved:no"]), 60);
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/ext/artists/theme.php b/ext/artists/theme.php
index be5016364..ed36eb3f9 100644
--- a/ext/artists/theme.php
+++ b/ext/artists/theme.php
@@ -353,7 +353,7 @@ public function show_artist($artist, $aliases, $members, $urls, $images, $userIs
     {
         global $page;
 
-        $artist_link = "<a href='".make_link("post/list/".$artist['name']."/1")."'>".str_replace("_", " ", $artist['name'])."</a>";
+        $artist_link = "<a href='".search_link([$artist['name']])."'>".str_replace("_", " ", $artist['name'])."</a>";
 
         $html = "<table id='poolsList' class='zebra'>
 					<thead>
diff --git a/ext/browser_search/main.php b/ext/browser_search/main.php
index eb71905a0..3487d78bc 100644
--- a/ext/browser_search/main.php
+++ b/ext/browser_search/main.php
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ public function onPageRequest(PageRequestEvent $event)
         if ($event->page_matches("browser_search.xml")) {
             // First, we need to build all the variables we'll need
             $search_title = $config->get_string(SetupConfig::TITLE);
-            $search_form_url =  make_link('post/list/{searchTerms}');
+            $search_form_url =  search_link(['{searchTerms}']);
             $suggenton_url = make_link('browser_search/')."{searchTerms}";
             $icon_b64 = base64_encode(file_get_contents("ext/static_files/static/favicon.ico"));
 
diff --git a/ext/favorites/main.php b/ext/favorites/main.php
index eb94d62cf..fb0c0f462 100644
--- a/ext/favorites/main.php
+++ b/ext/favorites/main.php
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ public function onUserPageBuilding(UserPageBuildingEvent $event)
         $i_favorites_count = Image::count_images(["favorited_by={$event->display_user->name}"]);
         $i_days_old = ((time() - strtotime($event->display_user->join_date)) / 86400) + 1;
         $h_favorites_rate = sprintf("%.1f", ($i_favorites_count / $i_days_old));
-        $favorites_link = make_link("post/list/favorited_by={$event->display_user->name}/1");
+        $favorites_link = search_link(["favorited_by={$event->display_user->name}"]);
         $event->add_stats("<a href='$favorites_link'>Posts favorited</a>: $i_favorites_count, $h_favorites_rate per day");
     }
 
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ public function onUserBlockBuilding(UserBlockBuildingEvent $event)
         global $user;
 
         $username = url_escape($user->name);
-        $event->add_link("My Favorites", make_link("post/list/favorited_by=$username/1"), 20);
+        $event->add_link("My Favorites", search_link(["favorited_by=$username"]), 20);
     }
 
     public function onSearchTermParse(SearchTermParseEvent $event)
diff --git a/ext/home/theme.php b/ext/home/theme.php
index a0b37efe5..b72218cb9 100644
--- a/ext/home/theme.php
+++ b/ext/home/theme.php
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ public function build_body(string $sitename, string $main_links, string $main_te
         $contact_link = empty($contact_link) ? "" : "<br><a href='$contact_link'>Contact</a> &ndash;";
         $search_html = "
 			<div class='space' id='search'>
-				<form action='".make_link("post/list")."' method='GET'>
+				<form action='".search_link()."' method='GET'>
 				<input name='search' size='30' type='search' value='' class='autocomplete_tags' autofocus='autofocus' autocomplete='off' />
 				<input type='hidden' name='q' value='/post/list'>
 				<input type='submit' value='Search'/>
diff --git a/ext/image/main.php b/ext/image/main.php
index bcdbf7537..9b7abc822 100644
--- a/ext/image/main.php
+++ b/ext/image/main.php
@@ -266,7 +266,7 @@ public function onUserPageBuilding(UserPageBuildingEvent $event)
         $i_image_count = Image::count_images(["user={$event->display_user->name}"]);
         $i_days_old = ((time() - strtotime($event->display_user->join_date)) / 86400) + 1;
         $h_image_rate = sprintf("%.1f", ($i_image_count / $i_days_old));
-        $images_link = make_link("post/list/user=$u_name/1");
+        $images_link = search_link(["user=$u_name"]);
         $event->add_stats("<a href='$images_link'>Posts uploaded</a>: $i_image_count, $h_image_rate per day");
     }
 
diff --git a/ext/index/main.php b/ext/index/main.php
index a851fddf8..3f6582737 100644
--- a/ext/index/main.php
+++ b/ext/index/main.php
@@ -25,15 +25,8 @@ public function onPageRequest(PageRequestEvent $event)
         global $cache, $page, $user;
         if ($event->page_matches("post/list")) {
             if (isset($_GET['search'])) {
-                // implode(explode()) to resolve aliases and sanitise
-                $search = url_escape(Tag::caret(Tag::implode(Tag::explode($_GET['search'], false))));
-                if (empty($search)) {
-                    $page->set_mode(PageMode::REDIRECT);
-                    $page->set_redirect(make_link("post/list/1"));
-                } else {
-                    $page->set_mode(PageMode::REDIRECT);
-                    $page->set_redirect(make_link('post/list/'.$search.'/1'));
-                }
+                $page->set_mode(PageMode::REDIRECT);
+                $page->set_redirect(search_link(Tag::explode($_GET['search'], false)));
                 return;
             }
 
diff --git a/ext/index/theme.php b/ext/index/theme.php
index f6bd16dc3..6093c7a13 100644
--- a/ext/index/theme.php
+++ b/ext/index/theme.php
@@ -79,15 +79,13 @@ protected function build_navigation(int $page_number, int $total_pages, array $s
         $next = $page_number + 1;
 
         $u_tags = url_escape(Tag::implode($search_terms));
-        $query = empty($u_tags) ? "" : '/'.$u_tags;
 
-
-        $h_prev = ($page_number <= 1) ? "Prev" : '<a href="'.make_link('post/list'.$query.'/'.$prev).'">Prev</a>';
+        $h_prev = ($page_number <= 1) ? "Prev" : '<a href="'.search_link($search_terms, $prev).'">Prev</a>';
         $h_index = "<a href='".make_link()."'>Index</a>";
-        $h_next = ($page_number >= $total_pages) ? "Next" : '<a href="'.make_link('post/list'.$query.'/'.$next).'">Next</a>';
+        $h_next = ($page_number >= $total_pages) ? "Next" : '<a href="'.search_link($search_terms, $next).'">Next</a>';
 
         $h_search_string = html_escape(Tag::implode($search_terms));
-        $h_search_link = make_link("post/list");
+        $h_search_link = search_link();
         $h_search = "
 			<p><form action='$h_search_link' method='GET'>
 				<input type='search' name='search' value='$h_search_string' placeholder='Search' class='autocomplete_tags' autocomplete='off' />
diff --git a/ext/notes/theme.php b/ext/notes/theme.php
index 9f6118fd8..a1204ea2f 100644
--- a/ext/notes/theme.php
+++ b/ext/notes/theme.php
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ public function nuke_requests_button(int $image_id): string
 
     public function search_notes_page(Page $page): void
     { //IN DEVELOPMENT, NOT FULLY WORKING
-        $html = '<form method="GET" action="'.make_link("post/list/note=").'">
+        $html = '<form method="GET" action="'.search_link(["note="]).'">
 		<input placeholder="Search Notes" type="text" name="search"/>
 		<input type="submit" style="display: none;" value="Find"/>
 		</form>';
diff --git a/ext/numeric_score/main.php b/ext/numeric_score/main.php
index fbdc4e3e1..e2366c709 100644
--- a/ext/numeric_score/main.php
+++ b/ext/numeric_score/main.php
@@ -119,11 +119,10 @@ public function onUserPageBuilding(UserPageBuildingEvent $event)
             $this->theme->get_nuller($event->display_user);
         }
 
-        $u_name = url_escape($event->display_user->name);
         $n_up = Image::count_images(["upvoted_by={$event->display_user->name}"]);
-        $link_up = make_link("post/list/upvoted_by=$u_name/1");
+        $link_up = search_link(["upvoted_by={$event->display_user->name}"]);
         $n_down = Image::count_images(["downvoted_by={$event->display_user->name}"]);
-        $link_down = make_link("post/list/downvoted_by=$u_name/1");
+        $link_down = search_link(["downvoted_by={$event->display_user->name}]"]);
         $event->add_stats("<a href='$link_up'>$n_up Upvotes</a> / <a href='$link_down'>$n_down Downvotes</a>");
     }
 
diff --git a/ext/rating/theme.php b/ext/rating/theme.php
index c9078482d..13408bcb1 100644
--- a/ext/rating/theme.php
+++ b/ext/rating/theme.php
@@ -18,11 +18,10 @@ public function get_selection_rater_html(string $name = "rating", array $ratings
 
     public function get_rater_html(int $image_id, string $rating, bool $can_rate): HTMLElement
     {
-        $u_rating = url_escape(Tag::caret($rating));
         return SHM_POST_INFO(
             "Rating",
             $can_rate,
-            A(["href"=>make_link("post/list/rating=$u_rating/1")], Ratings::rating_to_human($rating)),
+            A(["href"=>search_link(["rating=$rating"])], Ratings::rating_to_human($rating)),
             $this->get_selection_rater_html("rating", selected_options: [$rating])
         );
     }
diff --git a/ext/relationships/theme.php b/ext/relationships/theme.php
index 67cecc6a3..78b78f89d 100644
--- a/ext/relationships/theme.php
+++ b/ext/relationships/theme.php
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ public function relationship_info(Image $image)
         if (bool_escape($image->has_children)) {
             $ids = $database->get_col("SELECT id FROM images WHERE parent_id = :iid", ["iid"=>$image->id]);
 
-            $html = "This post has <a href='".make_link('post/list/parent='.$image->id.'/1')."'>".(count($ids) > 1 ? "child posts" : "a child post")."</a>";
+            $html = "This post has <a href='".search_link(['parent='.$image->id])."'>".(count($ids) > 1 ? "child posts" : "a child post")."</a>";
             $html .= " (post ";
             foreach ($ids as $id) {
                 $html .= "#<a href='".make_link('post/view/'.$id)."'>{$id}</a>, ";
diff --git a/ext/tag_edit/main.php b/ext/tag_edit/main.php
index dc510a20a..0fe2905ea 100644
--- a/ext/tag_edit/main.php
+++ b/ext/tag_edit/main.php
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ public function onPageRequest(PageRequestEvent $event)
                 if ($user->can(Permissions::MASS_TAG_EDIT) && isset($_POST['tags']) && isset($_POST['source'])) {
                     $this->mass_source_edit($_POST['tags'], $_POST['source']);
                     $page->set_mode(PageMode::REDIRECT);
-                    $page->set_redirect(make_link("post/list"));
+                    $page->set_redirect(search_link());
                 }
             }
         }
diff --git a/ext/tag_edit/theme.php b/ext/tag_edit/theme.php
index 9b9e8010c..a27885001 100644
--- a/ext/tag_edit/theme.php
+++ b/ext/tag_edit/theme.php
@@ -47,9 +47,8 @@ public function get_tag_editor_html(Image $image): HTMLElement
 
         $tag_links = [];
         foreach ($image->get_tag_array() as $tag) {
-            $u_tag = url_escape($tag);
             $tag_links[] = A([
-                "href" => make_link("post/list/$u_tag/1"),
+                "href" => search_link([$tag]),
                 "class" => "tag",
                 "title" => "View all posts tagged $tag"
             ], $tag);
diff --git a/ext/tag_history/theme.php b/ext/tag_history/theme.php
index c6ea43b42..5beb37808 100644
--- a/ext/tag_history/theme.php
+++ b/ext/tag_history/theme.php
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ protected function history_entry(array $fields, bool $selected): string
         $current_tags = Tag::explode($current_tags);
         $taglinks = SPAN();
         foreach ($current_tags as $tag) {
-            $taglinks->appendChild(A(["href"=>make_link("post/list/$tag/1")], $tag));
+            $taglinks->appendChild(A(["href"=>search_link([$tag])], $tag));
             $taglinks->appendChild(" ");
         }
 
diff --git a/ext/tag_list/theme.php b/ext/tag_list/theme.php
index 27cc8e54b..38b5f6a60 100644
--- a/ext/tag_list/theme.php
+++ b/ext/tag_list/theme.php
@@ -298,7 +298,6 @@ protected function get_subtract_link(array $tags, string $tag): string
 
     public function tag_link(string $tag): string
     {
-        $u_tag = url_escape(Tag::caret($tag));
-        return make_link("post/list/$u_tag/1");
+        return search_link([$tag]);
     }
 }
diff --git a/ext/trash/main.php b/ext/trash/main.php
index 55537bb96..5fc70a50f 100644
--- a/ext/trash/main.php
+++ b/ext/trash/main.php
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ public function onUserBlockBuilding(UserBlockBuildingEvent $event)
     {
         global $user;
         if ($user->can(Permissions::VIEW_TRASH)) {
-            $event->add_link("Trash", make_link("/post/list/in%3Atrash/1"), 60);
+            $event->add_link("Trash", search_link(["in:trash"]), 60);
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/ext/upload/test.php b/ext/upload/test.php
index 60d2361b2..a45bb445d 100644
--- a/ext/upload/test.php
+++ b/ext/upload/test.php
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ public function testRawUpload()
         ];
         $page = $this->post_page("upload", ["tags0"=>"foo bar"]);
         $this->assert_response(302);
-        $this->assertStringStartsWith("/test/post/list/poster=test/1", $page->redirect);
+        $this->assertStringStartsWith("/test/post/list/poster%3Dtest/1", $page->redirect);
 
         $this->assertEquals(4, $database->get_one("SELECT COUNT(*) FROM images"));
     }
diff --git a/ext/upload/theme.php b/ext/upload/theme.php
index a7fd00f42..2d3c770f2 100644
--- a/ext/upload/theme.php
+++ b/ext/upload/theme.php
@@ -300,7 +300,7 @@ public function display_upload_status(Page $page, array $image_ids): void
                 $page->set_redirect(make_link("post/view/{$image_ids[0]}"));
             } else {
                 $page->set_mode(PageMode::REDIRECT);
-                $page->set_redirect(make_link("post/list/poster={$user->name}/1"));
+                $page->set_redirect(search_link(["poster={$user->name}"]));
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/ext/user/main.php b/ext/user/main.php
index f0c3db78d..a3a923242 100644
--- a/ext/user/main.php
+++ b/ext/user/main.php
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ public function __construct()
 
     public function display(array $row): HTMLElement
     {
-        return A(["href"=>make_link("post/list/user={$row['name']}/1")], "Posts");
+        return A(["href"=>search_link(["user={$row['name']}"])], "Posts");
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/themes/danbooru/comment.theme.php b/themes/danbooru/comment.theme.php
index ec3fb85d6..525fb2617 100644
--- a/themes/danbooru/comment.theme.php
+++ b/themes/danbooru/comment.theme.php
@@ -45,8 +45,7 @@ public function display_comment_list(array $images, int $page_number, int $total
             $un = $image->get_owner()->name;
             $t = "";
             foreach ($image->get_tag_array() as $tag) {
-                $u_tag = url_escape($tag);
-                $t .= "<a href='".make_link("post/list/$u_tag/1")."'>".html_escape($tag)."</a> ";
+                $t .= "<a href='".search_link([$tag])."'>".html_escape($tag)."</a> ";
             }
             $p = autodate($image->posted);
 
diff --git a/themes/danbooru2/comment.theme.php b/themes/danbooru2/comment.theme.php
index d61b0786b..dd43860eb 100644
--- a/themes/danbooru2/comment.theme.php
+++ b/themes/danbooru2/comment.theme.php
@@ -45,8 +45,7 @@ public function display_comment_list(array $images, int $page_number, int $total
             $un = $image->get_owner()->name;
             $t = "";
             foreach ($image->get_tag_array() as $tag) {
-                $u_tag = url_escape($tag);
-                $t .= "<a href='".make_link("post/list/$u_tag/1")."'>".html_escape($tag)."</a> ";
+                $t .= "<a href='".search_link([$tag])."'>".html_escape($tag)."</a> ";
             }
             $p = autodate($image->posted);