diff --git a/deltachat-ffi/src/lib.rs b/deltachat-ffi/src/lib.rs
index 7918f63d6..a40c8ec6f 100644
--- a/deltachat-ffi/src/lib.rs
+++ b/deltachat-ffi/src/lib.rs
@@ -1136,10 +1136,15 @@ pub unsafe extern "C" fn dc_search_msgs(
         return ptr::null_mut();
     }
     let ctx = &*context;
+    let chat_id = if chat_id == 0 {
+        None
+    } else {
+        Some(ChatId::new(chat_id))
+    };
 
     block_on(async move {
         let arr = dc_array_t::from(
-            ctx.search_msgs(ChatId::new(chat_id), to_string_lossy(query))
+            ctx.search_msgs(chat_id, to_string_lossy(query))
                 .await
                 .iter()
                 .map(|msg_id| msg_id.to_u32())
diff --git a/examples/repl/cmdline.rs b/examples/repl/cmdline.rs
index 8d3458ab6..5524eea5d 100644
--- a/examples/repl/cmdline.rs
+++ b/examples/repl/cmdline.rs
@@ -858,9 +858,9 @@ pub async fn cmdline(context: Context, line: &str, chat_id: &mut ChatId) -> Resu
             ensure!(!arg1.is_empty(), "Argument <query> missing.");
 
             let chat = if let Some(ref sel_chat) = sel_chat {
-                sel_chat.get_id()
+                Some(sel_chat.get_id())
             } else {
-                ChatId::new(0)
+                None
             };
 
             let msglist = context.search_msgs(chat, arg1).await;
diff --git a/src/context.rs b/src/context.rs
index a307e731d..d137785d3 100644
--- a/src/context.rs
+++ b/src/context.rs
@@ -457,48 +457,22 @@ impl Context {
             .unwrap_or_default()
     }
 
-    #[allow(non_snake_case)]
-    pub async fn search_msgs(&self, chat_id: ChatId, query: impl AsRef<str>) -> Vec<MsgId> {
+    /// Searches for messages containing the query string.
+    ///
+    /// If `chat_id` is provided this searches only for messages in this chat, if `chat_id`
+    /// is `None` this searches messages from all chats.
+    pub async fn search_msgs(&self, chat_id: Option<ChatId>, query: impl AsRef<str>) -> Vec<MsgId> {
         let real_query = query.as_ref().trim();
         if real_query.is_empty() {
             return Vec::new();
         }
-        let strLikeInText = format!("%{}%", real_query);
-        let strLikeBeg = format!("{}%", real_query);
+        let str_like_in_text = format!("%{}%", real_query);
+        let str_like_beg = format!("{}%", real_query);
 
-        let query = if !chat_id.is_unset() {
-            concat!(
-                "SELECT m.id AS id, m.timestamp AS timestamp",
-                " FROM msgs m",
-                " LEFT JOIN contacts ct",
-                "        ON m.from_id=ct.id",
-                " WHERE m.chat_id=?",
-                "   AND m.hidden=0",
-                "   AND ct.blocked=0",
-                "   AND (txt LIKE ? OR ct.name LIKE ?)",
-                " ORDER BY m.timestamp,m.id;"
-            )
-        } else {
-            concat!(
-                "SELECT m.id AS id, m.timestamp AS timestamp",
-                " FROM msgs m",
-                " LEFT JOIN contacts ct",
-                "        ON m.from_id=ct.id",
-                " LEFT JOIN chats c",
-                "        ON m.chat_id=c.id",
-                " WHERE m.chat_id>9",
-                "   AND m.hidden=0",
-                "   AND (c.blocked=0 OR c.blocked=?)",
-                "   AND ct.blocked=0",
-                "   AND (m.txt LIKE ? OR ct.name LIKE ?)",
-                " ORDER BY m.timestamp DESC,m.id DESC;"
-            )
-        };
-
-        self.sql
-            .query_map(
+        let do_query = |query, params| {
+            self.sql.query_map(
                 query,
-                paramsv![chat_id, strLikeInText, strLikeBeg],
+                params,
                 |row| row.get::<_, MsgId>("id"),
                 |rows| {
                     let mut ret = Vec::new();
@@ -508,8 +482,42 @@ impl Context {
                     Ok(ret)
                 },
             )
+        };
+
+        if let Some(chat_id) = chat_id {
+            do_query(
+                "SELECT m.id AS id, m.timestamp AS timestamp
+                 FROM msgs m
+                 LEFT JOIN contacts ct
+                        ON m.from_id=ct.id
+                 WHERE m.chat_id=?
+                   AND m.hidden=0
+                   AND ct.blocked=0
+                   AND (txt LIKE ? OR ct.name LIKE ?)
+                 ORDER BY m.timestamp,m.id;",
+                paramsv![chat_id, str_like_in_text, str_like_beg],
+            )
             .await
             .unwrap_or_default()
+        } else {
+            do_query(
+                "SELECT m.id AS id, m.timestamp AS timestamp
+                 FROM msgs m
+                 LEFT JOIN contacts ct
+                        ON m.from_id=ct.id
+                 LEFT JOIN chats c
+                        ON m.chat_id=c.id
+                 WHERE m.chat_id>9
+                   AND m.hidden=0
+                   AND c.blocked=0
+                   AND ct.blocked=0
+                   AND (m.txt LIKE ? OR ct.name LIKE ?)
+                 ORDER BY m.timestamp DESC,m.id DESC;",
+                paramsv![str_like_in_text, str_like_beg],
+            )
+            .await
+            .unwrap_or_default()
+        }
     }
 
     pub async fn is_inbox(&self, folder_name: impl AsRef<str>) -> bool {