diff --git a/apps/activity/api/views.py b/apps/activity/api/views.py
index ae9347c7..edc02c5e 100644
--- a/apps/activity/api/views.py
+++ b/apps/activity/api/views.py
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 # Copyright (C) 2018-2021 by BDE ENS Paris-Saclay
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-or-later
 
-from api.viewsets import ReadProtectedModelViewSet
 from django_filters.rest_framework import DjangoFilterBackend
-from rest_framework.filters import SearchFilter
+
+from api.filters import RegexSafeSearchFilter
+from api.viewsets import ReadProtectedModelViewSet
 
 from .serializers import ActivitySerializer, ActivityTypeSerializer, EntrySerializer, GuestSerializer
 from ..models import Activity, ActivityType, Entry, Guest
@@ -29,7 +30,7 @@ class ActivityViewSet(ReadProtectedModelViewSet):
     """
     queryset = Activity.objects.order_by('id')
     serializer_class = ActivitySerializer
-    filter_backends = [DjangoFilterBackend, SearchFilter]
+    filter_backends = [DjangoFilterBackend, RegexSafeSearchFilter]
     filterset_fields = ['name', 'description', 'activity_type', 'location', 'creater', 'organizer', 'attendees_club',
                         'date_start', 'date_end', 'valid', 'open', ]
     search_fields = ['$name', '$description', '$location', '$creater__last_name', '$creater__first_name',
@@ -47,7 +48,7 @@ class GuestViewSet(ReadProtectedModelViewSet):
     """
     queryset = Guest.objects.order_by('id')
     serializer_class = GuestSerializer
-    filter_backends = [DjangoFilterBackend, SearchFilter]
+    filter_backends = [DjangoFilterBackend, RegexSafeSearchFilter]
     filterset_fields = ['activity', 'activity__name', 'last_name', 'first_name', 'inviter', 'inviter__alias__name',
                         'inviter__alias__normalized_name', ]
     search_fields = ['$activity__name', '$last_name', '$first_name', '$inviter__user__email', '$inviter__alias__name',
@@ -62,7 +63,7 @@ class EntryViewSet(ReadProtectedModelViewSet):
     """
     queryset = Entry.objects.order_by('id')
     serializer_class = EntrySerializer
-    filter_backends = [DjangoFilterBackend, SearchFilter]
+    filter_backends = [DjangoFilterBackend, RegexSafeSearchFilter]
     filterset_fields = ['activity', 'time', 'note', 'guest', ]
     search_fields = ['$activity__name', '$note__user__email', '$note__alias__name', '$note__alias__normalized_name',
                      '$guest__last_name', '$guest__first_name', ]
diff --git a/apps/api/filters.py b/apps/api/filters.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..cb51c37c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/api/filters.py
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+import re
+from functools import lru_cache
+
+from rest_framework.filters import SearchFilter
+
+
+class RegexSafeSearchFilter(SearchFilter):
+    @lru_cache
+    def validate_regex(self, search_term) -> bool:
+        try:
+            re.compile(search_term)
+            return True
+        except re.error:
+            return False
+
+    def get_search_fields(self, view, request):
+        """
+        Ensure that given regex are valid.
+        If not, we consider that the user is trying to search by substring.
+        """
+        search_fields = super().get_search_fields(view, request)
+        search_terms = self.get_search_terms(request)
+
+        for search_term in search_terms:
+            if not self.validate_regex(search_term):
+                # Invalid regex. We assume we don't query by regex but by substring.
+                search_fields = [f.replace('$', '') for f in search_fields]
+                break
+
+        return search_fields
+
+    def get_search_terms(self, request):
+        """
+        Ensure that search field is a valid regex query. If not, we remove extra characters.
+        """
+        terms = super().get_search_terms(request)
+        if not all(self.validate_regex(term) for term in terms):
+            # Invalid regex. If a ^ is prefixed to the search term, we remove it.
+            terms = [term[1:] if term[0] == '^' else term for term in terms]
+            # Same for dollars.
+            terms = [term[:-1] if term[-1] == '$' else term for term in terms]
+        return terms
diff --git a/apps/api/tests.py b/apps/api/tests.py
index 36de0658..091e5d77 100644
--- a/apps/api/tests.py
+++ b/apps/api/tests.py
@@ -12,11 +12,13 @@ from django.contrib.contenttypes.models import ContentType
 from django.db.models.fields.files import ImageFieldFile
 from django.test import TestCase
 from django_filters.rest_framework import DjangoFilterBackend
+from phonenumbers import PhoneNumber
+from rest_framework.filters import OrderingFilter
+
+from api.filters import RegexSafeSearchFilter
 from member.models import Membership, Club
 from note.models import NoteClub, NoteUser, Alias, Note
 from permission.models import PermissionMask, Permission, Role
-from phonenumbers import PhoneNumber
-from rest_framework.filters import SearchFilter, OrderingFilter
 
 from .viewsets import ContentTypeViewSet, UserViewSet
 
@@ -87,7 +89,7 @@ class TestAPI(TestCase):
                     resp = self.client.get(url + f"?ordering=-{field}")
                     self.assertEqual(resp.status_code, 200)
 
-            if SearchFilter in backends:
+            if RegexSafeSearchFilter in backends:
                 # Basic search
                 for field in viewset.search_fields:
                     obj = self.fix_note_object(obj, field)
diff --git a/apps/api/viewsets.py b/apps/api/viewsets.py
index faeadee1..2f804774 100644
--- a/apps/api/viewsets.py
+++ b/apps/api/viewsets.py
@@ -6,11 +6,11 @@ from django_filters.rest_framework import DjangoFilterBackend
 from django.db.models import Q
 from django.conf import settings
 from django.contrib.auth.models import User
-from rest_framework.filters import SearchFilter
 from rest_framework.viewsets import ReadOnlyModelViewSet, ModelViewSet
 from permission.backends import PermissionBackend
 from note.models import Alias
 
+from .filters import RegexSafeSearchFilter
 from .serializers import UserSerializer, ContentTypeSerializer
 
 
@@ -107,6 +107,6 @@ class ContentTypeViewSet(ReadOnlyModelViewSet):
     """
     queryset = ContentType.objects.order_by('id')
     serializer_class = ContentTypeSerializer
-    filter_backends = [DjangoFilterBackend, SearchFilter]
+    filter_backends = [DjangoFilterBackend, RegexSafeSearchFilter]
     filterset_fields = ['id', 'app_label', 'model', ]
     search_fields = ['$app_label', '$model', ]
diff --git a/apps/logs/api/views.py b/apps/logs/api/views.py
index eab1f1e4..38155729 100644
--- a/apps/logs/api/views.py
+++ b/apps/logs/api/views.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 
 from django_filters.rest_framework import DjangoFilterBackend
 from rest_framework.filters import OrderingFilter
+
 from api.viewsets import ReadOnlyProtectedModelViewSet
 
 from .serializers import ChangelogSerializer
diff --git a/apps/member/api/views.py b/apps/member/api/views.py
index 43127507..45dd2a07 100644
--- a/apps/member/api/views.py
+++ b/apps/member/api/views.py
@@ -2,7 +2,9 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-or-later
 
 from django_filters.rest_framework import DjangoFilterBackend
-from rest_framework.filters import OrderingFilter, SearchFilter
+from rest_framework.filters import OrderingFilter
+
+from api.filters import RegexSafeSearchFilter
 from api.viewsets import ReadProtectedModelViewSet
 
 from .serializers import ProfileSerializer, ClubSerializer, MembershipSerializer
@@ -17,7 +19,7 @@ class ProfileViewSet(ReadProtectedModelViewSet):
     """
     queryset = Profile.objects.order_by('id')
     serializer_class = ProfileSerializer
-    filter_backends = [DjangoFilterBackend, SearchFilter]
+    filter_backends = [DjangoFilterBackend, RegexSafeSearchFilter]
     filterset_fields = ['user', 'user__first_name', 'user__last_name', 'user__username', 'user__email',
                         'user__note__alias__name', 'user__note__alias__normalized_name', 'phone_number', "section",
                         'department', 'promotion', 'address', 'paid', 'ml_events_registration', 'ml_sport_registration',
@@ -34,7 +36,7 @@ class ClubViewSet(ReadProtectedModelViewSet):
     """
     queryset = Club.objects.order_by('id')
     serializer_class = ClubSerializer
-    filter_backends = [DjangoFilterBackend, SearchFilter]
+    filter_backends = [DjangoFilterBackend, RegexSafeSearchFilter]
     filterset_fields = ['name', 'email', 'note__alias__name', 'note__alias__normalized_name', 'parent_club',
                         'parent_club__name', 'require_memberships', 'membership_fee_paid', 'membership_fee_unpaid',
                         'membership_duration', 'membership_start', 'membership_end', ]
@@ -49,7 +51,7 @@ class MembershipViewSet(ReadProtectedModelViewSet):
     """
     queryset = Membership.objects.order_by('id')
     serializer_class = MembershipSerializer
-    filter_backends = [DjangoFilterBackend, OrderingFilter, SearchFilter]
+    filter_backends = [DjangoFilterBackend, OrderingFilter, RegexSafeSearchFilter]
     filterset_fields = ['club__name', 'club__email', 'club__note__alias__name', 'club__note__alias__normalized_name',
                         'user__username', 'user__last_name', 'user__first_name', 'user__email',
                         'user__note__alias__name', 'user__note__alias__normalized_name',
diff --git a/apps/note/api/views.py b/apps/note/api/views.py
index a228bdf6..816cb0ec 100644
--- a/apps/note/api/views.py
+++ b/apps/note/api/views.py
@@ -1,15 +1,18 @@
 # Copyright (C) 2018-2021 by BDE ENS Paris-Saclay
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-or-later
+
 import re
 
 from django.conf import settings
 from django.db.models import Q
 from django.core.exceptions import ValidationError
 from django_filters.rest_framework import DjangoFilterBackend
-from rest_framework.filters import OrderingFilter, SearchFilter
+from rest_framework.filters import OrderingFilter
 from rest_framework import viewsets
 from rest_framework.response import Response
 from rest_framework import status
+
+from api.filters import RegexSafeSearchFilter
 from api.viewsets import ReadProtectedModelViewSet, ReadOnlyProtectedModelViewSet
 from permission.backends import PermissionBackend
 
@@ -28,7 +31,7 @@ class NotePolymorphicViewSet(ReadProtectedModelViewSet):
     """
     queryset = Note.objects.order_by('id')
     serializer_class = NotePolymorphicSerializer
-    filter_backends = [DjangoFilterBackend, SearchFilter, OrderingFilter]
+    filter_backends = [DjangoFilterBackend, RegexSafeSearchFilter, OrderingFilter]
     filterset_fields = ['alias__name', 'polymorphic_ctype', 'is_active', 'balance', 'last_negative', 'created_at', ]
     search_fields = ['$alias__normalized_name', '$alias__name', '$polymorphic_ctype__model',
                      '$noteuser__user__last_name', '$noteuser__user__first_name', '$noteuser__user__email',
@@ -64,7 +67,7 @@ class AliasViewSet(ReadProtectedModelViewSet):
     """
     queryset = Alias.objects
     serializer_class = AliasSerializer
-    filter_backends = [SearchFilter, DjangoFilterBackend, OrderingFilter]
+    filter_backends = [RegexSafeSearchFilter, DjangoFilterBackend, OrderingFilter]
     search_fields = ['$normalized_name', '$name', '$note__polymorphic_ctype__model', ]
     filterset_fields = ['name', 'normalized_name', 'note', 'note__noteuser__user',
                         'note__noteclub__club', 'note__polymorphic_ctype__model', ]
@@ -116,7 +119,7 @@ class AliasViewSet(ReadProtectedModelViewSet):
 class ConsumerViewSet(ReadOnlyProtectedModelViewSet):
     queryset = Alias.objects
     serializer_class = ConsumerSerializer
-    filter_backends = [SearchFilter, OrderingFilter, DjangoFilterBackend]
+    filter_backends = [RegexSafeSearchFilter, OrderingFilter, DjangoFilterBackend]
     search_fields = ['$normalized_name', '$name', '$note__polymorphic_ctype__model', ]
     filterset_fields = ['name', 'normalized_name', 'note', 'note__noteuser__user',
                         'note__noteclub__club', 'note__polymorphic_ctype__model', ]
@@ -176,7 +179,7 @@ class TemplateCategoryViewSet(ReadProtectedModelViewSet):
     """
     queryset = TemplateCategory.objects.order_by('name')
     serializer_class = TemplateCategorySerializer
-    filter_backends = [DjangoFilterBackend, SearchFilter]
+    filter_backends = [DjangoFilterBackend, RegexSafeSearchFilter]
     filterset_fields = ['name', 'templates', 'templates__name']
     search_fields = ['$name', '$templates__name', ]
 
@@ -189,7 +192,7 @@ class TransactionTemplateViewSet(viewsets.ModelViewSet):
     """
     queryset = TransactionTemplate.objects.order_by('name')
     serializer_class = TransactionTemplateSerializer
-    filter_backends = [SearchFilter, DjangoFilterBackend, OrderingFilter]
+    filter_backends = [RegexSafeSearchFilter, DjangoFilterBackend, OrderingFilter]
     filterset_fields = ['name', 'amount', 'display', 'category', 'category__name', ]
     search_fields = ['$name', '$category__name', ]
     ordering_fields = ['amount', ]
@@ -203,7 +206,7 @@ class TransactionViewSet(ReadProtectedModelViewSet):
     """
     queryset = Transaction.objects.order_by('-created_at')
     serializer_class = TransactionPolymorphicSerializer
-    filter_backends = [SearchFilter, DjangoFilterBackend, OrderingFilter]
+    filter_backends = [RegexSafeSearchFilter, DjangoFilterBackend, OrderingFilter]
     filterset_fields = ['source', 'source_alias', 'source__alias__name', 'source__alias__normalized_name',
                         'destination', 'destination_alias', 'destination__alias__name',
                         'destination__alias__normalized_name', 'quantity', 'polymorphic_ctype', 'amount',
diff --git a/apps/permission/api/views.py b/apps/permission/api/views.py
index 2db14e00..dbd75452 100644
--- a/apps/permission/api/views.py
+++ b/apps/permission/api/views.py
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 # Copyright (C) 2018-2021 by BDE ENS Paris-Saclay
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-or-later
 
-from api.viewsets import ReadOnlyProtectedModelViewSet
 from django_filters.rest_framework import DjangoFilterBackend
-from rest_framework.filters import SearchFilter
+
+from api.filters import RegexSafeSearchFilter
+from api.viewsets import ReadOnlyProtectedModelViewSet
 
 from .serializers import PermissionSerializer, RoleSerializer
 from ..models import Permission, Role
@@ -17,7 +18,7 @@ class PermissionViewSet(ReadOnlyProtectedModelViewSet):
     """
     queryset = Permission.objects.order_by('id')
     serializer_class = PermissionSerializer
-    filter_backends = [DjangoFilterBackend, SearchFilter]
+    filter_backends = [DjangoFilterBackend, RegexSafeSearchFilter]
     filterset_fields = ['model', 'type', 'query', 'mask', 'field', 'permanent', ]
     search_fields = ['$model__name', '$query', '$description', ]
 
@@ -30,6 +31,6 @@ class RoleViewSet(ReadOnlyProtectedModelViewSet):
     """
     queryset = Role.objects.order_by('id')
     serializer_class = RoleSerializer
-    filter_backends = [DjangoFilterBackend, SearchFilter]
+    filter_backends = [DjangoFilterBackend, RegexSafeSearchFilter]
     filterset_fields = ['name', 'permissions', 'for_club', 'memberships__user', ]
     search_fields = ['$name', '$for_club__name', ]
diff --git a/apps/treasury/api/views.py b/apps/treasury/api/views.py
index e6ba9ced..890d0e5f 100644
--- a/apps/treasury/api/views.py
+++ b/apps/treasury/api/views.py
@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-or-later
 
 from django_filters.rest_framework import DjangoFilterBackend
-from rest_framework.filters import SearchFilter
+
+from api.filters import RegexSafeSearchFilter
 from api.viewsets import ReadProtectedModelViewSet
 
 from .serializers import InvoiceSerializer, ProductSerializer, RemittanceTypeSerializer, RemittanceSerializer,\
@@ -18,7 +19,7 @@ class InvoiceViewSet(ReadProtectedModelViewSet):
     """
     queryset = Invoice.objects.order_by('id')
     serializer_class = InvoiceSerializer
-    filter_backends = [DjangoFilterBackend, SearchFilter]
+    filter_backends = [DjangoFilterBackend, RegexSafeSearchFilter]
     filterset_fields = ['bde', 'object', 'description', 'name', 'address', 'date', 'acquitted', 'locked', ]
     search_fields = ['$object', '$description', '$name', '$address', ]
 
@@ -31,7 +32,7 @@ class ProductViewSet(ReadProtectedModelViewSet):
     """
     queryset = Product.objects.order_by('invoice_id', 'id')
     serializer_class = ProductSerializer
-    filter_backends = [DjangoFilterBackend, SearchFilter]
+    filter_backends = [DjangoFilterBackend, RegexSafeSearchFilter]
     filterset_fields = ['invoice', 'designation', 'quantity', 'amount', ]
     search_fields = ['$designation', '$invoice__object', ]
 
@@ -44,7 +45,7 @@ class RemittanceTypeViewSet(ReadProtectedModelViewSet):
     """
     queryset = RemittanceType.objects.order_by('id')
     serializer_class = RemittanceTypeSerializer
-    filter_backends = [DjangoFilterBackend, SearchFilter]
+    filter_backends = [DjangoFilterBackend, RegexSafeSearchFilter]
     filterset_fields = ['note', ]
     search_fields = ['$note__special_type', ]
 
@@ -57,7 +58,7 @@ class RemittanceViewSet(ReadProtectedModelViewSet):
     """
     queryset = Remittance.objects.order_by('id')
     serializer_class = RemittanceSerializer
-    filter_backends = [DjangoFilterBackend, SearchFilter]
+    filter_backends = [DjangoFilterBackend, RegexSafeSearchFilter]
     filterset_fields = ['date', 'remittance_type', 'comment', 'closed', 'transaction_proxies__transaction', ]
     search_fields = ['$remittance_type__note__special_type', '$comment', ]
 
@@ -70,7 +71,7 @@ class SogeCreditViewSet(ReadProtectedModelViewSet):
     """
     queryset = SogeCredit.objects.order_by('id')
     serializer_class = SogeCreditSerializer
-    filter_backends = [DjangoFilterBackend, SearchFilter]
+    filter_backends = [DjangoFilterBackend, RegexSafeSearchFilter]
     filterset_fields = ['user', 'user__last_name', 'user__first_name', 'user__email', 'user__note__alias__name',
                         'user__note__alias__normalized_name', 'transactions', 'credit_transaction', ]
     search_fields = ['$user__last_name', '$user__first_name', '$user__email', '$user__note__alias__name',
diff --git a/apps/wei/api/views.py b/apps/wei/api/views.py
index bad8ff68..22c5383f 100644
--- a/apps/wei/api/views.py
+++ b/apps/wei/api/views.py
@@ -2,7 +2,9 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-or-later
 
 from django_filters.rest_framework import DjangoFilterBackend
-from rest_framework.filters import OrderingFilter, SearchFilter
+from rest_framework.filters import OrderingFilter
+
+from api.filters import RegexSafeSearchFilter
 from api.viewsets import ReadProtectedModelViewSet
 
 from .serializers import WEIClubSerializer, BusSerializer, BusTeamSerializer, WEIRoleSerializer, \
@@ -18,7 +20,7 @@ class WEIClubViewSet(ReadProtectedModelViewSet):
     """
     queryset = WEIClub.objects.order_by('id')
     serializer_class = WEIClubSerializer
-    filter_backends = [DjangoFilterBackend, SearchFilter]
+    filter_backends = [DjangoFilterBackend, RegexSafeSearchFilter]
     filterset_fields = ['name', 'year', 'date_start', 'date_end', 'email', 'note__alias__name',
                         'note__alias__normalized_name', 'parent_club', 'parent_club__name', 'require_memberships',
                         'membership_fee_paid', 'membership_fee_unpaid', 'membership_duration', 'membership_start',
@@ -34,7 +36,7 @@ class BusViewSet(ReadProtectedModelViewSet):
     """
     queryset = Bus.objects.order_by('id')
     serializer_class = BusSerializer
-    filter_backends = [DjangoFilterBackend, SearchFilter]
+    filter_backends = [DjangoFilterBackend, RegexSafeSearchFilter]
     filterset_fields = ['name', 'wei', 'description', ]
     search_fields = ['$name', '$wei__name', '$description', ]
 
@@ -47,7 +49,7 @@ class BusTeamViewSet(ReadProtectedModelViewSet):
     """
     queryset = BusTeam.objects.order_by('id')
     serializer_class = BusTeamSerializer
-    filter_backends = [DjangoFilterBackend, SearchFilter]
+    filter_backends = [DjangoFilterBackend, RegexSafeSearchFilter]
     filterset_fields = ['name', 'bus', 'color', 'description', 'bus__wei', ]
     search_fields = ['$name', '$bus__name', '$bus__wei__name', '$description', ]
 
@@ -60,7 +62,7 @@ class WEIRoleViewSet(ReadProtectedModelViewSet):
     """
     queryset = WEIRole.objects.order_by('id')
     serializer_class = WEIRoleSerializer
-    filter_backends = [DjangoFilterBackend, SearchFilter]
+    filter_backends = [DjangoFilterBackend, RegexSafeSearchFilter]
     filterset_fields = ['name', 'permissions', 'memberships', ]
     search_fields = ['$name', ]
 
@@ -73,7 +75,7 @@ class WEIRegistrationViewSet(ReadProtectedModelViewSet):
     """
     queryset = WEIRegistration.objects.order_by('id')
     serializer_class = WEIRegistrationSerializer
-    filter_backends = [DjangoFilterBackend, SearchFilter]
+    filter_backends = [DjangoFilterBackend, RegexSafeSearchFilter]
     filterset_fields = ['user', 'user__username', 'user__first_name', 'user__last_name', 'user__email',
                         'user__note__alias__name', 'user__note__alias__normalized_name', 'wei', 'wei__name',
                         'wei__email', 'wei__year', 'soge_credit', 'caution_check', 'birth_date', 'gender',
@@ -92,7 +94,7 @@ class WEIMembershipViewSet(ReadProtectedModelViewSet):
     """
     queryset = WEIMembership.objects.order_by('id')
     serializer_class = WEIMembershipSerializer
-    filter_backends = [DjangoFilterBackend, OrderingFilter, SearchFilter]
+    filter_backends = [DjangoFilterBackend, OrderingFilter, RegexSafeSearchFilter]
     filterset_fields = ['club__name', 'club__email', 'club__note__alias__name',
                         'club__note__alias__normalized_name', 'user__username', 'user__last_name',
                         'user__first_name', 'user__email', 'user__note__alias__name',