diff --git a/lib/handlers/on-search.js b/lib/handlers/on-search.js
index 4affb843..03cd1e2b 100644
--- a/lib/handlers/on-search.js
+++ b/lib/handlers/on-search.js
@@ -359,6 +359,7 @@ module.exports = server => (mailbox, options, session, callback) => {
                     uid: true,
                     modseq: true
                 })
+                .setReadPreference('secondaryPreferred')
                 .maxTimeMS(consts.DB_MAX_TIME_MESSAGES);
 
             let highestModseq = 0;