diff --git a/public/partdb.js b/public/partdb.js
index 893efff..2ac988c 100644
--- a/public/partdb.js
+++ b/public/partdb.js
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ function search()
 		return;
 	}
 
-	last_search = '/search/' + terms.value;
+	last_search = '/search?terms=' + terms.value;
 	let xhr = new XMLHttpRequest();
 	xhr.open('GET', last_search, true);
 	xhr.onload = function() {
diff --git a/server.rb b/server.rb
index 6c847a9..02bf01f 100755
--- a/server.rb
+++ b/server.rb
@@ -174,11 +174,15 @@ get '/part/:name' do
   part.to_json
 end
 
-get '/search/:terms' do
-  terms = params['terms'].split(" ")
-  terms.keep_if {|term| term.length >= 3}
-  halt 400 if terms.empty?
-  # search in names, description, and category
+get '/part?' do
+  halt 404, "name required" unless params['name']
+  part = get_part_by_name(params['name'])
+  halt 404 unless part
+  part.to_json
+end
+
+# search in names, description, and category
+def search(terms)
   statements = []
   statements << @db.prepare("SELECT id FROM part WHERE name LIKE ?")
   statements << @db.prepare("SELECT id FROM part WHERE mpn LIKE ?")
@@ -211,6 +215,22 @@ get '/search/:terms' do
   parts.compact!
   parts = parts[0, PARTS_LIMIT]
   parts.sort! {|x,y| x["name"] <=> y["name"]}
+end
+
+get '/search/:terms' do
+  terms = params['terms'].split(" ")
+  terms.keep_if {|term| term.length >= 3}
+  halt 400 if terms.empty?
+  parts = search(terms)
+  parts.to_json
+end
+
+get '/search?' do
+  halt 400, "terms needed" unless params['terms']
+  terms = params['terms'].split(" ")
+  terms.keep_if {|term| term.length >= 3}
+  halt 400 if terms.empty?
+  parts = search(terms)
   parts.to_json
 end