diff --git a/spec/search/parser.spec.ts b/spec/search/parser.spec.ts
index cf5d3315d..7774a8d1e 100644
--- a/spec/search/parser.spec.ts
+++ b/spec/search/parser.spec.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 // but we access properties like "subExpressions" which is not defined in the "Expression" class.
 
 import Expression from "../../src/services/search/expressions/expression.js";
+import OrderByAndLimitExp from "../../src/services/search/expressions/order_by_and_limit.js";
 import SearchContext from "../../src/services/search/search_context.js";
 import parse from "../../src/services/search/services/parse.js";
 
@@ -244,6 +245,21 @@ describe("Parser", () => {
         expect(thirdSub.constructor.name).toEqual("AttributeExistsExp");
         expect(thirdSub.attributeName).toEqual("fourth");
     });
+
+    it("parses limit without order by", () => {
+        const rootExp = parse({
+            fulltextTokens: tokens(["hello", "hi"]),
+            expressionTokens: [],
+            searchContext: new SearchContext({
+                excludeArchived: true,
+                limit: 2
+            })
+        });
+
+        expect(rootExp).toBeInstanceOf(OrderByAndLimitExp);
+        expect(rootExp.limit).toBe(2);
+        expect(rootExp.subExpression).toBeInstanceOf(AndExp);
+    });
 });
 
 describe("Invalid expressions", () => {
diff --git a/src/services/search/services/parse.ts b/src/services/search/services/parse.ts
index 25ff8395a..1a0fcce23 100644
--- a/src/services/search/services/parse.ts
+++ b/src/services/search/services/parse.ts
@@ -441,6 +441,12 @@ function parse({ fulltextTokens, expressionTokens, searchContext }: { fulltextTo
         expression
     ]);
 
+    if (searchContext.limit && !searchContext.orderBy) {
+        const filterExp = exp;
+        exp = new OrderByAndLimitExp([], searchContext.limit || undefined );
+        (exp as any).subExpression = filterExp;
+    }
+
     if (searchContext.orderBy && searchContext.orderBy !== "relevancy") {
         const filterExp = exp;