diff --git a/daemon.py b/daemon.py
index eaa2e9e1d..884b00ce5 100644
--- a/daemon.py
+++ b/daemon.py
@@ -1957,7 +1957,6 @@ class PubServer(BaseHTTPRequestHandler):
             actorStr=self.path.replace('/searchhandle','')
             length = int(self.headers['Content-length'])
             searchParams=self.rfile.read(length).decode('utf-8')
-            #print('******************searchParams '+searchParams)
             if 'searchtext=' in searchParams:
                 searchStr=searchParams.split('searchtext=')[1]
                 if '&' in searchStr:
diff --git a/utils.py b/utils.py
index e8e65dba3..3cea32ebb 100644
--- a/utils.py
+++ b/utils.py
@@ -238,3 +238,21 @@ def noOfAccounts(baseDir: str) -> bool:
                 if not account.startswith('inbox'):
                     accountCtr+=1
     return accountCtr
+
+def isPublicPost(postJsonObject: {}) -> bool:
+    """Returns true if the given post is public
+    """
+    if not postJsonObject.get('type'):
+        return False
+    if postJsonObject['type']!='Create':
+        return False
+    if not postJsonObject.get('object'):
+        return False
+    if not isinstance(postJsonObject['object'], dict):
+        return False
+    if not postJsonObject['object'].get('to'):
+        return False
+    for recipient in postJsonObject['object']['to']:
+        if recipient.endswith('#Public'):
+            return True
+    return False
diff --git a/webinterface.py b/webinterface.py
index e80c1c7cf..00a8bd0ef 100644
--- a/webinterface.py
+++ b/webinterface.py
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ from utils import getNicknameFromActor
 from utils import getDomainFromActor
 from utils import locatePost
 from utils import noOfAccounts
+from utils import isPublicPost
 from follow import isFollowingActor
 from webfinger import webfingerHandle
 from posts import getPersonBox
@@ -79,31 +80,13 @@ def htmlHashtagSearch(baseDir: str,hashtag: str,pageNumber: int,postsPerPage: in
             continue
         with open(postFilename, 'r') as fp:
             postJsonObject=commentjson.load(fp)
-            if not postJsonObject.get('type'):
+            if not isPublicPost(postJsonObject):
                 index-=1
                 continue
-            if postJsonObject['type']!='Create':
-                index-=1
-                continue
-            if not postJsonObject.get('object'):
-                index-=1
-                continue
-            if not isinstance(postJsonObject['object'], dict):
-                index-=1
-                continue
-            if not postJsonObject['object'].get('to'):
-                index-=1
-                continue
-            isPublic=False
-            for recipient in postJsonObject['object']['to']:
-                if recipient.endswith('#Public'):
-                    isPublic=True
-                    break
-            if isPublic:
-                hashtagSearchForm+= \
-                    individualPostAsHtml(baseDir,session,wfRequest,personCache, \
-                                         nickname,domain,port,postJsonObject, \
-                                         None,True,False,False)
+            hashtagSearchForm+= \
+                individualPostAsHtml(baseDir,session,wfRequest,personCache, \
+                                     nickname,domain,port,postJsonObject, \
+                                     None,True,False,False)
         index-=1
 
     if endIndex>0: