diff --git a/daemon.py b/daemon.py
index 67afb681f..d47349ecc 100644
--- a/daemon.py
+++ b/daemon.py
@@ -2357,9 +2357,12 @@ class PubServer(BaseHTTPRequestHandler):
             return
 
         searchForEmoji=False
-        if authorized and self.path.endswith('/searchhandleemoji'):
+        if self.path.endswith('/searchhandleemoji'):
             searchForEmoji=True
             self.path=self.path.replace('/searchhandleemoji','/searchhandle')
+            if self.server.debug:
+                print('DEBUG: searching for emoji')
+                print('authorized: '+str(authorized))
 
         # a search was made
         if authorized and \