diff --git a/src/search_filter/explicit_filter.py b/src/search_filter/explicit_filter.py
index a719bcdd..e3b5bb9f 100644
--- a/src/search_filter/explicit_filter.py
+++ b/src/search_filter/explicit_filter.py
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@ logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 class ExplicitFilter:
     # Filter Regex
-    required_regex = r'\+([^\s]+) ?'
-    blocked_regex = r'\-([^\s]+) ?'
+    required_regex = r'\+"(\w+)" ?'
+    blocked_regex = r'\-"(\w+)" ?'
 
     def __init__(self, filter_directory, search_type: SearchType, entry_key='raw'):
         self.filter_file = resolve_absolute_path(filter_directory / f"{search_type.name.lower()}_explicit_filter_entry_word_sets.pkl")
diff --git a/tests/test_client.py b/tests/test_client.py
index a80b2fa1..e9b632be 100644
--- a/tests/test_client.py
+++ b/tests/test_client.py
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ def test_notes_search(content_config: ContentConfig, search_config: SearchConfig
 def test_notes_search_with_include_filter(content_config: ContentConfig, search_config: SearchConfig):
     # Arrange
     model.orgmode_search = text_search.setup(org_to_jsonl, content_config.org, search_config.asymmetric, SearchType.Org, regenerate=False)
-    user_query = "How to git install application? +Emacs"
+    user_query = 'How to git install application? +"Emacs"'
 
     # Act
     response = client.get(f"/search?q={user_query}&n=1&t=org")
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ def test_notes_search_with_include_filter(content_config: ContentConfig, search_
 def test_notes_search_with_exclude_filter(content_config: ContentConfig, search_config: SearchConfig):
     # Arrange
     model.orgmode_search = text_search.setup(org_to_jsonl, content_config.org, search_config.asymmetric, SearchType.Org, regenerate=False)
-    user_query = "How to git install application? -clone"
+    user_query = 'How to git install application? -"clone"'
 
     # Act
     response = client.get(f"/search?q={user_query}&n=1&t=org")
diff --git a/tests/test_explicit_filter.py b/tests/test_explicit_filter.py
index 9d4c022a..5f34b0ac 100644
--- a/tests/test_explicit_filter.py
+++ b/tests/test_explicit_filter.py
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ def test_explicit_exclude_filter(tmp_path):
     # Arrange
     explicit_filter = ExplicitFilter(tmp_path, SearchType.Org)
     embeddings, entries = arrange_content()
-    q_with_exclude_filter = 'head -exclude_word tail'
+    q_with_exclude_filter = 'head -"exclude_word" tail'
 
     # Act
     can_filter = explicit_filter.can_filter(q_with_exclude_filter)
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ def test_explicit_include_filter(tmp_path):
     # Arrange
     explicit_filter = ExplicitFilter(tmp_path, SearchType.Org)
     embeddings, entries = arrange_content()
-    query_with_include_filter = 'head +include_word tail'
+    query_with_include_filter = 'head +"include_word" tail'
 
     # Act
     can_filter = explicit_filter.can_filter(query_with_include_filter)
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ def test_explicit_include_and_exclude_filter(tmp_path):
     # Arrange
     explicit_filter = ExplicitFilter(tmp_path, SearchType.Org)
     embeddings, entries = arrange_content()
-    query_with_include_and_exclude_filter = 'head +include_word -exclude_word tail'
+    query_with_include_and_exclude_filter = 'head +"include_word" -"exclude_word" tail'
 
     # Act
     can_filter = explicit_filter.can_filter(query_with_include_and_exclude_filter)