diff --git a/pkg/registry/apis/dashboard/search.go b/pkg/registry/apis/dashboard/search.go
index 4818b9971cd..22a9c840f5f 100644
--- a/pkg/registry/apis/dashboard/search.go
+++ b/pkg/registry/apis/dashboard/search.go
@@ -192,6 +192,8 @@ func (s *SearchHandler) DoSortable(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	s.write(w, sortable)
 }
 
+const rootFolder = "general"
+
 func (s *SearchHandler) DoSearch(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	ctx, span := s.tracer.Start(r.Context(), "dashboard.search")
 	defer span.End()
@@ -234,6 +236,9 @@ func (s *SearchHandler) DoSearch(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	// Add the folder constraint. Note this does not do recursive search
 	folder := queryParams.Get("folder")
 	if folder != "" {
+		if folder == rootFolder {
+			folder = "" // root folder is empty in the search index
+		}
 		searchRequest.Options.Fields = []*resource.Requirement{{
 			Key:      "folder",
 			Operator: "=",
diff --git a/public/app/features/search/service/unified.ts b/public/app/features/search/service/unified.ts
index 04f4be200c5..65e8bbf82f5 100644
--- a/public/app/features/search/service/unified.ts
+++ b/public/app/features/search/service/unified.ts
@@ -58,12 +58,6 @@ export class UnifiedSearcher implements GrafanaSearcher {
     if (query.facet?.length) {
       throw new Error('facets not supported!');
     }
-
-    if (query.kind?.length === 1 && query.kind[0] === 'dashboard') {
-      // TODO: this is browse mode, so skip the search
-      return noDataResponse();
-    }
-
     return this.doSearchQuery(query);
   }