diff --git a/app/logical/post_query_builder.rb b/app/logical/post_query_builder.rb
index 7ae704637..0e7eba29c 100644
--- a/app/logical/post_query_builder.rb
+++ b/app/logical/post_query_builder.rb
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ class PostQueryBuilder
   METATAGS = %w[
     -user user -approver approver -commenter commenter comm -noter noter
     -noteupdater noteupdater artcomm -pool pool ordpool -favgroup favgroup -fav
-    fav ordfav md5 -rating rating -locked locked width height mpixels ratio
+    fav -ordfav ordfav md5 -rating rating -locked locked width height mpixels ratio
     score favcount filesize source -source id -id date age order limit -status
     status tagcount parent -parent child pixiv_id pixiv search -upvote upvote
     -downvote downvote filetype -filetype flagger -flagger appealer -appealer
@@ -475,8 +475,6 @@ class PostQueryBuilder
       relation = relation.bit_flags_match(:has_embedded_notes, false)
     end
 
-    relation = add_tag_string_search_relation(q[:tags], relation)
-
     if q[:ordpool].present?
       pool_name = q[:ordpool]
 
@@ -511,12 +509,40 @@ class PostQueryBuilder
       relation = add_user_subquery_relation(PostVote.negative.visible(CurrentUser.user), downvoter, relation, field: :user).negate
     end
 
-    if q[:ordfav].present?
-      user_id = q[:ordfav].to_i
-      relation = relation.joins("INNER JOIN favorites ON favorites.post_id = posts.id")
-      relation = relation.where("favorites.user_id % 100 = ? and favorites.user_id = ?", user_id % 100, user_id).order("favorites.id DESC")
+    q[:fav_neg].to_a.each do |username|
+      favuser = User.find_by_name(username)
+
+      if favuser.present? && Pundit.policy!([CurrentUser.user, nil], favuser).can_see_favorites?
+        q[:tags][:exclude] << "fav:#{favuser.id}"
+      else
+        relation = relation.all # no-op; excluding a nonexistent user returns everything
+      end
     end
 
+    q[:fav].to_a.each do |username|
+      favuser = User.find_by_name(username)
+
+      if favuser.present? && Pundit.policy!([CurrentUser.user, nil], favuser).can_see_favorites?
+        q[:tags][:related] << "fav:#{favuser.id}"
+      else
+        relation = relation.none
+      end
+    end
+
+    q[:ordfav].to_a.each do |username|
+      favuser = User.find_by_name(username)
+
+      if favuser.present? && Pundit.policy!([CurrentUser.user, nil], favuser).can_see_favorites?
+        q[:tags][:related] << "fav:#{favuser.id}"
+        relation = relation.joins("INNER JOIN favorites ON favorites.post_id = posts.id")
+        relation = relation.where("favorites.user_id % 100 = ? and favorites.user_id = ?", favuser.id % 100, favuser.id).order("favorites.id DESC")
+      else
+        relation = relation.none
+      end
+    end
+
+    relation = add_tag_string_search_relation(q[:tags], relation)
+
     # HACK: if we're using a date: or age: metatag, default to ordering by
     # created_at instead of id so that the query will use the created_at index.
     if q[:date].present? || q[:age].present?
@@ -791,33 +817,17 @@ class PostQueryBuilder
               q[:favgroup] ||= []
               q[:favgroup] << g2
 
-            when "-fav"
-              favuser = User.find_by_name(g2)
-
-              if favuser.nil? || !Pundit.policy!([CurrentUser.user, nil], favuser).can_see_favorites?
-                raise User::PrivilegeError
-              end
-
-              q[:tags][:exclude] << "fav:#{favuser.id}"
+            when "-fav", "-ordfav"
+              q[:fav_neg] ||= []
+              q[:fav_neg] << g2
 
             when "fav"
-              favuser = User.find_by_name(g2)
-
-              if favuser.nil? || !Pundit.policy!([CurrentUser.user, nil], favuser).can_see_favorites?
-                raise User::PrivilegeError
-              end
-
-              q[:tags][:related] << "fav:#{favuser.id}"
+              q[:fav] ||= []
+              q[:fav] << g2
 
             when "ordfav"
-              favuser = User.find_by_name(g2)
-
-              if favuser.nil? || !Pundit.policy!([CurrentUser.user, nil], favuser).can_see_favorites?
-                raise User::PrivilegeError.new
-              end
-
-              q[:tags][:related] << "fav:#{favuser.id}"
-              q[:ordfav] = favuser.id
+              q[:ordfav] ||= []
+              q[:ordfav] << g2
 
             when "search"
               q[:saved_searches] ||= []
diff --git a/test/unit/post_test.rb b/test/unit/post_test.rb
index 90929ae73..a45388097 100644
--- a/test/unit/post_test.rb
+++ b/test/unit/post_test.rb
@@ -2016,13 +2016,25 @@ class PostTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
     end
 
     should "return posts for the fav:<name> metatag" do
-      users = FactoryBot.create_list(:user, 2)
-      posts = users.map do |u|
-        CurrentUser.scoped(u) { FactoryBot.create(:post, tag_string: "fav:#{u.name}") }
-      end
+      user1 = create(:user)
+      user2 = create(:user)
+      user3 = create(:user, enable_private_favorites: true)
+      post1 = as(user1) { create(:post, tag_string: "fav:true") }
+      post2 = as(user2) { create(:post, tag_string: "fav:true") }
+      post3 = as(user3) { create(:post, tag_string: "fav:true") }
 
-      assert_tag_match([posts[0]], "fav:#{users[0].name}")
-      assert_tag_match([posts[1]], "-fav:#{users[0].name}")
+      assert_tag_match([post1], "fav:#{user1.name}")
+      assert_tag_match([post2], "fav:#{user2.name}")
+      assert_tag_match([], "fav:#{user3.name}")
+      assert_tag_match([], "fav:dne")
+
+      assert_tag_match([post3, post2], "-fav:#{user1.name}")
+      assert_tag_match([post3, post2, post1], "-fav:dne")
+
+      as(user3) do
+        assert_tag_match([post3], "fav:#{user3.name}")
+        assert_tag_match([post2, post1], "-fav:#{user3.name}")
+      end
     end
 
     should "return posts for the ordfav:<name> metatag" do