diff --git a/app/logical/post_query_builder.rb b/app/logical/post_query_builder.rb
index 46b687f12..ddc739f39 100644
--- a/app/logical/post_query_builder.rb
+++ b/app/logical/post_query_builder.rb
@@ -97,11 +97,15 @@ class PostQueryBuilder
     negated_tags = negated_tags.map(&:name)
     optional_tags = optional_tags.map(&:name)
     required_tags = required_tags.map(&:name)
-
-    negated_tags += negated_wildcard_tags.flat_map { |tag| Tag.wildcard_matches(tag.name).limit(MAX_WILDCARD_TAGS).pluck(:name) }
-    optional_tags += optional_wildcard_tags.flat_map { |tag| Tag.wildcard_matches(tag.name).limit(MAX_WILDCARD_TAGS).pluck(:name) }
-    optional_tags += required_wildcard_tags.flat_map { |tag| Tag.wildcard_matches(tag.name).limit(MAX_WILDCARD_TAGS).pluck(:name) }
-
+    
+    matched_negated_wildcard_tags = negated_wildcard_tags.flat_map { |tag| Tag.wildcard_matches(tag.name).limit(MAX_WILDCARD_TAGS).pluck(:name) }
+    matched_optional_wildcard_tags = optional_wildcard_tags.flat_map { |tag| Tag.wildcard_matches(tag.name).limit(MAX_WILDCARD_TAGS).pluck(:name) }
+    matched_required_wildcard_tags = required_wildcard_tags.flat_map { |tag| Tag.wildcard_matches(tag.name).limit(MAX_WILDCARD_TAGS).pluck(:name) }
+    
+    negated_tags += (matched_negated_wildcard_tags.empty? && !negated_wildcard_tags.empty?) ? negated_wildcard_tags.map(&:name) : matched_negated_wildcard_tags
+    optional_tags += (matched_optional_wildcard_tags.empty? && !optional_wildcard_tags.empty?) ? optional_wildcard_tags.map(&:name) : matched_optional_wildcard_tags
+    optional_tags += (matched_required_wildcard_tags.empty? && !required_wildcard_tags.empty?) ? required_wildcard_tags.map(&:name) : matched_required_wildcard_tags
+    
     tsquery << "!(#{negated_tags.sort.uniq.map(&:to_escaped_for_tsquery).join(" | ")})" if negated_tags.present?
     tsquery << "(#{optional_tags.sort.uniq.map(&:to_escaped_for_tsquery).join(" | ")})" if optional_tags.present?
     tsquery << "(#{required_tags.sort.uniq.map(&:to_escaped_for_tsquery).join(" & ")})" if required_tags.present?