diff --git a/bookwyrm/book_search.py b/bookwyrm/book_search.py
index 7b9b12309..e42a6d8c3 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/book_search.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/book_search.py
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ def search_title_author(query, min_confidence, *filters, return_first=False):
             result = editions.first()
 
         if return_first:
-            return result[0]
+            return result
         list_results.append(result)
     return list_results