diff --git a/.github/workflows/django-tests.yml b/.github/workflows/django-tests.yml
index b5b319f53..c11b7c408 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/django-tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/django-tests.yml
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ jobs:
 
     services:
       postgres:
-        image: postgres:10
+        image: postgres:12
         env:
           POSTGRES_USER: postgres
           POSTGRES_PASSWORD: hunter2
@@ -66,4 +66,4 @@ jobs:
         EMAIL_USE_TLS: true
         ENABLE_PREVIEW_IMAGES: true
       run: |
-        python manage.py test
+        pytest
diff --git a/bookwyrm/connectors/self_connector.py b/bookwyrm/connectors/self_connector.py
index 930b7cb3d..8d5a7614e 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/connectors/self_connector.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/connectors/self_connector.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 from functools import reduce
 import operator
 
-from django.contrib.postgres.search import SearchRank, SearchVector
+from django.contrib.postgres.search import SearchRank, SearchQuery
 from django.db.models import OuterRef, Subquery, F, Q
 
 from bookwyrm import models
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ class Connector(AbstractConnector):
     """instantiate a connector"""
 
     # pylint: disable=arguments-differ
-    def search(self, query, min_confidence=0.1, raw=False, filters=None):
+    def search(self, query, min_confidence=0, raw=False, filters=None):
         """search your local database"""
         filters = filters or []
         if not query:
@@ -141,16 +141,11 @@ def search_identifiers(query, *filters):
 
 def search_title_author(query, min_confidence, *filters):
     """searches for title and author"""
-    vector = (
-        SearchVector("title", weight="A")
-        + SearchVector("subtitle", weight="B")
-        + SearchVector("authors__name", weight="C")
-        + SearchVector("series", weight="D")
-    )
-
+    query = SearchQuery(query, config="simple") | SearchQuery(query, config="english")
     results = (
-        models.Edition.objects.annotate(rank=SearchRank(vector, query))
-        .filter(*filters, rank__gt=min_confidence)
+        models.Edition.objects.filter(*filters, search_vector=query)
+        .annotate(rank=SearchRank(F("search_vector"), query))
+        .filter(rank__gt=min_confidence)
         .order_by("-rank")
     )
 
diff --git a/bookwyrm/forms.py b/bookwyrm/forms.py
index cb55d229e..57a94e3cd 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/forms.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/forms.py
@@ -183,6 +183,7 @@ class EditionForm(CustomForm):
             "parent_work",
             "shelves",
             "connector",
+            "search_vector",
         ]
 
 
@@ -194,6 +195,7 @@ class AuthorForm(CustomForm):
             "origin_id",
             "created_date",
             "updated_date",
+            "search_vector",
         ]
 
 
diff --git a/bookwyrm/migrations/0077_auto_20210623_2155.py b/bookwyrm/migrations/0077_auto_20210623_2155.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a73c43825
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bookwyrm/migrations/0077_auto_20210623_2155.py
@@ -0,0 +1,126 @@
+# Generated by Django 3.2.4 on 2021-06-23 21:55
+
+import django.contrib.postgres.indexes
+import django.contrib.postgres.search
+from django.db import migrations
+
+
+class Migration(migrations.Migration):
+
+    dependencies = [
+        ("bookwyrm", "0076_preview_images"),
+    ]
+
+    operations = [
+        migrations.AddField(
+            model_name="author",
+            name="search_vector",
+            field=django.contrib.postgres.search.SearchVectorField(null=True),
+        ),
+        migrations.AddField(
+            model_name="book",
+            name="search_vector",
+            field=django.contrib.postgres.search.SearchVectorField(null=True),
+        ),
+        migrations.AddIndex(
+            model_name="author",
+            index=django.contrib.postgres.indexes.GinIndex(
+                fields=["search_vector"], name="bookwyrm_au_search__b050a8_gin"
+            ),
+        ),
+        migrations.AddIndex(
+            model_name="book",
+            index=django.contrib.postgres.indexes.GinIndex(
+                fields=["search_vector"], name="bookwyrm_bo_search__51beb3_gin"
+            ),
+        ),
+        migrations.RunSQL(
+            sql="""
+                CREATE FUNCTION book_trigger() RETURNS trigger AS $$
+                begin
+                    new.search_vector :=
+                        coalesce(
+                            NULLIF(setweight(to_tsvector('english', coalesce(new.title, '')), 'A'), ''),
+                            setweight(to_tsvector('simple', coalesce(new.title, '')), 'A')
+                        ) ||
+                        setweight(to_tsvector('english', coalesce(new.subtitle, '')), 'B') ||
+                        (SELECT setweight(to_tsvector('simple', coalesce(array_to_string(array_agg(bookwyrm_author.name), ' '), '')), 'C')
+                            FROM bookwyrm_book
+                            LEFT OUTER JOIN bookwyrm_book_authors
+                            ON bookwyrm_book.id = bookwyrm_book_authors.book_id
+                            LEFT OUTER JOIN bookwyrm_author
+                            ON bookwyrm_book_authors.author_id = bookwyrm_author.id
+                            WHERE bookwyrm_book.id = new.id
+                        ) ||
+                        setweight(to_tsvector('english', coalesce(new.series, '')), 'D');
+                    return new;
+                end
+                $$ LANGUAGE plpgsql;
+
+                CREATE TRIGGER search_vector_trigger
+                BEFORE INSERT OR UPDATE OF title, subtitle, series, search_vector
+                ON bookwyrm_book
+                FOR EACH ROW EXECUTE FUNCTION book_trigger();
+
+                UPDATE bookwyrm_book SET search_vector = NULL;
+            """,
+            reverse_sql="""
+                DROP TRIGGER IF EXISTS search_vector_trigger
+                ON bookwyrm_book;
+                DROP FUNCTION IF EXISTS book_trigger;
+            """,
+        ),
+        # when an author is edited
+        migrations.RunSQL(
+            sql="""
+                CREATE FUNCTION author_trigger() RETURNS trigger AS $$
+                begin
+                    WITH book AS (
+                        SELECT bookwyrm_book.id as row_id
+                        FROM bookwyrm_author
+                        LEFT OUTER JOIN bookwyrm_book_authors
+                        ON bookwyrm_book_authors.id = new.id
+                        LEFT OUTER JOIN bookwyrm_book
+                        ON bookwyrm_book.id = bookwyrm_book_authors.book_id
+                    )
+                    UPDATE bookwyrm_book SET search_vector = ''
+                    FROM book
+                    WHERE id = book.row_id;
+                    return new;
+                end
+                $$ LANGUAGE plpgsql;
+
+                CREATE TRIGGER author_search_vector_trigger
+                AFTER UPDATE OF name
+                ON bookwyrm_author
+                FOR EACH ROW EXECUTE FUNCTION author_trigger();
+            """,
+            reverse_sql="""
+                DROP TRIGGER IF EXISTS author_search_vector_trigger
+                ON bookwyrm_author;
+                DROP FUNCTION IF EXISTS author_trigger;
+            """,
+        ),
+        # when an author is added to or removed from a book
+        migrations.RunSQL(
+            sql="""
+                CREATE FUNCTION book_authors_trigger() RETURNS trigger AS $$
+                begin
+                    UPDATE bookwyrm_book SET search_vector = ''
+                    WHERE id = coalesce(new.book_id, old.book_id);
+                    return new;
+                end
+                $$ LANGUAGE plpgsql;
+
+                CREATE TRIGGER book_authors_search_vector_trigger
+                AFTER INSERT OR DELETE
+                ON bookwyrm_book_authors
+                FOR EACH ROW EXECUTE FUNCTION book_authors_trigger();
+            """,
+            reverse_sql="""
+                DROP TRIGGER IF EXISTS book_authors_search_vector_trigger
+                ON bookwyrm_book_authors;
+                DROP FUNCTION IF EXISTS book_authors_trigger;
+            """,
+        ),
+    ]
diff --git a/bookwyrm/models/author.py b/bookwyrm/models/author.py
index c4e26c5ab..6da80b176 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/models/author.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/models/author.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 """ database schema for info about authors """
+from django.contrib.postgres.indexes import GinIndex
 from django.db import models
 
 from bookwyrm import activitypub
@@ -37,3 +38,8 @@ class Author(BookDataModel):
         return "https://%s/author/%s" % (DOMAIN, self.id)
 
     activity_serializer = activitypub.Author
+
+    class Meta:
+        """sets up postgres GIN index field"""
+
+        indexes = (GinIndex(fields=["search_vector"]),)
diff --git a/bookwyrm/models/book.py b/bookwyrm/models/book.py
index d79ce206d..a6aa5de2d 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/models/book.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/models/book.py
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 """ database schema for books and shelves """
 import re
 
+from django.contrib.postgres.search import SearchVectorField
+from django.contrib.postgres.indexes import GinIndex
 from django.db import models
 from django.dispatch import receiver
 from model_utils import FieldTracker
@@ -34,6 +36,7 @@ class BookDataModel(ObjectMixin, BookWyrmModel):
     bnf_id = fields.CharField(  # Bibliothèque nationale de France
         max_length=255, blank=True, null=True, deduplication_field=True
     )
+    search_vector = SearchVectorField(null=True)
 
     last_edited_by = fields.ForeignKey(
         "User",
@@ -142,6 +145,11 @@ class Book(BookDataModel):
             self.title,
         )
 
+    class Meta:
+        """sets up postgres GIN index field"""
+
+        indexes = (GinIndex(fields=["search_vector"]),)
+
 
 class Work(OrderedCollectionPageMixin, Book):
     """a work (an abstract concept of a book that manifests in an edition)"""
diff --git a/bookwyrm/tests/connectors/test_self_connector.py b/bookwyrm/tests/connectors/test_self_connector.py
index 4f2173085..02c0c9a4f 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/tests/connectors/test_self_connector.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/tests/connectors/test_self_connector.py
@@ -43,68 +43,69 @@ class SelfConnector(TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(result.year, 1980)
         self.assertEqual(result.connector, self.connector)
 
-    def test_search_rank(self):
+    @patch("bookwyrm.preview_images.generate_edition_preview_image_task.delay")
+    def test_search_rank(self, _):
         """prioritize certain results"""
         author = models.Author.objects.create(name="Anonymous")
-        with patch("bookwyrm.preview_images.generate_edition_preview_image_task.delay"):
-            edition = models.Edition.objects.create(
-                title="Edition of Example Work",
-                published_date=datetime.datetime(1980, 5, 10, tzinfo=timezone.utc),
-                parent_work=models.Work.objects.create(title=""),
-            )
-            # author text is rank C
-            edition.authors.add(author)
+        edition = models.Edition.objects.create(
+            title="Edition of Example Work",
+            published_date=datetime.datetime(1980, 5, 10, tzinfo=timezone.utc),
+            parent_work=models.Work.objects.create(title=""),
+        )
+        # author text is rank B
+        edition.authors.add(author)
 
-            # series is rank D
-            models.Edition.objects.create(
-                title="Another Edition",
-                series="Anonymous",
-                parent_work=models.Work.objects.create(title=""),
-            )
-            # subtitle is rank B
-            models.Edition.objects.create(
-                title="More Editions",
-                subtitle="The Anonymous Edition",
-                parent_work=models.Work.objects.create(title=""),
-            )
-            # title is rank A
-            models.Edition.objects.create(title="Anonymous")
-            # doesn't rank in this search
-            edition = models.Edition.objects.create(
-                title="An Edition", parent_work=models.Work.objects.create(title="")
-            )
+        # series is rank D
+        models.Edition.objects.create(
+            title="Another Edition",
+            series="Anonymous",
+            parent_work=models.Work.objects.create(title=""),
+        )
+        # subtitle is rank B
+        models.Edition.objects.create(
+            title="More Editions",
+            subtitle="The Anonymous Edition",
+            parent_work=models.Work.objects.create(title=""),
+        )
+        # title is rank A
+        models.Edition.objects.create(title="Anonymous")
+        # doesn't rank in this search
+        models.Edition.objects.create(
+            title="An Edition", parent_work=models.Work.objects.create(title="")
+        )
 
-            results = self.connector.search("Anonymous")
-        self.assertEqual(len(results), 3)
+        results = self.connector.search("Anonymous")
+        self.assertEqual(len(results), 4)
         self.assertEqual(results[0].title, "Anonymous")
         self.assertEqual(results[1].title, "More Editions")
         self.assertEqual(results[2].title, "Edition of Example Work")
+        self.assertEqual(results[3].title, "Another Edition")
 
-    def test_search_multiple_editions(self):
+    @patch("bookwyrm.preview_images.generate_edition_preview_image_task.delay")
+    def test_search_multiple_editions(self, _):
         """it should get rid of duplicate editions for the same work"""
-        with patch("bookwyrm.preview_images.generate_edition_preview_image_task.delay"):
-            work = models.Work.objects.create(title="Work Title")
-            edition_1 = models.Edition.objects.create(
-                title="Edition 1 Title", parent_work=work
-            )
-            edition_2 = models.Edition.objects.create(
-                title="Edition 2 Title",
-                parent_work=work,
-                edition_rank=20,  # that's default babey
-            )
-            edition_3 = models.Edition.objects.create(title="Fish", parent_work=work)
+        work = models.Work.objects.create(title="Work Title")
+        edition_1 = models.Edition.objects.create(
+            title="Edition 1 Title", parent_work=work
+        )
+        edition_2 = models.Edition.objects.create(
+            title="Edition 2 Title",
+            parent_work=work,
+            isbn_13="123456789",  # this is now the defualt edition
+        )
+        edition_3 = models.Edition.objects.create(title="Fish", parent_work=work)
 
-            # pick the best edition
-            results = self.connector.search("Edition 1 Title")
-            self.assertEqual(len(results), 1)
-            self.assertEqual(results[0].key, edition_1.remote_id)
+        # pick the best edition
+        results = self.connector.search("Edition 1 Title")
+        self.assertEqual(len(results), 1)
+        self.assertEqual(results[0].key, edition_1.remote_id)
 
-            # pick the default edition when no match is best
-            results = self.connector.search("Edition Title")
-            self.assertEqual(len(results), 1)
-            self.assertEqual(results[0].key, edition_2.remote_id)
+        # pick the default edition when no match is best
+        results = self.connector.search("Edition Title")
+        self.assertEqual(len(results), 1)
+        self.assertEqual(results[0].key, edition_2.remote_id)
 
-            # only matches one edition, so no deduplication takes place
-            results = self.connector.search("Fish")
-            self.assertEqual(len(results), 1)
-            self.assertEqual(results[0].key, edition_3.remote_id)
+        # only matches one edition, so no deduplication takes place
+        results = self.connector.search("Fish")
+        self.assertEqual(len(results), 1)
+        self.assertEqual(results[0].key, edition_3.remote_id)
diff --git a/bookwyrm/tests/models/test_book_model.py b/bookwyrm/tests/models/test_book_model.py
index df61514c1..9408220e0 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/tests/models/test_book_model.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/tests/models/test_book_model.py
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 """ testing models """
+from unittest.mock import patch
+
 from dateutil.parser import parse
 from django.test import TestCase
 from django.utils import timezone
-from unittest.mock import patch
 
 from bookwyrm import models, settings
 from bookwyrm.models.book import isbn_10_to_13, isbn_13_to_10
diff --git a/bookwyrm/tests/test_postgres.py b/bookwyrm/tests/test_postgres.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..98385d34b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bookwyrm/tests/test_postgres.py
@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+""" django configuration of postgres  """
+from unittest.mock import patch
+from django.test import TestCase
+
+from bookwyrm import models
+
+
+@patch("bookwyrm.models.activitypub_mixin.broadcast_task.delay")
+@patch("bookwyrm.preview_images.generate_edition_preview_image_task.delay")
+class PostgresTriggers(TestCase):
+    """special migrations, fancy stuff ya know"""
+
+    def test_search_vector_on_create(self, *_):
+        """make sure that search_vector is being set correctly on create"""
+        book = models.Edition.objects.create(title="The Long Goodbye")
+        book.refresh_from_db()
+        self.assertEqual(book.search_vector, "'goodby':3A 'long':2A")
+
+    def test_search_vector_on_update(self, *_):
+        """make sure that search_vector is being set correctly on edit"""
+        book = models.Edition.objects.create(title="The Long Goodbye")
+        book.title = "The Even Longer Goodbye"
+        book.save(broadcast=False)
+        book.refresh_from_db()
+        self.assertEqual(book.search_vector, "'even':2A 'goodby':4A 'longer':3A")
+
+    def test_search_vector_fields(self, *_):
+        """use multiple fields to create search vector"""
+        author = models.Author.objects.create(name="The Rays")
+        book = models.Edition.objects.create(
+            title="The Long Goodbye",
+            subtitle="wow cool",
+            series="series name",
+            languages=["irrelevent"],
+        )
+        book.authors.add(author)
+        book.refresh_from_db()
+        self.assertEqual(
+            book.search_vector,
+            "'cool':5B 'goodby':3A 'long':2A 'name':9 'rays':7C 'seri':8 'the':6C 'wow':4B",
+        )
+
+    def test_seach_vector_on_author_update(self, *_):
+        """update search when an author name changes"""
+        author = models.Author.objects.create(name="The Rays")
+        book = models.Edition.objects.create(
+            title="The Long Goodbye",
+        )
+        book.authors.add(author)
+        author.name = "Jeremy"
+        author.save(broadcast=False)
+        book.refresh_from_db()
+
+        self.assertEqual(book.search_vector, "'goodby':3A 'jeremy':4C 'long':2A")
+
+    def test_seach_vector_on_author_delete(self, *_):
+        """update search when an author name changes"""
+        author = models.Author.objects.create(name="Jeremy")
+        book = models.Edition.objects.create(
+            title="The Long Goodbye",
+        )
+
+        book.authors.add(author)
+        book.refresh_from_db()
+        self.assertEqual(book.search_vector, "'goodby':3A 'jeremy':4C 'long':2A")
+
+        book.authors.remove(author)
+        book.refresh_from_db()
+        self.assertEqual(book.search_vector, "'goodby':3A 'long':2A")
+
+    def test_search_vector_stop_word_fallback(self, *_):
+        """use a fallback when removing stop words leads to an empty vector"""
+        book = models.Edition.objects.create(
+            title="there there",
+        )
+        book.refresh_from_db()
+        self.assertEqual(book.search_vector, "'there':1A,2A")
diff --git a/bookwyrm/views/search.py b/bookwyrm/views/search.py
index 274a3bc2e..d15fc6a87 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/views/search.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/views/search.py
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ class Search(View):
     def get(self, request):
         """that search bar up top"""
         query = request.GET.get("q")
-        min_confidence = request.GET.get("min_confidence", 0.1)
+        min_confidence = request.GET.get("min_confidence", 0)
         search_type = request.GET.get("type")
         search_remote = (
             request.GET.get("remote", False) and request.user.is_authenticated