diff --git a/bookwyrm/migrations/0190_book_search_updates.py b/bookwyrm/migrations/0190_book_search_updates.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..52d80fcb9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bookwyrm/migrations/0190_book_search_updates.py
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+# Generated by Django 3.2.20 on 2023-11-24 17:11
+
+from django.db import migrations
+
+
+class Migration(migrations.Migration):
+    dependencies = [
+        ("bookwyrm", "0188_theme_loads"),
+    ]
+
+    operations = [
+        migrations.RemoveIndex(
+            model_name="author",
+            name="bookwyrm_au_search__b050a8_gin",
+        ),
+    ]
diff --git a/bookwyrm/migrations/0191_migrate_search_vec_triggers_to_pgtriggers.py b/bookwyrm/migrations/0191_migrate_search_vec_triggers_to_pgtriggers.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..03442298f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bookwyrm/migrations/0191_migrate_search_vec_triggers_to_pgtriggers.py
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+# Generated by Django 3.2.20 on 2023-11-25 00:47
+
+from importlib import import_module
+import re
+
+from django.db import migrations
+import pgtrigger.compiler
+import pgtrigger.migrations
+
+trigger_migration = import_module("bookwyrm.migrations.0077_auto_20210623_2155")
+
+# it's _very_ convenient for development that this migration be reversible
+search_vector_trigger = trigger_migration.Migration.operations[4]
+author_search_vector_trigger = trigger_migration.Migration.operations[5]
+
+
+assert re.search(r"\bCREATE TRIGGER search_vector_trigger\b", search_vector_trigger.sql)
+assert re.search(
+    r"\bCREATE TRIGGER author_search_vector_trigger\b",
+    author_search_vector_trigger.sql,
+)
+
+
+class Migration(migrations.Migration):
+    dependencies = [
+        ("bookwyrm", "0190_book_search_updates"),
+    ]
+
+    operations = [
+        pgtrigger.migrations.AddTrigger(
+            model_name="book",
+            trigger=pgtrigger.compiler.Trigger(
+                name="update_search_vector_on_book_edit",
+                sql=pgtrigger.compiler.UpsertTriggerSql(
+                    func="new.search_vector := setweight(coalesce(nullif(to_tsvector('english', new.title), ''), to_tsvector('simple', 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_author LEFT JOIN bookwyrm_book_authors ON bookwyrm_author.id = bookwyrm_book_authors.author_id WHERE bookwyrm_book_authors.book_id = new.id ) || setweight(to_tsvector('english', coalesce(new.series, '')), 'D');RETURN NEW;",
+                    hash="77d6399497c0a89b0bf09d296e33c396da63705c",
+                    operation='INSERT OR UPDATE OF "title", "subtitle", "series", "search_vector"',
+                    pgid="pgtrigger_update_search_vector_on_book_edit_bec58",
+                    table="bookwyrm_book",
+                    when="BEFORE",
+                ),
+            ),
+        ),
+        pgtrigger.migrations.AddTrigger(
+            model_name="author",
+            trigger=pgtrigger.compiler.Trigger(
+                name="reset_search_vector_on_author_edit",
+                sql=pgtrigger.compiler.UpsertTriggerSql(
+                    func="WITH updated_books AS (SELECT book_id FROM bookwyrm_book_authors WHERE author_id = new.id ) UPDATE bookwyrm_book SET search_vector = '' FROM updated_books WHERE id = updated_books.book_id;RETURN NEW;",
+                    hash="e7bbf08711ff3724c58f4d92fb7a082ffb3d7826",
+                    operation='UPDATE OF "name"',
+                    pgid="pgtrigger_reset_search_vector_on_author_edit_a447c",
+                    table="bookwyrm_author",
+                    when="AFTER",
+                ),
+            ),
+        ),
+        migrations.RunSQL(
+            sql="""DROP TRIGGER IF EXISTS search_vector_trigger ON bookwyrm_book;
+                   DROP FUNCTION IF EXISTS book_trigger;
+            """,
+            reverse_sql=search_vector_trigger.sql,
+        ),
+        migrations.RunSQL(
+            sql="""DROP TRIGGER IF EXISTS author_search_vector_trigger ON bookwyrm_author;
+                   DROP FUNCTION IF EXISTS author_trigger;
+            """,
+            reverse_sql=author_search_vector_trigger.sql,
+        ),
+        migrations.RunSQL(
+            # Recalculate book search vector for any missed author name changes
+            # due to bug in JOIN in the old trigger.
+            sql="UPDATE bookwyrm_book SET search_vector = NULL;",
+            reverse_sql=migrations.RunSQL.noop,
+        ),
+    ]
diff --git a/bookwyrm/migrations/0196_merge_pr3134_into_main.py b/bookwyrm/migrations/0196_merge_pr3134_into_main.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0862f11b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bookwyrm/migrations/0196_merge_pr3134_into_main.py
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+# Generated by Django 3.2.23 on 2024-03-18 00:48
+
+from django.db import migrations
+
+
+class Migration(migrations.Migration):
+
+    dependencies = [
+        ("bookwyrm", "0191_migrate_search_vec_triggers_to_pgtriggers"),
+        ("bookwyrm", "0195_alter_user_preferred_language"),
+    ]
+
+    operations = []
diff --git a/bookwyrm/models/author.py b/bookwyrm/models/author.py
index 981e3c0cc..154b00ccb 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/models/author.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/models/author.py
@@ -2,11 +2,12 @@
 import re
 from typing import Tuple, Any
 
-from django.contrib.postgres.indexes import GinIndex
 from django.db import models
+import pgtrigger
 
 from bookwyrm import activitypub
 from bookwyrm.settings import DOMAIN
+from bookwyrm.utils.db import format_trigger
 
 from .book import BookDataModel
 from . import fields
@@ -67,9 +68,28 @@ class Author(BookDataModel):
         """editions and works both use "book" instead of model_name"""
         return f"https://{DOMAIN}/author/{self.id}"
 
-    activity_serializer = activitypub.Author
-
     class Meta:
-        """sets up postgres GIN index field"""
+        """sets up indexes and triggers"""
 
-        indexes = (GinIndex(fields=["search_vector"]),)
+        triggers = [
+            pgtrigger.Trigger(
+                name="reset_search_vector_on_author_edit",
+                when=pgtrigger.After,
+                operation=pgtrigger.UpdateOf("name"),
+                func=format_trigger(
+                    """WITH updated_books AS (
+                         SELECT book_id
+                         FROM bookwyrm_book_authors
+                         WHERE author_id = new.id
+                    )
+                    UPDATE bookwyrm_book
+                    SET search_vector = ''
+                    FROM updated_books
+                    WHERE id = updated_books.book_id;
+                    RETURN new;
+                """
+                ),
+            )
+        ]
+
+    activity_serializer = activitypub.Author
diff --git a/bookwyrm/models/book.py b/bookwyrm/models/book.py
index 6893b9da1..e167e2138 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/models/book.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/models/book.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ from django.utils.translation import gettext_lazy as _
 from model_utils import FieldTracker
 from model_utils.managers import InheritanceManager
 from imagekit.models import ImageSpecField
+import pgtrigger
 
 from bookwyrm import activitypub
 from bookwyrm.isbn.isbn import hyphenator_singleton as hyphenator
@@ -24,6 +25,7 @@ from bookwyrm.settings import (
     ENABLE_PREVIEW_IMAGES,
     ENABLE_THUMBNAIL_GENERATION,
 )
+from bookwyrm.utils.db import format_trigger
 
 from .activitypub_mixin import OrderedCollectionPageMixin, ObjectMixin
 from .base_model import BookWyrmModel
@@ -232,9 +234,39 @@ class Book(BookDataModel):
         )
 
     class Meta:
-        """sets up postgres GIN index field"""
+        """set up indexes and triggers"""
+
+        # pylint: disable=line-too-long
 
         indexes = (GinIndex(fields=["search_vector"]),)
+        triggers = [
+            pgtrigger.Trigger(
+                name="update_search_vector_on_book_edit",
+                when=pgtrigger.Before,
+                operation=pgtrigger.Insert
+                | pgtrigger.UpdateOf("title", "subtitle", "series", "search_vector"),
+                func=format_trigger(
+                    """new.search_vector :=
+                         -- title, with priority A (parse in English, default to simple if empty)
+                         setweight(COALESCE(nullif(
+                                       to_tsvector('english', new.title), ''),
+                                       to_tsvector('simple', new.title)), 'A') ||
+                         -- subtitle, with priority B (always in English?)
+                         setweight(to_tsvector('english', COALESCE(new.subtitle, '')), 'B') ||
+                         -- list of authors, with priority C (TODO: add aliases?, bookwyrm-social#3063)
+                         (SELECT setweight(to_tsvector('simple', COALESCE(array_to_string(ARRAY_AGG(bookwyrm_author.name), ' '), '')), 'C')
+                           FROM bookwyrm_author
+                           LEFT JOIN bookwyrm_book_authors
+                               ON bookwyrm_author.id = bookwyrm_book_authors.author_id
+                           WHERE bookwyrm_book_authors.book_id = new.id
+                         ) ||
+                         --- last: series name, with lowest priority
+                         setweight(to_tsvector('english', COALESCE(new.series, '')), 'D');
+                       RETURN new;
+                """
+                ),
+            )
+        ]
 
 
 class Work(OrderedCollectionPageMixin, Book):
diff --git a/bookwyrm/settings.py b/bookwyrm/settings.py
index 2bb68ff85..77bec0d8e 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/settings.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/settings.py
@@ -108,6 +108,7 @@ INSTALLED_APPS = [
     "celery",
     "django_celery_beat",
     "imagekit",
+    "pgtrigger",
     "storages",
 ]
 
diff --git a/bookwyrm/tests/test_book_search.py b/bookwyrm/tests/test_book_search.py
index d2056bfeb..0721cb142 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/tests/test_book_search.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/tests/test_book_search.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 """ test searching for books """
 import datetime
+from django.db import connection
 from django.test import TestCase
 from django.utils import timezone
 
@@ -140,3 +141,244 @@ class BookSearch(TestCase):
         # there's really not much to test here, it's just a dataclass
         self.assertEqual(result.confidence, 1)
         self.assertEqual(result.title, "Title")
+
+
+class SearchVectorTest(TestCase):
+    """check search_vector is computed correctly"""
+
+    def test_search_vector_simple(self):
+        """simplest search vector"""
+        book = self._create_book("Book", "Mary")
+        self.assertEqual(book.search_vector, "'book':1A 'mary':2C")  # A > C (priority)
+
+    def test_search_vector_all_parts(self):
+        """search vector with subtitle and series"""
+        # for a book like this we call `to_tsvector("Book Long Mary Bunch")`, hence the
+        # indexes in the search vector. (priority "D" is the default, and never shown.)
+        book = self._create_book("Book", "Mary", subtitle="Long", series="Bunch")
+        self.assertEqual(book.search_vector, "'book':1A 'bunch':4 'long':2B 'mary':3C")
+
+    def test_search_vector_parse_book(self):
+        """book parts are parsed in english"""
+        # FIXME: at some point this should stop being the default.
+        book = self._create_book(
+            "Edition", "Editor", series="Castle", subtitle="Writing"
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(
+            book.search_vector, "'castl':4 'edit':1A 'editor':3C 'write':2B"
+        )
+
+    def test_search_vector_parse_author(self):
+        """author name is not stem'd or affected by stop words"""
+        book = self._create_book("Writing", "Writes")
+        self.assertEqual(book.search_vector, "'write':1A 'writes':2C")
+
+        book = self._create_book("She Is Writing", "She Writes")
+        self.assertEqual(book.search_vector, "'she':4C 'write':3A 'writes':5C")
+
+    def test_search_vector_parse_title_empty(self):
+        """empty parse in English retried as simple title"""
+        book = self._create_book("Here We", "John")
+        self.assertEqual(book.search_vector, "'here':1A 'john':3C 'we':2A")
+
+        book = self._create_book("Hear We Come", "John")
+        self.assertEqual(book.search_vector, "'come':3A 'hear':1A 'john':4C")
+
+        book = self._create_book("there there", "the")
+        self.assertEqual(book.search_vector, "'the':3C 'there':1A,2A")
+
+    def test_search_vector_no_author(self):
+        """book with no authors gets processed normally"""
+        book = self._create_book("Book", None, series="Bunch")
+        self.assertEqual(book.search_vector, "'book':1A 'bunch':2")
+
+        book = self._create_book("there there", None)
+        self.assertEqual(book.search_vector, "'there':1A,2A")
+
+    # n.b.: the following originally from test_posgres.py
+
+    def test_search_vector_on_update(self):
+        """make sure that search_vector is being set correctly on edit"""
+        book = self._create_book("The Long Goodbye", None)
+        self.assertEqual(book.search_vector, "'goodby':3A 'long':2A")
+
+        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_on_author_update(self):
+        """update search when an author name changes"""
+        book = self._create_book("The Long Goodbye", "The Rays")
+        self.assertEqual(book.search_vector, "'goodby':3A 'long':2A 'rays':5C 'the':4C")
+
+        author = models.Author.objects.get(name="The Rays")
+        author.name = "Jeremy"
+        author.save(broadcast=False)
+        book.refresh_from_db()
+        self.assertEqual(book.search_vector, "'goodby':3A 'jeremy':4C 'long':2A")
+
+    def test_search_vector_on_author_delete(self):
+        """update search when an author is deleted"""
+        book = self._create_book("The Long Goodbye", "The Rays")
+        self.assertEqual(book.search_vector, "'goodby':3A 'long':2A 'rays':5C 'the':4C")
+
+        author = models.Author.objects.get(name="The Rays")
+        book.authors.remove(author)
+        book.refresh_from_db()
+        self.assertEqual(book.search_vector, "'goodby':3A 'long':2A")
+
+    def test_search_vector_fields(self):
+        """language field irrelevant for 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=["irrelevant"],
+        )
+        book.authors.add(author)
+        book.refresh_from_db()
+        self.assertEqual(
+            book.search_vector,
+            # pylint: disable-next=line-too-long
+            "'cool':5B 'goodby':3A 'long':2A 'name':9 'rays':7C 'seri':8 'the':6C 'wow':4B",
+        )
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def _create_book(
+        title, author_name, /, *, subtitle="", series="", author_alias=None
+    ):
+        """quickly create a book"""
+        work = models.Work.objects.create(title="work")
+        edition = models.Edition.objects.create(
+            title=title,
+            series=series or None,
+            subtitle=subtitle or None,
+            isbn_10="0000000000",
+            parent_work=work,
+        )
+        if author_name is not None:
+            author = models.Author.objects.create(
+                name=author_name, aliases=author_alias or []
+            )
+            edition.authors.add(author)
+            edition.save(broadcast=False)
+        edition.refresh_from_db()
+        return edition
+
+
+class SearchVectorUpdates(TestCase):
+    """look for books as they change"""  # functional tests of the above
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        """we need basic test data and mocks"""
+        self.work = models.Work.objects.create(title="This Work")
+        self.author = models.Author.objects.create(name="Name")
+        self.edition = models.Edition.objects.create(
+            title="First Edition of Work",
+            subtitle="Some Extra Words Are Good",
+            series="A Fabulous Sequence of Items",
+            parent_work=self.work,
+            isbn_10="0000000000",
+        )
+        self.edition.authors.add(self.author)
+        self.edition.save(broadcast=False)
+
+    @classmethod
+    def setUpTestData(cls):
+        """create conditions that trigger known old bugs"""
+        with connection.cursor() as cursor:
+            cursor.execute(
+                """
+                ALTER SEQUENCE bookwyrm_author_id_seq       RESTART WITH 20;
+                ALTER SEQUENCE bookwyrm_book_authors_id_seq RESTART WITH 300;
+                """
+            )
+
+    def test_search_after_changed_metadata(self):
+        """book found after updating metadata"""
+        self.assertEqual(self.edition, self._search_first("First"))  # title
+        self.assertEqual(self.edition, self._search_first("Good"))  # subtitle
+        self.assertEqual(self.edition, self._search_first("Sequence"))  # series
+
+        self.edition.title = "Second Title of Work"
+        self.edition.subtitle = "Fewer Words Is Better"
+        self.edition.series = "A Wondrous Bunch"
+        self.edition.save(broadcast=False)
+
+        self.assertEqual(self.edition, self._search_first("Second"))  # title new
+        self.assertEqual(self.edition, self._search_first("Fewer"))  # subtitle new
+        self.assertEqual(self.edition, self._search_first("Wondrous"))  # series new
+
+        self.assertFalse(self._search_first("First"))  # title old
+        self.assertFalse(self._search_first("Good"))  # subtitle old
+        self.assertFalse(self._search_first("Sequence"))  # series old
+
+    def test_search_after_author_remove(self):
+        """book not found via removed author"""
+        self.assertEqual(self.edition, self._search_first("Name"))
+
+        self.edition.authors.set([])
+        self.edition.save(broadcast=False)
+
+        self.assertFalse(self._search("Name"))
+        self.assertEqual(self.edition, self._search_first("Edition"))
+
+    def test_search_after_author_add(self):
+        """book found by newly-added author"""
+        new_author = models.Author.objects.create(name="Mozilla")
+
+        self.assertFalse(self._search("Mozilla"))
+
+        self.edition.authors.add(new_author)
+        self.edition.save(broadcast=False)
+
+        self.assertEqual(self.edition, self._search_first("Mozilla"))
+        self.assertEqual(self.edition, self._search_first("Name"))
+
+    def test_search_after_author_add_remove_sql(self):
+        """add/remove author through SQL to ensure execution of book_authors trigger"""
+        # Tests calling edition.save(), above, pass even if the trigger in
+        # bookwyrm_book_authors is removed (probably because they trigger the one
+        # in bookwyrm_book directly). Here we make sure to exercise the former.
+        new_author = models.Author.objects.create(name="Mozilla")
+
+        with connection.cursor() as cursor:
+            cursor.execute(
+                "DELETE FROM bookwyrm_book_authors WHERE book_id = %s",
+                [self.edition.id],
+            )
+        self.assertFalse(self._search("Name"))
+        self.assertFalse(self._search("Mozilla"))
+
+        with connection.cursor() as cursor:
+            cursor.execute(
+                "INSERT INTO bookwyrm_book_authors (book_id,author_id) VALUES (%s,%s)",
+                [self.edition.id, new_author.id],
+            )
+        self.assertFalse(self._search("Name"))
+        self.assertEqual(self.edition, self._search_first("Mozilla"))
+
+    def test_search_after_updated_author_name(self):
+        """book found under new author name"""
+        self.assertEqual(self.edition, self._search_first("Name"))
+        self.assertFalse(self._search("Identifier"))
+
+        self.author.name = "Identifier"
+        self.author.save(broadcast=False)
+
+        self.assertFalse(self._search("Name"))
+        self.assertEqual(self.edition, self._search_first("Identifier"))
+        self.assertEqual(self.edition, self._search_first("Work"))
+
+    def _search_first(self, query):
+        """wrapper around search_title_author"""
+        return self._search(query, return_first=True)
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def _search(query, *, return_first=False):
+        """wrapper around search_title_author"""
+        return book_search.search_title_author(
+            query, min_confidence=0, return_first=return_first
+        )
diff --git a/bookwyrm/tests/test_postgres.py b/bookwyrm/tests/test_postgres.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 8fc3c9d59..000000000
--- a/bookwyrm/tests/test_postgres.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,77 +0,0 @@
-""" 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.apply_async")
-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=["irrelevant"],
-        )
-        book.authors.add(author)
-        book.refresh_from_db()
-        # pylint: disable=line-too-long
-        self.assertEqual(
-            book.search_vector,
-            "'cool':5B 'goodby':3A 'long':2A 'name':9 'rays':7C 'seri':8 'the':6C 'wow':4B",
-        )
-
-    def test_search_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_search_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/utils/db.py b/bookwyrm/utils/db.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2bb3b9ff6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bookwyrm/utils/db.py
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+""" Database utilities """
+
+from typing import cast
+import sqlparse  # type: ignore
+
+
+def format_trigger(sql: str) -> str:
+    """format SQL trigger before storing
+
+    we remove whitespace and use consistent casing so as to avoid migrations
+    due to formatting changes.
+    """
+    return cast(
+        str,
+        sqlparse.format(
+            sql,
+            strip_comments=True,
+            strip_whitespace=True,
+            use_space_around_operators=True,
+            keyword_case="upper",
+            identifier_case="lower",
+        ),
+    )
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index 79c216804..82b7bc8c8 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ django-compressor==4.4
 django-csp==3.7
 django-imagekit==4.1.0
 django-model-utils==4.3.1
+django-pgtrigger==4.11.0
 django-redis==5.2.0
 django-sass-processor==1.2.2
 django-storages==1.13.2