diff --git a/bookwyrm/connectors/abstract_connector.py b/bookwyrm/connectors/abstract_connector.py
index fd2f8b3d..ae73f75e 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/connectors/abstract_connector.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/connectors/abstract_connector.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 ''' functionality outline for a book data connector '''
 from abc import ABC, abstractmethod
-from dataclasses import dataclass
+from dataclasses import asdict, dataclass
 import logging
 from urllib3.exceptions import RequestError
 
@@ -241,6 +241,12 @@ class SearchResult:
         return "<SearchResult key={!r} title={!r} author={!r}>".format(
             self.key, self.title, self.author)
 
+    def json(self):
+        ''' serialize a connector for json response '''
+        serialized = asdict(self)
+        del serialized['connector']
+        return serialized
+
 
 class Mapping:
     ''' associate a local database field with a field in an external dataset '''
diff --git a/bookwyrm/views.py b/bookwyrm/views.py
index 1afb8266..bd894806 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/views.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/views.py
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ def search(request):
     if is_api_request(request):
         # only return local book results via json so we don't cause a cascade
         book_results = books_manager.local_search(query)
-        return JsonResponse([r.__dict__ for r in book_results], safe=False)
+        return JsonResponse([r.json() for r in book_results], safe=False)
 
     # use webfinger for mastodon style account@domain.com username
     if re.match(regex.full_username, query):