diff --git a/annotator/annotation.py b/annotator/annotation.py
index 33f6da7..11185af 100644
--- a/annotator/annotation.py
+++ b/annotator/annotation.py
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ def search_raw(cls, query=None, params=None, user=None,
         if authorization_enabled:
             f = authz.permissions_filter(user)
             if not f:
-                raise RunTimeError("Authorization filter creation failed")
+                raise RuntimeError("Authorization filter creation failed")
             filtered_query = {
                 'filtered': {
                     'filter': f
@@ -128,13 +128,6 @@ def _build_query(cls, query=None, offset=None, limit=None,
                             'minimum_should_match': 1
                         }
 
-        if es.authorization_enabled:
-            # Apply a filter to the results.
-            f = authz.permissions_filter(user)
-            if not f:
-                return False  # Refuse to perform the query
-            q['query'] = {'filtered': {'query': q['query'], 'filter': f}}
-
         return q
 
 
diff --git a/annotator/elasticsearch.py b/annotator/elasticsearch.py
index d6b8a5c..6f1a2bb 100644
--- a/annotator/elasticsearch.py
+++ b/annotator/elasticsearch.py
@@ -143,21 +143,12 @@ def _build_query(cls, query=None, offset=None, limit=None, **kwargs):
             query = {}
         return _build_query(query, offset, limit)
 
-    @classmethod
-    def _build_query_raw(cls, request, **kwargs):
-        return _build_query_raw(request)
-
     @classmethod
     def search(cls, query=None, offset=0, limit=RESULTS_DEFAULT_SIZE, **kwargs):
         q = cls._build_query(query=query, offset=offset, limit=limit, **kwargs)
         if not q:
             return []
-        log.debug("doing search: %s", q)
-        res = cls.es.conn.search(index=cls.es.index,
-                                 doc_type=cls.__type__,
-                                 body=q)
-        docs = res['hits']['hits']
-        return [cls(d['_source'], id=d['_id']) for d in docs]
+        return cls.search_raw(q, **kwargs)
 
     @classmethod
     def search_raw(cls, query=None, params=None, raw_result=False, **kwargs):
@@ -185,19 +176,13 @@ def search_raw(cls, query=None, params=None, raw_result=False, **kwargs):
 
     @classmethod
     def count(cls, **kwargs):
-        q = cls._build_query(**kwargs)
-        if not q:
-            return 0
-
-        # Extract the query, and wrap it in the expected object. This has the
-        # effect of removing sort or paging parameters that aren't allowed by
-        # the count API.
-        q = {'query': q['query']}
-
-        res = cls.es.conn.count(index=cls.es.index,
-                                doc_type=cls.__type__,
-                                body=q)
-        return res['count']
+        """Like search, but only count the number of matches."""
+        kwargs.setdefault('params', {})
+        kwargs['params'].update({'search_type':'count'})
+        kwargs['limit'] = 0 # just for optimisation
+        res = cls.search(raw_result=True,
+                         **kwargs)
+        return res['hits']['total']
 
     def save(self, refresh=True):
         _add_created(self)
diff --git a/tests/test_annotation.py b/tests/test_annotation.py
index c71a781..01f4bb0 100644
--- a/tests/test_annotation.py
+++ b/tests/test_annotation.py
@@ -232,8 +232,8 @@ def test_search_permissions_malicious(self):
 
         # Any user whose username starts with "group:" must be refused any results
         user = h.MockUser('group:anyone', 'testconsumer')
-        res = Annotation.search(user=user)
-        assert_equal(len(res), 0)
+        search_action = lambda: Annotation.search(user=user)
+        assert_raises(RuntimeError, search_action)
 
     def test_search_permissions_admin(self):
         anno = Annotation(text='Foobar',