diff --git a/lib/search.rb b/lib/search.rb
index 354755a02..248948219 100644
--- a/lib/search.rb
+++ b/lib/search.rb
@@ -524,11 +524,19 @@ class Search
 
       min_or_max = @order == :latest ? "max" : "min"
 
-      post_sql = posts_query(@limit, aggregate_search: true,
+      post_sql =
+        if @order == :likes
+          # likes are a pain to aggregate so skip
+          posts_query(@limit, private_messages: opts[:private_messages])
+            .select('topics.id', "post_number")
+            .to_sql
+        else
+          posts_query(@limit, aggregate_search: true,
                                      private_messages: opts[:private_messages])
             .select('topics.id', "#{min_or_max}(post_number) post_number")
             .group('topics.id')
             .to_sql
+        end
 
       # double wrapping so we get correct row numbers
       post_sql = "SELECT *, row_number() over() row_number FROM (#{post_sql}) xxx"