diff --git a/pandora/clip/managers.py b/pandora/clip/managers.py
index eb7c6ca92..45e492b75 100644
--- a/pandora/clip/managers.py
+++ b/pandora/clip/managers.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ keymap = {
     'place': 'annotations__places__id',
     'text': 'findvalue',
     'annotations': 'findvalue',
+    'layer': 'annotations__layer',
     'user': 'annotations__user__username',
 }
 case_insensitive_keys = ('annotations__user__username', )
diff --git a/pandora/clip/models.py b/pandora/clip/models.py
index d9c141433..406f13dff 100644
--- a/pandora/clip/models.py
+++ b/pandora/clip/models.py
@@ -115,8 +115,7 @@ class MetaClip(object):
                     del j[key]
             #needed here to make item find with clips work
             if 'annotations' in keys:
-                #annotations = self.annotations.filter(layer__in=settings.CONFIG['clipLayers'])
-                annotations = self.annotations.all()
+                annotations = self.annotations.all().exclude(value='')
                 if qs:
                     for q in qs:
                         annotations = annotations.filter(q)
diff --git a/pandora/config.pandora.jsonc b/pandora/config.pandora.jsonc
index aaf7c4fa0..ac7f02434 100644
--- a/pandora/config.pandora.jsonc
+++ b/pandora/config.pandora.jsonc
@@ -102,8 +102,7 @@ examples (config.SITENAME.jsonc) that are part of this pan.do/ra distribution.
     ],
     /*
     "clipLayers" is the ordered list of public layers that will appear as the
-    text of clips (in grid view, below the icon). Excluding a layer from this
-    list means it will not be included in find annotations.
+    text of clips (in grid view, below the icon).
     */
     "clipLayers": ["publicnotes", "keywords", "subtitles"],
     /*
diff --git a/static/js/clipList.js b/static/js/clipList.js
index 21b5af805..c623de09d 100644
--- a/static/js/clipList.js
+++ b/static/js/clipList.js
@@ -76,7 +76,14 @@ pandora.ui.clipList = function(videoRatio) {
                 var itemsQuery, query;
                 if (!ui.item) {
                     itemsQuery = ui.find;
-                    query = {conditions: [], operator: itemsQuery.operator};
+                    query = {
+                        conditions: [{
+                            key: "layer",
+                            operator: "&",
+                            value: pandora.site.clipLayers
+                        }],
+                        operator: itemsQuery.operator
+                    };
                     // if the item query contains a layer condition,
                     // then this condition is added to the clip query
                     addConditions(query, itemsQuery.conditions);
@@ -99,13 +106,20 @@ pandora.ui.clipList = function(videoRatio) {
                         operator: '&'
                     };
                     query = {
-                        conditions: ui.itemFind === '' ? [] : [{
-                            key: 'annotations',
-                            value: ui.itemFind,
-                            operator: '='
+                        conditions: [{
+                            key: "layer",
+                            operator: "&",
+                            value: pandora.site.clipLayers
                         }],
                         operator: '&'
                     };
+                    if(ui.itemFind) {
+                        query.conditions.push({
+                            key: 'annotations',
+                            value: ui.itemFind,
+                            operator: '='
+                        })
+                    }
                     findClips();
                 }
 
diff --git a/static/js/utils.js b/static/js/utils.js
index 8f0286321..7bf3fa5e0 100644
--- a/static/js/utils.js
+++ b/static/js/utils.js
@@ -1265,6 +1265,25 @@ pandora.getClipsQuery = function(callback) {
     };
     addClipsConditions(pandora.user.ui.find.conditions);
     clipsQuery.operator = clipsQuery.conditions.length ? '|' : '&';
+    if (clipsQuery.conditions.length) {
+        clipsQuery.conditions = [
+            {
+                key: "layer",
+                operator: "&",
+                value: pandora.site.clipLayers
+            }, {
+                conditions: clipsQuery.conditions,
+                operator: '|'
+            }
+        ]
+        clipsQuery.operator = '&'
+    } else {
+        clipsQuery.conditions.push({
+            "key": "layer",
+            "operator": "&",
+            "value":pandora.site.clipLayers
+        })
+    }
     if (callback) {
         if (pandora.user.ui._list) {
             pandora.api.getList({id: pandora.user.ui._list}, function(result) {