diff --git a/app/controllers/topics_controller.rb b/app/controllers/topics_controller.rb
index e72f684c..06bcb6b7 100644
--- a/app/controllers/topics_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/topics_controller.rb
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ class TopicsController < ApplicationController
     term = params[:term]
     if term && !term.empty?
     	# !connor term here needs to have .downcase
-      @topics = Topic.where('LOWER("name") like ?', term + '%').order('"name"')
+      @topics = Topic.where('LOWER("name") like ?', term.downcase + '%').order('"name"')
       
       #read this next line as 'delete a topic if its private and you're either 1. logged out or 2. logged in but not the topic creator
       @topics.delete_if {|t| t.permission == "private" && (!authenticated? || (authenticated? && @current.id != t.user_id)) }