diff --git a/db-service/lib/cql-functions.js b/db-service/lib/cql-functions.js
index fbe6a427b..2ced052cc 100644
--- a/db-service/lib/cql-functions.js
+++ b/db-service/lib/cql-functions.js
@@ -23,10 +23,16 @@ const StandardFunctions = {
   search: function (ref, arg) {
     if (!('val' in arg)) throw new Error(`Only single value arguments are allowed for $search`)
     // only apply first search term, rest is ignored
-    const sub= /("")|("(?:[^"]|\\")*(?:[^\\]|\\\\)")|(\S*)/.exec(arg.val)
-    arg.val = arg.__proto__.val = (sub[2] ? JSON.parse(sub[2]) : sub[3]) || ''    
-    const refs = ref.list || [ref],
-      { toString } = ref
+    const sub = /("")|("(?:[^"]|\\")*(?:[^\\]|\\\\)")|(\S*)/.exec(arg.val)
+    let val
+    try {
+      val = (sub[2] ? JSON.parse(sub[2]) : sub[3]) || ''
+    } catch {
+      val = sub[2] || sub[3] || ''
+    }
+    arg.val = arg.__proto__.val = val
+    const refs = ref.list || [ref]
+    const { toString } = ref
     return '(' + refs.map(ref2 => this.contains(this.tolower(toString(ref2)), this.tolower(arg))).join(' or ') + ')'
   },
   /**
@@ -159,8 +165,8 @@ const StandardFunctions = {
    * Generates SQL statement that produces current point in time (date and time with time zone)
    * @returns {string}
    */
-   now: function() {
-    return this.session_context({val: '$now'})
+  now: function () {
+    return this.session_context({ val: '$now' })
   },
   /**
    * Generates SQL statement that produces the year of a given timestamp