diff --git a/aioriak/transport.py b/aioriak/transport.py
index 6617e13..f28599f 100644
--- a/aioriak/transport.py
+++ b/aioriak/transport.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 from collections import ChainMap
 from riak.pb import messages
 from riak.codecs import pbuf as codec
+from riak.codecs import Msg
 from aioriak.content import RiakContent
 from riak.riak_object import VClock
 from riak.util import decode_index_value, bytes_to_str, str_to_bytes
@@ -624,7 +625,9 @@ async def _stream(self, msg_code, msg=None, expect=None):
         return responses
 
     async def _request(self, msg_code, msg=None, expect=None):
-        self._writer.write(self._encode_message(msg_code, msg))
+        if not isinstance(msg, Msg):
+            msg = self._encode_message(msg_code, msg)
+        self._writer.write(msg)
         if self._parser:
             tail = self._parser.tail
             del self._parser
@@ -1090,3 +1093,11 @@ async def update_datatype(self, datatype, **options):
         datatype._set_value(self._decode_dt_value(type_name, resp))
 
         return True
+
+    async def search(self, index, query, **kwargs):
+        msg = codec.encode_search(index, query, **kwargs)
+        resp_code, resp = await self._request(
+            messages.MSG_CODE_SEARCH_QUERY_REQ,
+            msg
+        )
+        return codec.decode_search(resp)