diff --git a/data/model/repository.py b/data/model/repository.py
index 910ae358a..6709b3f09 100644
--- a/data/model/repository.py
+++ b/data/model/repository.py
@@ -393,7 +393,7 @@ def lookup_repository(repo_id):
 
 
 def is_repository_public(repository):
-  return repository.visibility == _basequery.get_public_repo_visibility()
+  return repository.visibility_id == _basequery.get_public_repo_visibility().id
 
 
 def repository_is_public(namespace_name, repository_name):
diff --git a/endpoints/v1/index.py b/endpoints/v1/index.py
index c9a4c72dd..f70b77f5c 100644
--- a/endpoints/v1/index.py
+++ b/endpoints/v1/index.py
@@ -312,10 +312,15 @@ def get_search():
 
 def _conduct_repo_search(username, query, limit=25, page=1):
   """ Finds matching repositories. """
+  only_public = username is None
+
   def can_read(repo):
     if repo.is_public:
       return True
 
+    if only_public:
+      return False
+
     return ReadRepositoryPermission(repo.namespace_user.username, repo.name).can()
 
   # Note: We put a max 5 page limit here. The Docker CLI doesn't seem to use the
@@ -326,8 +331,6 @@ def _conduct_repo_search(username, query, limit=25, page=1):
   _MAX_PAGE_COUNT = 5
   page = min(page, _MAX_PAGE_COUNT)
 
-  only_public = username is None
-
   if query:
     matching_repos = model.get_sorted_matching_repositories(query, only_public, can_read,
                                                             limit=limit*_MAX_PAGE_COUNT)