diff --git a/config/settings/base.py b/config/settings/base.py
index 554de7ea0..850209a3c 100644
--- a/config/settings/base.py
+++ b/config/settings/base.py
@@ -322,6 +322,13 @@
 WAGTAILMENUS_ACTIVE_CLASS = 'current' # used for css in e.g. navigation/header.html
 WAGTAILMENUS_ACTIVE_ANCESTOR_CLASS = 'current'
 
+# wagtail search settings
+WAGTAILSEARCH_BACKENDS = {
+    'default': {
+        'BACKEND': 'wagtail.search.backends.database',
+    }
+}
+
 # Model defaults
 DEFAULT_AUTO_FIELD='django.db.models.AutoField'