diff --git a/packages/search/lib/commands/SEARCH.spec.ts b/packages/search/lib/commands/SEARCH.spec.ts
index aecf6c8b1a..a5d8ae9e6c 100644
--- a/packages/search/lib/commands/SEARCH.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/search/lib/commands/SEARCH.spec.ts
@@ -236,7 +236,7 @@ describe('SEARCH', () => {
     });
 
     describe('client.ft.search', () => {
-        testUtils.testWithClient('DIALECT 1', async client => {
+        testUtils.testWithClient('without optional options', async client => {
             await Promise.all([
                 client.ft.create('index', {
                     field: SchemaFieldTypes.NUMERIC
@@ -245,9 +245,7 @@ describe('SEARCH', () => {
             ]);
 
             assert.deepEqual(
-                await client.ft.search('index', '*', {
-                    DIALECT: 1
-                }),
+                await client.ft.search('index', '*'),
                 {
                     total: 1,
                     documents: [{
@@ -264,44 +262,23 @@ describe('SEARCH', () => {
             );
         }, GLOBAL.SERVERS.OPEN);
 
-        testUtils.testWithClient('DIALECT 2', async client => {
+        testUtils.testWithClient('RETURN []', async client => {
             await Promise.all([
                 client.ft.create('index', {
                     field: SchemaFieldTypes.NUMERIC
                 }),
-                client.hSet('1', 'field', '1'),
-                client.hSet('2', 'field', '2'),
-                client.hSet('3', 'field', '3')
+                client.hSet('1', 'field', '1')
             ]);
 
             assert.deepEqual(
-                await client.ft.search('index', '@field:[$min $max]', {
-                    PARAMS: {
-                        min: 1,
-                        max: 2
-                    },
-                    DIALECT: 2
+                await client.ft.search('index', '*', {
+                    RETURN: []
                 }),
                 {
-                    total: 2,
+                    total: 1,
                     documents: [{
                         id: '1',
-                        value: Object.create(null, {
-                            field: {
-                                value: '1',
-                                configurable: true,
-                                enumerable: true
-                            }
-                        })
-                    }, {
-                        id: '2',
-                        value: Object.create(null, {
-                            field: {
-                                value: '2',
-                                configurable: true,
-                                enumerable: true
-                            }
-                        })
+                        value: Object.create(null)
                     }]
                 }
             );
diff --git a/packages/search/lib/commands/SEARCH.ts b/packages/search/lib/commands/SEARCH.ts
index 4590997b24..bed06e22c3 100644
--- a/packages/search/lib/commands/SEARCH.ts
+++ b/packages/search/lib/commands/SEARCH.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 import { RedisCommandArguments } from '@redis/client/dist/lib/commands';
-import { transformTuplesReply } from '@redis/client/dist/lib/commands/generic-transformers';
 import { pushSearchOptions, RedisSearchLanguages, Params, PropertyName, SortByProperty, SearchReply } from '.';
 
 export const FIRST_KEY_INDEX = 1;
@@ -73,13 +72,11 @@ export type SearchRawReply = Array<any>;
 
 export function transformReply(reply: SearchRawReply): SearchReply {
     const documents = [];
-    for (let i = 1; i < reply.length; i += 2) {
-        const tuples = reply[i + 1];
+    let i = 1;
+    while (i < reply.length) {
         documents.push({
-            id: reply[i],
-            value: tuples.length === 2 && tuples[0] === '$' ?
-                JSON.parse(tuples[1]) :
-                transformTuplesReply(tuples)
+            id: reply[i++],
+            value: documentValue(reply[i++])
         });
     }
 
@@ -88,3 +85,26 @@ export function transformReply(reply: SearchRawReply): SearchReply {
         documents
     };
 }
+
+function documentValue(tuples: any) {
+    const message = Object.create(null);
+    if (tuples === undefined) return message;
+
+    let i = 0;
+    while (i < tuples.length) {
+        const key = tuples[i++],
+            value = tuples[i++];
+        if (key === '$') { // might be a JSON reply
+            try {
+                Object.assign(message, JSON.parse(value));
+                continue;
+            } catch {
+                // set as a regular property if not a valid JSON
+            }
+        }
+
+        message[key] = value;
+    }
+
+    return message;
+}