diff --git a/src/lib/Search/Legacy/Content/Common/Gateway/CriterionHandler/FullText.php b/src/lib/Search/Legacy/Content/Common/Gateway/CriterionHandler/FullText.php
index b2de8bea80..3662720902 100644
--- a/src/lib/Search/Legacy/Content/Common/Gateway/CriterionHandler/FullText.php
+++ b/src/lib/Search/Legacy/Content/Common/Gateway/CriterionHandler/FullText.php
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ protected function tokenizeString($string)
      */
     protected function getWordExpression(QueryBuilder $query, string $token): string
     {
-        if ($this->configuration['enableWildcards']) {
+        if ($this->configuration['enableWildcards'] && str_contains('*', $token)) {
             $hasLeadingWildcard = str_starts_with($token, '*');
             $hasTrailingWildcard = str_ends_with($token, '*');