diff --git a/src/app/shared/search/search-filters/search-filter/search-facet-filter-options/search-facet-option/search-facet-option.component.spec.ts b/src/app/shared/search/search-filters/search-filter/search-facet-filter-options/search-facet-option/search-facet-option.component.spec.ts
index 4f85411d85..ba6eceeede 100644
--- a/src/app/shared/search/search-filters/search-filter/search-facet-filter-options/search-facet-option/search-facet-option.component.spec.ts
+++ b/src/app/shared/search/search-filters/search-filter/search-facet-filter-options/search-facet-option/search-facet-option.component.spec.ts
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ describe('SearchFacetOptionComponent', () => {
       comp.addQueryParams = {};
       (comp as any).updateAddParams(selectedValues);
       expect(comp.addQueryParams).toEqual({
-        [mockFilterConfig.paramName]: [value1, value.value],
+        [mockFilterConfig.paramName]: [`${value1},${operator}`, value.value + ',equals'],
         page: 1
       });
     });
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ describe('SearchFacetOptionComponent', () => {
       comp.addQueryParams = {};
       (comp as any).updateAddParams(selectedValues);
       expect(comp.addQueryParams).toEqual({
-        [mockAuthorityFilterConfig.paramName]: [value1, `${value2},${operator}`],
+        [mockAuthorityFilterConfig.paramName]: [value1 + ',equals', `${value2},${operator}`],
         page: 1
       });
     });
diff --git a/src/app/shared/search/search-filters/search-filter/search-facet-filter/search-facet-filter.component.spec.ts b/src/app/shared/search/search-filters/search-filter/search-facet-filter/search-facet-filter.component.spec.ts
index 376aa7ba3a..54548b0ddf 100644
--- a/src/app/shared/search/search-filters/search-filter/search-facet-filter/search-facet-filter.component.spec.ts
+++ b/src/app/shared/search/search-filters/search-filter/search-facet-filter/search-facet-filter.component.spec.ts
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ describe('SearchFacetFilterComponent', () => {
 
     it('should call navigate on the router with the right searchlink and parameters', () => {
       expect(router.navigate).toHaveBeenCalledWith(searchUrl.split('/'), {
-        queryParams: { [mockFilterConfig.paramName]: [...selectedValues, testValue] },
+        queryParams: { [mockFilterConfig.paramName]: [...selectedValues.map((value) => `${value},equals`), testValue] },
         queryParamsHandling: 'merge'
       });
     });
diff --git a/src/app/shared/search/search.utils.spec.ts b/src/app/shared/search/search.utils.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a14085c2d3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/app/shared/search/search.utils.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+import { FacetValue } from './facet-value.model';
+import { SearchFilterConfig } from './search-filter-config.model';
+import { addOperatorToFilterValue, getFacetValueForType, stripOperatorFromFilterValue } from './search.utils';
+
+describe('Search Utils', () => {
+  describe('getFacetValueForType', () => {
+    let facetValueWithSearchHref: FacetValue;
+    let facetValueWithoutSearchHref: FacetValue;
+    let searchFilterConfig: SearchFilterConfig;
+
+    beforeEach(() => {
+      facetValueWithSearchHref = Object.assign(new FacetValue(), {
+        value: 'Value with search href',
+        _links: {
+          search: {
+            href: 'rest/api/search?f.otherFacet=Other facet value,operator&f.facetName=Value with search href,operator'
+          }
+        }
+      });
+      facetValueWithoutSearchHref = Object.assign(new FacetValue(), {
+        value: 'Value without search href'
+      });
+      searchFilterConfig = Object.assign(new SearchFilterConfig(), {
+        name: 'facetName'
+      });
+    });
+
+    it('should retrieve the correct value from the search href', () => {
+      expect(getFacetValueForType(facetValueWithSearchHref, searchFilterConfig)).toEqual('Value with search href,operator');
+    });
+
+    it('should return the facet value with an equals operator by default', () => {
+      expect(getFacetValueForType(facetValueWithoutSearchHref, searchFilterConfig)).toEqual('Value without search href,equals');
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('stripOperatorFromFilterValue', () => {
+    it('should strip the operator from the value', () => {
+      expect(stripOperatorFromFilterValue('value,operator')).toEqual('value');
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('addOperatorToFilterValue', () => {
+    it('should add the operator to the value', () => {
+      expect(addOperatorToFilterValue('value', 'operator')).toEqual('value,operator');
+    });
+
+    it('shouldn\'t add the operator to the value if it already contains the operator', () => {
+      expect(addOperatorToFilterValue('value,operator', 'operator')).toEqual('value,operator');
+    });
+  });
+});