diff --git a/client/data/data.go b/client/data/data.go
index 28eb194..292a611 100644
--- a/client/data/data.go
+++ b/client/data/data.go
@@ -11,18 +11,18 @@ import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
-	"strings"
 	"time"
 
-	"github.com/araddon/dateparse"
 	"github.com/ddworken/hishtory/shared"
 	"github.com/google/uuid"
-	"gorm.io/gorm"
 )
 
 const (
 	KdfUserID        = "user_id"
 	KdfEncryptionKey = "encryption_key"
+	CONFIG_PATH      = ".hishtory.config"
+	HISHTORY_PATH    = ".hishtory"
+	DB_PATH          = ".hishtory.db"
 )
 
 type HistoryEntry struct {
@@ -153,110 +153,6 @@ func DecryptHistoryEntry(userSecret string, entry shared.EncHistoryEntry) (Histo
 	return decryptedEntry, nil
 }
 
-func parseTimeGenerously(input string) (time.Time, error) {
-	input = strings.ReplaceAll(input, "_", " ")
-	return dateparse.ParseLocal(input)
-}
-
-func MakeWhereQueryFromSearch(db *gorm.DB, query string) (*gorm.DB, error) {
-	tokens, err := tokenize(query)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to tokenize query: %v", err)
-	}
-	tx := db.Model(&HistoryEntry{}).Where("true")
-	for _, token := range tokens {
-		if strings.HasPrefix(token, "-") {
-			if strings.Contains(token, ":") {
-				query, v1, v2, err := parseAtomizedToken(token[1:])
-				if err != nil {
-					return nil, err
-				}
-				tx = tx.Where("NOT "+query, v1, v2)
-			} else {
-				query, v1, v2, v3, err := parseNonAtomizedToken(token[1:])
-				if err != nil {
-					return nil, err
-				}
-				tx = tx.Where("NOT "+query, v1, v2, v3)
-			}
-		} else if strings.Contains(token, ":") {
-			query, v1, v2, err := parseAtomizedToken(token)
-			if err != nil {
-				return nil, err
-			}
-			tx = tx.Where(query, v1, v2)
-		} else {
-			query, v1, v2, v3, err := parseNonAtomizedToken(token)
-			if err != nil {
-				return nil, err
-			}
-			tx = tx.Where(query, v1, v2, v3)
-		}
-	}
-	return tx, nil
-}
-
-func Search(db *gorm.DB, query string, limit int) ([]*HistoryEntry, error) {
-	tx, err := MakeWhereQueryFromSearch(db, query)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	tx = tx.Order("end_time DESC")
-	if limit > 0 {
-		tx = tx.Limit(limit)
-	}
-	var historyEntries []*HistoryEntry
-	result := tx.Find(&historyEntries)
-	if result.Error != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("DB query error: %v", result.Error)
-	}
-	return historyEntries, nil
-}
-
-func parseNonAtomizedToken(token string) (string, interface{}, interface{}, interface{}, error) {
-	wildcardedToken := "%" + token + "%"
-	return "(command LIKE ? OR hostname LIKE ? OR current_working_directory LIKE ?)", wildcardedToken, wildcardedToken, wildcardedToken, nil
-}
-
-func parseAtomizedToken(token string) (string, interface{}, interface{}, error) {
-	splitToken := strings.SplitN(token, ":", 2)
-	field := splitToken[0]
-	val := splitToken[1]
-	switch field {
-	case "user":
-		return "(local_username = ?)", val, nil, nil
-	case "host":
-		fallthrough
-	case "hostname":
-		return "(instr(hostname, ?) > 0)", val, nil, nil
-	case "cwd":
-		return "(instr(current_working_directory, ?) > 0 OR instr(REPLACE(current_working_directory, '~/', home_directory), ?) > 0)", strings.TrimSuffix(val, "/"), strings.TrimSuffix(val, "/"), nil
-	case "exit_code":
-		return "(exit_code = ?)", val, nil, nil
-	case "before":
-		t, err := parseTimeGenerously(val)
-		if err != nil {
-			return "", nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to parse before:%s as a timestamp: %v", val, err)
-		}
-		return "(CAST(strftime(\"%s\",start_time) AS INTEGER) < ?)", t.Unix(), nil, nil
-	case "after":
-		t, err := parseTimeGenerously(val)
-		if err != nil {
-			return "", nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to parse after:%s as a timestamp: %v", val, err)
-		}
-		return "(CAST(strftime(\"%s\",start_time) AS INTEGER) > ?)", t.Unix(), nil, nil
-	default:
-		return "", nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("search query contains unknown search atom %s", field)
-	}
-}
-
-func tokenize(query string) ([]string, error) {
-	if query == "" {
-		return []string{}, nil
-	}
-	return strings.Split(query, " "), nil
-}
-
 func EntryEquals(entry1, entry2 HistoryEntry) bool {
 	return entry1.LocalUsername == entry2.LocalUsername &&
 		entry1.Hostname == entry2.Hostname &&
@@ -267,9 +163,3 @@ func EntryEquals(entry1, entry2 HistoryEntry) bool {
 		entry1.StartTime.Format(time.RFC3339) == entry2.StartTime.Format(time.RFC3339) &&
 		entry1.EndTime.Format(time.RFC3339) == entry2.EndTime.Format(time.RFC3339)
 }
-
-const (
-	CONFIG_PATH   = ".hishtory.config"
-	HISHTORY_PATH = ".hishtory"
-	DB_PATH       = ".hishtory.db"
-)
diff --git a/client/lib/lib.go b/client/lib/lib.go
index 4676b5f..6a17954 100644
--- a/client/lib/lib.go
+++ b/client/lib/lib.go
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ import (
 
 	"gorm.io/gorm"
 
+	"github.com/araddon/dateparse"
 	"github.com/fatih/color"
 	"github.com/google/uuid"
 	"github.com/rodaine/table"
@@ -1221,7 +1222,7 @@ func EncryptAndMarshal(config hctx.ClientConfig, entries []*data.HistoryEntry) (
 }
 
 func Redact(ctx *context.Context, query string, force bool) error {
-	tx, err := data.MakeWhereQueryFromSearch(hctx.GetDb(ctx), query)
+	tx, err := MakeWhereQueryFromSearch(ctx, hctx.GetDb(ctx), query)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -1244,7 +1245,7 @@ func Redact(ctx *context.Context, query string, force bool) error {
 			return nil
 		}
 	}
-	tx, err = data.MakeWhereQueryFromSearch(hctx.GetDb(ctx), query)
+	tx, err = MakeWhereQueryFromSearch(ctx, hctx.GetDb(ctx), query)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -1285,7 +1286,7 @@ func deleteOnRemoteInstances(ctx *context.Context, historyEntries []*data.Histor
 
 func Reupload(ctx *context.Context) error {
 	config := hctx.GetConf(ctx)
-	entries, err := data.Search(hctx.GetDb(ctx), "", 0)
+	entries, err := Search(ctx, hctx.GetDb(ctx), "", 0)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to reupload due to failed search: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -1394,3 +1395,158 @@ func tweakConfigForTests(configContents string) (string, error) {
 	}
 	return ret, nil
 }
+
+func parseTimeGenerously(input string) (time.Time, error) {
+	input = strings.ReplaceAll(input, "_", " ")
+	return dateparse.ParseLocal(input)
+}
+
+func MakeWhereQueryFromSearch(ctx *context.Context, db *gorm.DB, query string) (*gorm.DB, error) {
+	tokens, err := tokenize(query)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to tokenize query: %v", err)
+	}
+	tx := db.Model(&data.HistoryEntry{}).Where("true")
+	for _, token := range tokens {
+		if strings.HasPrefix(token, "-") {
+			if strings.Contains(token, ":") {
+				query, v1, v2, err := parseAtomizedToken(ctx, token[1:])
+				if err != nil {
+					return nil, err
+				}
+				tx = tx.Where("NOT "+query, v1, v2)
+			} else {
+				query, v1, v2, v3, err := parseNonAtomizedToken(token[1:])
+				if err != nil {
+					return nil, err
+				}
+				tx = tx.Where("NOT "+query, v1, v2, v3)
+			}
+		} else if strings.Contains(token, ":") {
+			query, v1, v2, err := parseAtomizedToken(ctx, token)
+			if err != nil {
+				return nil, err
+			}
+			tx = tx.Where(query, v1, v2)
+		} else {
+			query, v1, v2, v3, err := parseNonAtomizedToken(token)
+			if err != nil {
+				return nil, err
+			}
+			tx = tx.Where(query, v1, v2, v3)
+		}
+	}
+	return tx, nil
+}
+
+func Search(ctx *context.Context, db *gorm.DB, query string, limit int) ([]*data.HistoryEntry, error) {
+	if ctx == nil && query != "" {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("lib.Search called with a nil context and a non-empty query (this should never happen)")
+	}
+
+	tx, err := MakeWhereQueryFromSearch(ctx, db, query)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	tx = tx.Order("end_time DESC")
+	if limit > 0 {
+		tx = tx.Limit(limit)
+	}
+	var historyEntries []*data.HistoryEntry
+	result := tx.Find(&historyEntries)
+	if result.Error != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("DB query error: %v", result.Error)
+	}
+	return historyEntries, nil
+}
+
+func parseNonAtomizedToken(token string) (string, interface{}, interface{}, interface{}, error) {
+	wildcardedToken := "%" + token + "%"
+	return "(command LIKE ? OR hostname LIKE ? OR current_working_directory LIKE ?)", wildcardedToken, wildcardedToken, wildcardedToken, nil
+}
+
+func parseAtomizedToken(ctx *context.Context, token string) (string, interface{}, interface{}, error) {
+	splitToken := strings.SplitN(token, ":", 2)
+	field := splitToken[0]
+	val := splitToken[1]
+	switch field {
+	case "user":
+		return "(local_username = ?)", val, nil, nil
+	case "host":
+		fallthrough
+	case "hostname":
+		return "(instr(hostname, ?) > 0)", val, nil, nil
+	case "cwd":
+		return "(instr(current_working_directory, ?) > 0 OR instr(REPLACE(current_working_directory, '~/', home_directory), ?) > 0)", strings.TrimSuffix(val, "/"), strings.TrimSuffix(val, "/"), nil
+	case "exit_code":
+		return "(exit_code = ?)", val, nil, nil
+	case "before":
+		t, err := parseTimeGenerously(val)
+		if err != nil {
+			return "", nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to parse before:%s as a timestamp: %v", val, err)
+		}
+		return "(CAST(strftime(\"%s\",start_time) AS INTEGER) < ?)", t.Unix(), nil, nil
+	case "after":
+		t, err := parseTimeGenerously(val)
+		if err != nil {
+			return "", nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to parse after:%s as a timestamp: %v", val, err)
+		}
+		return "(CAST(strftime(\"%s\",start_time) AS INTEGER) > ?)", t.Unix(), nil, nil
+	default:
+		knownCustomColumns := make([]string, 0)
+		// Get custom columns that are defined on this machine
+		conf := hctx.GetConf(ctx)
+		for _, c := range conf.CustomColumns {
+			knownCustomColumns = append(knownCustomColumns, c.ColumnName)
+		}
+		// Also get all ones that are in the DB
+		names, err := getAllCustomColumnNames(ctx)
+		if err != nil {
+			return "", nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to get custom column names from the DB: %v", err)
+		}
+		knownCustomColumns = append(knownCustomColumns, names...)
+		// Check if the atom is for a custom column that exists and if it isn't, return an error
+		isCustomColumn := false
+		for _, ccName := range knownCustomColumns {
+			if ccName == field {
+				isCustomColumn = true
+			}
+		}
+		if !isCustomColumn {
+			return "", nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("search query contains unknown search atom %s", field)
+		}
+		// Build the where clause for the custom column
+		return "EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM json_each(custom_columns) WHERE json_extract(value, '$.name') = ? and instr(json_extract(value, '$.value'), ?) > 0)", field, val, nil
+	}
+}
+
+func getAllCustomColumnNames(ctx *context.Context) ([]string, error) {
+	db := hctx.GetDb(ctx)
+	query := `
+	SELECT DISTINCT json_extract(value, '$.name') as cc_name
+	FROM history_entries 
+	JOIN json_each(custom_columns)
+	WHERE value IS NOT NULL
+	LIMIT 10`
+	rows, err := db.Raw(query).Rows()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	ccNames := make([]string, 0)
+	for rows.Next() {
+		var ccName string
+		err = rows.Scan(&ccName)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+		ccNames = append(ccNames, ccName)
+	}
+	return ccNames, nil
+}
+
+func tokenize(query string) ([]string, error) {
+	if query == "" {
+		return []string{}, nil
+	}
+	return strings.Split(query, " "), nil
+}
diff --git a/client/lib/lib_test.go b/client/lib/lib_test.go
index 9eaa633..77cee2b 100644
--- a/client/lib/lib_test.go
+++ b/client/lib/lib_test.go
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ func TestSearch(t *testing.T) {
 	db.Create(entry2)
 
 	// Search for data
-	results, err := data.Search(db, "ls", 5)
+	results, err := lib.Search(ctx, db, "ls", 5)
 	testutils.Check(t, err)
 	if len(results) != 2 {
 		t.Fatalf("Search() returned %d results, expected 2!", len(results))
diff --git a/client/lib/tui.go b/client/lib/tui.go
index 063049e..56219fb 100644
--- a/client/lib/tui.go
+++ b/client/lib/tui.go
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/charmbracelet/bubbles/textinput"
 	tea "github.com/charmbracelet/bubbletea"
 	"github.com/charmbracelet/lipgloss"
-	"github.com/ddworken/hishtory/client/data"
 	"github.com/ddworken/hishtory/client/hctx"
 	"github.com/muesli/termenv"
 	"golang.org/x/term"
@@ -199,7 +198,7 @@ func (m model) View() string {
 
 func getRows(ctx *context.Context, columnNames []string, query string, numEntries int) ([]table.Row, int, error) {
 	db := hctx.GetDb(ctx)
-	data, err := data.Search(db, query, numEntries)
+	data, err := Search(ctx, db, query, numEntries)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, 0, err
 	}
diff --git a/hishtory.go b/hishtory.go
index 5da3a02..e795d91 100644
--- a/hishtory.go
+++ b/hishtory.go
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ func main() {
 	case "init":
 		db, err := hctx.OpenLocalSqliteDb()
 		lib.CheckFatalError(err)
-		data, err := data.Search(db, "", 10)
+		data, err := lib.Search(nil, db, "", 10)
 		lib.CheckFatalError(err)
 		if len(data) > 0 {
 			fmt.Printf("Your current hishtory profile has saved history entries, are you sure you want to run `init` and reset? [y/N]")
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ func main() {
 		if os.Getenv("HISHTORY_TEST") == "" {
 			db, err := hctx.OpenLocalSqliteDb()
 			lib.CheckFatalError(err)
-			data, err := data.Search(db, "", 10)
+			data, err := lib.Search(nil, db, "", 10)
 			lib.CheckFatalError(err)
 			if len(data) < 10 {
 				fmt.Println("Importing existing shell history...")
@@ -299,7 +299,7 @@ func query(ctx *context.Context, query string) {
 		}
 	}
 	lib.CheckFatalError(displayBannerIfSet(ctx))
-	data, err := data.Search(db, query, 25)
+	data, err := lib.Search(ctx, db, query, 25)
 	lib.CheckFatalError(err)
 	lib.CheckFatalError(lib.DisplayResults(ctx, data))
 }
@@ -327,7 +327,7 @@ func maybeUploadSkippedHistoryEntries(ctx *context.Context) error {
 	// Upload the missing entries
 	db := hctx.GetDb(ctx)
 	query := fmt.Sprintf("after:%s", time.Unix(config.MissedUploadTimestamp, 0).Format("2006-01-02"))
-	entries, err := data.Search(db, query, 0)
+	entries, err := lib.Search(ctx, db, query, 0)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to retrieve history entries that haven't been uploaded yet: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -400,7 +400,7 @@ func saveHistoryEntry(ctx *context.Context) {
 	}
 	if len(dumpRequests) > 0 {
 		lib.CheckFatalError(lib.RetrieveAdditionalEntriesFromRemote(ctx))
-		entries, err := data.Search(db, "", 0)
+		entries, err := lib.Search(ctx, db, "", 0)
 		lib.CheckFatalError(err)
 		var encEntries []*shared.EncHistoryEntry
 		for _, entry := range entries {
@@ -427,7 +427,7 @@ func export(ctx *context.Context, query string) {
 			lib.CheckFatalError(err)
 		}
 	}
-	data, err := data.Search(db, query, 0)
+	data, err := lib.Search(ctx, db, query, 0)
 	lib.CheckFatalError(err)
 	for i := len(data) - 1; i >= 0; i-- {
 		fmt.Println(data[i].Command)