diff --git a/docs/man/pantalaimon.5 b/docs/man/pantalaimon.5
index 216afc7..a443ab8 100644
--- a/docs/man/pantalaimon.5
+++ b/docs/man/pantalaimon.5
@@ -66,6 +66,13 @@ Homeserver, note that this will make the search much slower. If this is set to
 .Nm pantalaimon
 will not make any additional HTTP requests and will leave some data fields in
 the search response empty. Defaults to "Off".
+.It Cm IndexEncryptedOnly
+A configuration option to decide if
+.Nm pantalaimon
+should fetch the history for
+unencrytped rooms as well as for encrypted ones. If True, only the history for
+encrypted rooms is fetched and indexed. Search requests for non-encrypted
+rooms are forwarded to the Homeserver.
 .El
 .Pp
 Aditional to the homeserver section a special section with the name
diff --git a/pantalaimon/client.py b/pantalaimon/client.py
index a8e2143..bdf8ea0 100644
--- a/pantalaimon/client.py
+++ b/pantalaimon/client.py
@@ -180,6 +180,9 @@ class PanClient(AsyncClient):
         display_name = room.user_name(event.sender)
         avatar_url = room.avatar_url(event.sender)
 
+        if not room.encrypted and self.pan_conf.index_encrypted_only:
+            return
+
         self.index.add_event(event, room.room_id, display_name, avatar_url)
 
     @property
@@ -296,13 +299,18 @@ class PanClient(AsyncClient):
             self.next_batch
         )
 
-        for room_id, room in response.rooms.join.items():
-            if room.timeline.limited:
+        for room_id, room_info in response.rooms.join.items():
+            if room_info.timeline.limited:
+                room = self.rooms[room_id]
+
+                if not room.encrypted and self.pan_conf.index_encrypted_only:
+                    continue
+
                 logger.info("Room {} had a limited timeline, queueing "
                             "room for history fetching.".format(
-                                self.rooms[room_id].display_name
+                                room.display_name
                             ))
-                task = FetchTask(room_id, room.timeline.prev_batch)
+                task = FetchTask(room_id, room_info.timeline.prev_batch)
                 self.pan_store.save_fetcher_task(self.server_name,
                                                  self.user_id, task)
 
@@ -701,7 +709,6 @@ class PanClient(AsyncClient):
             event_dict["context"]["start"] = context.start
             event_dict["context"]["end"] = context.end
 
-        validate_json(search_terms, SEARCH_TERMS_SCHEMA)
         search_terms = search_terms["search_categories"]["room_events"]
 
         term = search_terms["search_term"]
diff --git a/pantalaimon/config.py b/pantalaimon/config.py
index 7e0f8ac..c00786d 100644
--- a/pantalaimon/config.py
+++ b/pantalaimon/config.py
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ class PanConfigParser(configparser.ConfigParser):
                 "Notifications": "on",
                 "UseKeyring": "yes",
                 "SearchRequests": "off",
+                "IndexEncryptedOnly": "True",
             },
             converters={
                 "address": parse_address,
@@ -114,6 +115,7 @@ class ServerConfig:
     ignore_verification = attr.ib(type=bool, default=False)
     keyring = attr.ib(type=bool, default=True)
     search_requests = attr.ib(type=bool, default=False)
+    index_encrypted_only = attr.ib(type=bool, default=True)
 
 
 @attr.s
@@ -171,6 +173,7 @@ class PanConfig:
                 keyring = section.getboolean("UseKeyring")
                 proxy = section.geturl("Proxy")
                 search_requests = section.getboolean("SearchRequests")
+                index_encrypted_only = section.getboolean("IndexEncryptedOnly")
 
                 listen_tuple = (listen_address, listen_port)
 
@@ -189,7 +192,8 @@ class PanConfig:
                     ssl,
                     ignore_verification,
                     keyring,
-                    search_requests
+                    search_requests,
+                    index_encrypted_only
                 )
 
                 self.servers[section_name] = server_conf
diff --git a/pantalaimon/daemon.py b/pantalaimon/daemon.py
index 8c1c6e5..1695b16 100755
--- a/pantalaimon/daemon.py
+++ b/pantalaimon/daemon.py
@@ -29,7 +29,8 @@ from nio import (Api, EncryptionError, LoginResponse, OlmTrustError,
                  SendRetryError)
 
 from pantalaimon.client import (InvalidLimit, InvalidOrderByError, PanClient,
-                                UnknownRoomError)
+                                UnknownRoomError, SEARCH_TERMS_SCHEMA,
+                                validate_json)
 from pantalaimon.index import InvalidQueryError
 from pantalaimon.log import logger
 from pantalaimon.store import ClientInfo, PanStore
@@ -932,12 +933,12 @@ class ProxyDaemon:
             return self._unknown_token
 
         try:
-            search_categories = await request.json()
+            content = await request.json()
         except (JSONDecodeError, ContentTypeError):
             return self._not_json
 
         try:
-            result = await client.search(search_categories)
+            validate_json(content, SEARCH_TERMS_SCHEMA)
         except ValidationError:
             return web.json_response(
                 {
@@ -946,6 +947,29 @@ class ProxyDaemon:
                 },
                 status=400,
             )
+
+        # If we're indexing only encrypted rooms check if the search request is
+        # for an encrypted room, if it isn't forward it to the server.
+        # TODO if the search request contains no rooms, that is a search in all
+        # rooms or a mix of encrypted and unencrypted rooms we need to combine
+        # search a local search with a remote search.
+        if self.conf.index_encrypted_only:
+            s_filter = content["search_categories"]["room_events"]["filter"]
+            rooms = s_filter.get("rooms", list(client.rooms))
+
+            for room_id in rooms:
+                try:
+                    room = client.rooms[room_id]
+                    if room.encrypted:
+                        break
+
+                except KeyError:
+                    return await self.forward_to_web(request)
+            else:
+                return await self.forward_to_web(request)
+
+        try:
+            result = await client.search(content)
         except (InvalidOrderByError, InvalidLimit, InvalidQueryError) as e:
             return web.json_response(
                 {