diff --git a/lib/cartodb/backends/dataview.js b/lib/cartodb/backends/dataview.js
index 1b13a930..87605ce6 100644
--- a/lib/cartodb/backends/dataview.js
+++ b/lib/cartodb/backends/dataview.js
@@ -154,6 +154,7 @@ DataviewBackend.prototype.search = function (mapConfigProvider, user, dataviewNa
         var pg;
         var query;
         var dataview;
+        var userQuery = params.q;
 
         try {
             pg = new PSQL(dbParamsFromReqParams(params));
@@ -163,7 +164,6 @@ DataviewBackend.prototype.search = function (mapConfigProvider, user, dataviewNa
             return callback(error);
         }
 
-        var userQuery = params.q;
         dataview.search(pg, userQuery, function (err, result) {
             if (err) {
                 return callback(err);