diff --git a/frigate/api/event.py b/frigate/api/event.py
index 3a8d003ad..b1c98bb19 100644
--- a/frigate/api/event.py
+++ b/frigate/api/event.py
@@ -473,12 +473,7 @@ def events_search(request: Request, params: EventsSearchQueryParams = Depends())
             )
 
         thumb_result = context.search_thumbnail(search_event)
-        thumb_ids = dict(
-            zip(
-                [result[0] for result in thumb_result],
-                context.thumb_stats.normalize([result[1] for result in thumb_result]),
-            )
-        )
+        thumb_ids = {result[0]: result[1] for result in thumb_result}
         search_results = {
             event_id: {"distance": distance, "source": "thumbnail"}
             for event_id, distance in thumb_ids.items()
@@ -486,15 +481,23 @@ def events_search(request: Request, params: EventsSearchQueryParams = Depends())
     else:
         search_types = search_type.split(",")
 
+        # only normalize multi-modal searches
+        apply_normalization = (
+            "thumbnail" in search_types and "description" in search_types
+        )
+
         if "thumbnail" in search_types:
             thumb_result = context.search_thumbnail(query)
-            thumb_ids = dict(
-                zip(
-                    [result[0] for result in thumb_result],
-                    context.thumb_stats.normalize(
-                        [result[1] for result in thumb_result]
-                    ),
+
+            if apply_normalization:
+                thumb_distances = context.thumb_stats.normalize(
+                    [result[1] for result in thumb_result]
                 )
+            else:
+                thumb_distances = [result[1] for result in thumb_result]
+
+            thumb_ids = dict(
+                zip([result[0] for result in thumb_result], thumb_distances)
             )
             search_results.update(
                 {
@@ -505,12 +508,17 @@ def events_search(request: Request, params: EventsSearchQueryParams = Depends())
 
         if "description" in search_types:
             desc_result = context.search_description(query)
-            desc_ids = dict(
-                zip(
-                    [result[0] for result in desc_result],
-                    context.desc_stats.normalize([result[1] for result in desc_result]),
+            if apply_normalization:
+                desc_distances = context.desc_stats.normalize(
+                    [result[1] for result in desc_result]
                 )
-            )
+            else:
+                desc_distances = [
+                    result[1] for result in desc_result
+                ]  # Use raw distances
+
+            desc_ids = dict(zip([result[0] for result in desc_result], desc_distances))
+
             for event_id, distance in desc_ids.items():
                 if (
                     event_id not in search_results