diff --git a/buscribe-api/buscribeapi/buscribeapi.py b/buscribe-api/buscribeapi/buscribeapi.py
index e90749a..2c78810 100644
--- a/buscribe-api/buscribeapi/buscribeapi.py
+++ b/buscribe-api/buscribeapi/buscribeapi.py
@@ -118,36 +118,51 @@ def get_json():
 
 
 def fetch_lines(db_conn, start_time, end_time, ts_query=None, limit=None, offset=None):
-    query = f"""
-    WITH q AS (
-        SELECT convert_query({"%(text_query)s" if ts_query is not None else "NULL"})
-    )
-    (SELECT *, ts_headline(transcription_line, (SELECT * FROM q),
-     'StartSel=''<span class=\"highlight\">'', StopSel=</span>') AS highlighted_text
-            FROM buscribe_all_transcriptions2 
-            WHERE start_time >= %(start_time)s AND end_time <= %(end_time)s 
-            {"AND verified_line_ts @@ (SELECT * FROM q)" if ts_query is not None else ""}
-            ORDER BY {"ts_rank_cd(coalesce(transcription_line_ts, ''::tsvector) ||" +
-                       "coalesce(names_ts, ''::tsvector), (SELECT * FROM q)) DESC," if ts_query is not None else ""} 
-            start_time)
-    UNION
-    (SELECT *, ts_headline(transcription_line, (SELECT * FROM q),
-     'StartSel=''<span class=\"highlight\">'', StopSel=</span>') AS highlighted_text
-            FROM buscribe_all_transcriptions2 
-            WHERE start_time >= %(start_time)s AND end_time <= %(end_time)s 
-            {"AND machine_line_ts @@ (SELECT * FROM q)" if ts_query is not None else ""} 
-            ORDER BY {"ts_rank_cd(coalesce(transcription_line_ts, ''::tsvector) ||" +
-                      "coalesce(names_ts, ''::tsvector), (SELECT * FROM q)) DESC," if ts_query is not None else ""} 
-            start_time)
-           """
-
-    if limit is not None:
-        query += "LIMIT %(limit)s "
-
-    if offset is not None:
-        query += "OFFSET %(limit)s "
-
-    query += ";"
+    if ts_query is None:
+        query = "SELECT *" + \
+                ",transcription_line AS highlighted_text" + \
+                " FROM buscribe_all_transcriptions WHERE start_time >= %(start_time)s AND end_time <= %(end_time)s " + \
+                "ORDER BY start_time "
+
+        if limit is not None:
+            query += "LIMIT %(limit)s "
+
+        if offset is not None:
+            query += "OFFSET %(limit)s "
+
+        query += ";"
+
+    else:
+        query = f"""
+        WITH q AS (
+            SELECT convert_query({"%(text_query)s" if ts_query is not None else "NULL"})
+        )
+        (SELECT *, ts_headline(transcription_line, (SELECT * FROM q),
+         'StartSel=''<span class=\"highlight\">'', StopSel=</span>') AS highlighted_text
+                FROM buscribe_all_transcriptions2 
+                WHERE start_time >= %(start_time)s AND end_time <= %(end_time)s 
+                {"AND verified_line_ts @@ (SELECT * FROM q)" if ts_query is not None else ""}
+                ORDER BY {"ts_rank_cd(coalesce(transcription_line_ts, ''::tsvector) ||" +
+                          "coalesce(names_ts, ''::tsvector), (SELECT * FROM q)) DESC," if ts_query is not None else ""} 
+                start_time)
+        UNION
+        (SELECT *, ts_headline(transcription_line, (SELECT * FROM q),
+         'StartSel=''<span class=\"highlight\">'', StopSel=</span>') AS highlighted_text
+                FROM buscribe_all_transcriptions2 
+                WHERE start_time >= %(start_time)s AND end_time <= %(end_time)s 
+                {"AND machine_line_ts @@ (SELECT * FROM q)" if ts_query is not None else ""} 
+                ORDER BY {"ts_rank_cd(coalesce(transcription_line_ts, ''::tsvector) ||" +
+                          "coalesce(names_ts, ''::tsvector), (SELECT * FROM q)) DESC," if ts_query is not None else ""} 
+                start_time)
+               """
+
+        if limit is not None:
+            query += "LIMIT %(limit)s "
+
+        if offset is not None:
+            query += "OFFSET %(limit)s "
+
+        query += ";"
 
     return database.query(db_conn, query,
                           start_time=start_time if start_time is not None else '-infinity',