diff --git a/ietf/utils/fields.py b/ietf/utils/fields.py
index 68d6914d3..bb36ce1c0 100644
--- a/ietf/utils/fields.py
+++ b/ietf/utils/fields.py
@@ -264,10 +264,7 @@ class SearchableField(forms.MultipleChoiceField):
                 value = value[0]
             else:
                 if not isinstance(value[0], self.model):
-                    qs = self.get_model_instances(value[0])
-                    for val in value[1:]:
-                        qs = qs.union(self.get_model_instances(val))
-                    value = qs
+                    value = self.get_model_instances(value)
         if isinstance(value, int):
             value = str(value)
         if isinstance(value, str):
@@ -343,4 +340,4 @@ class MissingOkImageField(models.ImageField):
         try:
             super().update_dimension_fields(*args, **kwargs)
         except FileNotFoundError:
-            pass  # don't do anything if the file has gone missing
\ No newline at end of file
+            pass  # don't do anything if the file has gone missing