diff --git a/server/bleep/src/query/execute.rs b/server/bleep/src/query/execute.rs
index d9de182d29..009a16d9d2 100644
--- a/server/bleep/src/query/execute.rs
+++ b/server/bleep/src/query/execute.rs
@@ -415,7 +415,7 @@ impl ExecuteQuery for FileReader {
             .filter(|q| self.query_matches(q))
             .filter_map(|q| {
                 let regex_str = q.path.as_ref()?.regex_str();
-                let case_insensitive = !q.case_sensitive.unwrap_or(true);
+                let case_insensitive = !q.is_case_sensitive();
                 let regex = RegexBuilder::new(&regex_str)
                     .case_insensitive(case_insensitive)
                     .build()
@@ -503,7 +503,7 @@ impl ExecuteQuery for RepoReader {
             .filter(|q| self.query_matches(q))
             .filter_map(|q| {
                 let regex_str = q.path.as_ref()?.regex_str();
-                let case_insensitive = !q.case_sensitive.unwrap_or(true);
+                let case_insensitive = !q.is_case_sensitive();
                 let regex = RegexBuilder::new(&regex_str)
                     .case_insensitive(case_insensitive)
                     .build()
diff --git a/server/bleep/src/query/parser.rs b/server/bleep/src/query/parser.rs
index edbac43fba..782c616b4d 100644
--- a/server/bleep/src/query/parser.rs
+++ b/server/bleep/src/query/parser.rs
@@ -137,7 +137,8 @@ impl<'a> Query<'a> {
     }
 
     pub fn is_case_sensitive(&self) -> bool {
-        self.case_sensitive.unwrap_or(true)
+        // defaults to false if unset
+        self.case_sensitive.unwrap_or_default()
     }
 
     fn set_global_regex(&mut self, value: Option<bool>) {