diff --git a/includes/class-wc-ajax.php b/includes/class-wc-ajax.php
index ee2496f08b2..a1b36d291e5 100644
--- a/includes/class-wc-ajax.php
+++ b/includes/class-wc-ajax.php
@@ -1392,8 +1392,14 @@ class WC_AJAX {
 			wp_die();
 		}
 
+		if ( ! empty( $_GET['limit'] ) ) {
+			$limit = absint( $_GET['limit'] );
+		} else {
+			$limit = absint( apply_filters( 'woocommerce_json_search_limit', 30 ) );
+		}
+
 		$data_store = WC_Data_Store::load( 'product' );
-		$ids        = $data_store->search_products( $term, '', (bool) $include_variations );
+		$ids        = $data_store->search_products( $term, '', (bool) $include_variations, false, $limit );
 
 		if ( ! empty( $_GET['exclude'] ) ) {
 			$ids = array_diff( $ids, (array) $_GET['exclude'] );
@@ -1403,10 +1409,6 @@ class WC_AJAX {
 			$ids = array_intersect( $ids, (array) $_GET['include'] );
 		}
 
-		if ( ! empty( $_GET['limit'] ) ) {
-			$ids = array_slice( $ids, 0, absint( $_GET['limit'] ) );
-		}
-
 		$product_objects = array_filter( array_map( 'wc_get_product', $ids ), 'wc_products_array_filter_readable' );
 		$products        = array();