diff --git a/crates/meilisearch/src/routes/indexes/search.rs b/crates/meilisearch/src/routes/indexes/search.rs
index 035ba71d8..697ae9241 100644
--- a/crates/meilisearch/src/routes/indexes/search.rs
+++ b/crates/meilisearch/src/routes/indexes/search.rs
@@ -483,28 +483,30 @@ pub fn search_kind(
     index_uid: String,
     index: &milli::Index,
 ) -> Result<SearchKind, ResponseError> {
+    let is_placeholder_query =
+        if let Some(q) = query.q.as_deref() { q.trim().is_empty() } else { true };
+    let non_placeholder_query = !is_placeholder_query;
+    let is_media = query.media.is_some();
     // handle with care, the order of cases matters, the semantics is subtle
-    match (query.q.as_deref(), &query.hybrid, query.vector.as_deref()) {
-        // empty query, no vector => placeholder search
-        (Some(q), _, None) if q.trim().is_empty() => Ok(SearchKind::KeywordOnly),
-        // no query, no vector => placeholder search
-        (None, _, None) => Ok(SearchKind::KeywordOnly),
-        // hybrid.semantic_ratio == 1.0 => vector
-        (_, Some(HybridQuery { semantic_ratio, embedder }), v) if **semantic_ratio == 1.0 => {
-            SearchKind::semantic(index_scheduler, index_uid, index, embedder, v.map(|v| v.len()))
-        }
-        // hybrid.semantic_ratio == 0.0 => keyword
-        (_, Some(HybridQuery { semantic_ratio, embedder: _ }), _) if **semantic_ratio == 0.0 => {
+    match (is_media, non_placeholder_query, &query.hybrid, query.vector.as_deref()) {
+        // media + vector => error
+        (true, _, _, Some(_)) => Err(MeilisearchHttpError::MediaAndVector.into()),
+        // media + !hybrid => error
+        (true, _, None, _) => Err(MeilisearchHttpError::MissingSearchHybrid.into()),
+        // vector + !hybrid => error
+        (_, _, None, Some(_)) => Err(MeilisearchHttpError::MissingSearchHybrid.into()),
+        // hybrid S0 => keyword
+        (_, _, Some(HybridQuery { semantic_ratio, embedder: _ }), _) if **semantic_ratio == 0.0 => {
             Ok(SearchKind::KeywordOnly)
         }
-        // no query, hybrid, vector => semantic
-        (None, Some(HybridQuery { semantic_ratio: _, embedder }), Some(v)) => {
-            SearchKind::semantic(index_scheduler, index_uid, index, embedder, Some(v.len()))
+        // !q + !vector => placeholder search
+        (false, false, _, None) => Ok(SearchKind::KeywordOnly),
+        // hybrid S100 => semantic
+        (_, _, Some(HybridQuery { semantic_ratio, embedder }), v) if **semantic_ratio == 1.0 => {
+            SearchKind::semantic(index_scheduler, index_uid, index, embedder, v.map(|v| v.len()))
         }
-        // query, no hybrid, no vector => keyword
-        (Some(_), None, None) => Ok(SearchKind::KeywordOnly),
-        // query, hybrid, maybe vector => hybrid
-        (Some(_), Some(HybridQuery { semantic_ratio, embedder }), v) => SearchKind::hybrid(
+        // q + hybrid => hybrid
+        (_, true, Some(HybridQuery { semantic_ratio, embedder }), v) => SearchKind::hybrid(
             index_scheduler,
             index_uid,
             index,
@@ -512,7 +514,11 @@ pub fn search_kind(
             **semantic_ratio,
             v.map(|v| v.len()),
         ),
-
-        (_, None, Some(_)) => Err(MeilisearchHttpError::MissingSearchHybrid.into()),
+        // !q + hybrid => semantic
+        (_, false, Some(HybridQuery { semantic_ratio: _, embedder }), v) => {
+            SearchKind::semantic(index_scheduler, index_uid, index, embedder, v.map(|v| v.len()))
+        }
+        // q => keyword
+        (false, true, None, None) => Ok(SearchKind::KeywordOnly),
     }
 }