diff --git a/meilidb-core/src/distinct_map.rs b/meilidb-core/src/distinct_map.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c53ad0ea4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/meilidb-core/src/distinct_map.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,103 @@
+use std::hash::Hash;
+use hashbrown::HashMap;
+
+pub struct DistinctMap<K> {
+    inner: HashMap<K, usize>,
+    limit: usize,
+    len: usize,
+}
+
+impl<K: Hash + Eq> DistinctMap<K> {
+    pub fn new(limit: usize) -> Self {
+        DistinctMap {
+            inner: HashMap::new(),
+            limit,
+            len: 0,
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub fn len(&self) -> usize {
+        self.len
+    }
+}
+
+pub struct BufferedDistinctMap<'a, K> {
+    internal: &'a mut DistinctMap<K>,
+    inner: HashMap<K, usize>,
+    len: usize,
+}
+
+impl<'a, K: Hash + Eq> BufferedDistinctMap<'a, K> {
+    pub fn new(internal: &'a mut DistinctMap<K>) -> BufferedDistinctMap<'a, K> {
+        BufferedDistinctMap {
+            internal,
+            inner: HashMap::new(),
+            len: 0,
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub fn register(&mut self, key: K) -> bool {
+        let internal_seen = self.internal.inner.get(&key).unwrap_or(&0);
+        let inner_seen = self.inner.entry(key).or_insert(0);
+        let seen = *internal_seen + *inner_seen;
+
+        if seen < self.internal.limit {
+            *inner_seen += 1;
+            self.len += 1;
+            true
+        } else {
+            false
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub fn register_without_key(&mut self) -> bool {
+        self.len += 1;
+        true
+    }
+
+    pub fn transfert_to_internal(&mut self) {
+        for (k, v) in self.inner.drain() {
+            let value = self.internal.inner.entry(k).or_insert(0);
+            *value += v;
+        }
+
+        self.internal.len += self.len;
+        self.len = 0;
+    }
+
+    pub fn len(&self) -> usize {
+        self.internal.len() + self.len
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn easy_distinct_map() {
+        let mut map = DistinctMap::new(2);
+        let mut buffered = BufferedDistinctMap::new(&mut map);
+
+        for x in &[1, 1, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6] {
+            buffered.register(x);
+        }
+        buffered.transfert_to_internal();
+        assert_eq!(map.len(), 8);
+
+        let mut map = DistinctMap::new(2);
+        let mut buffered = BufferedDistinctMap::new(&mut map);
+        assert_eq!(buffered.register(1), true);
+        assert_eq!(buffered.register(1), true);
+        assert_eq!(buffered.register(1), false);
+        assert_eq!(buffered.register(1), false);
+
+        assert_eq!(buffered.register(2), true);
+        assert_eq!(buffered.register(3), true);
+        assert_eq!(buffered.register(2), true);
+        assert_eq!(buffered.register(2), false);
+
+        buffered.transfert_to_internal();
+        assert_eq!(map.len(), 5);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/meilidb-core/src/lib.rs b/meilidb-core/src/lib.rs
index 9802ff2d5..83b0d9424 100644
--- a/meilidb-core/src/lib.rs
+++ b/meilidb-core/src/lib.rs
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 
 mod automaton;
 mod database;
+mod distinct_map;
 mod error;
 mod number;
 mod query_builder;
diff --git a/meilidb-core/src/query_builder.rs b/meilidb-core/src/query_builder.rs
index efdb07ea1..7bbcf94fb 100644
--- a/meilidb-core/src/query_builder.rs
+++ b/meilidb-core/src/query_builder.rs
@@ -1,19 +1,24 @@
-use std::time::{Instant, Duration};
-use std::ops::Range;
+use hashbrown::HashMap;
+use std::hash::Hash;
 use std::mem;
+use std::ops::Range;
+use std::rc::Rc;
+use std::time::{Instant, Duration};
 
 use fst::{IntoStreamer, Streamer};
 use sdset::SetBuf;
 use slice_group_by::{GroupBy, GroupByMut};
 
 use crate::automaton::{Automaton, AutomatonProducer, QueryEnhancer};
+use crate::distinct_map::{DistinctMap, BufferedDistinctMap};
 use crate::raw_document::{RawDocument, raw_documents_from};
 use crate::{Document, DocumentId, Highlight, TmpMatch, criterion::Criteria};
 use crate::{store, MResult, reordered_attrs::ReorderedAttrs};
 
-pub struct QueryBuilder<'a> {
-    criteria: Criteria<'a>,
-    searchables_attrs: Option<ReorderedAttrs>,
+pub struct QueryBuilder<'c, FI = fn(DocumentId) -> bool> {
+    criteria: Criteria<'c>,
+    searchable_attrs: Option<ReorderedAttrs>,
+    filter: Option<FI>,
     timeout: Duration,
     main_store: store::Main,
     postings_lists_store: store::PostingsLists,
@@ -185,22 +190,68 @@ fn fetch_raw_documents(
     Ok(raw_documents_from(matches, highlights))
 }
 
-impl<'a> QueryBuilder<'a> {
+impl<'c> QueryBuilder<'c> {
     pub fn new(
         main: store::Main,
         postings_lists: store::PostingsLists,
         synonyms: store::Synonyms,
-    ) -> QueryBuilder<'a> {
+    ) -> QueryBuilder<'c>
+    {
+        QueryBuilder::with_criteria(main, postings_lists, synonyms, Criteria::default())
+    }
+
+    pub fn with_criteria(
+        main: store::Main,
+        postings_lists: store::PostingsLists,
+        synonyms: store::Synonyms,
+        criteria: Criteria<'c>,
+    ) -> QueryBuilder<'c>
+    {
         QueryBuilder {
-            criteria: Criteria::default(),
-            searchables_attrs: None,
-            timeout: Duration::from_secs(1),
+            criteria,
+            searchable_attrs: None,
+            filter: None,
+            timeout: Duration::from_millis(30),
             main_store: main,
             postings_lists_store: postings_lists,
             synonyms_store: synonyms,
         }
     }
+}
 
+impl<'c, FI> QueryBuilder<'c, FI> {
+    pub fn with_filter<F>(self, function: F) -> QueryBuilder<'c, F>
+    where F: Fn(DocumentId) -> bool,
+    {
+        QueryBuilder {
+            criteria: self.criteria,
+            searchable_attrs: self.searchable_attrs,
+            filter: Some(function),
+            timeout: self.timeout,
+            main_store: self.main_store,
+            postings_lists_store: self.postings_lists_store,
+            synonyms_store: self.synonyms_store,
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub fn with_fetch_timeout(self, timeout: Duration) -> QueryBuilder<'c, FI> {
+        QueryBuilder { timeout, ..self }
+    }
+
+    pub fn with_distinct<F, K>(self, function: F, size: usize) -> DistinctQueryBuilder<'c, FI, F>
+    where F: Fn(DocumentId) -> Option<K>,
+          K: Hash + Eq,
+    {
+        DistinctQueryBuilder { inner: self, function, size }
+    }
+
+    pub fn add_searchable_attribute(&mut self, attribute: u16) {
+        let reorders = self.searchable_attrs.get_or_insert_with(ReorderedAttrs::new);
+        reorders.insert_attribute(attribute);
+    }
+}
+
+impl<FI> QueryBuilder<'_, FI> where FI: Fn(DocumentId) -> bool {
     pub fn query(
         self,
         reader: &impl rkv::Readable,
@@ -208,15 +259,22 @@ impl<'a> QueryBuilder<'a> {
         range: Range<usize>,
     ) -> MResult<Vec<Document>>
     {
+        // We delegate the filter work to the distinct query builder,
+        // specifying a distinct rule that has no effect.
+        if self.filter.is_some() {
+            let builder = self.with_distinct(|_| None as Option<()>, 1);
+            return builder.query(reader, query, range);
+        }
+
         let start_processing = Instant::now();
-        let mut raw_documents_processed = Vec::new();
+        let mut raw_documents_processed = Vec::with_capacity(range.len());
 
         let (automaton_producer, query_enhancer) = AutomatonProducer::new(
-                reader,
-                query,
-                self.main_store,
-                self.synonyms_store,
-            )?;
+            reader,
+            query,
+            self.main_store,
+            self.synonyms_store,
+        )?;
 
         let mut automaton_producer = automaton_producer.into_iter();
         let mut automatons = Vec::new();
@@ -231,11 +289,16 @@ impl<'a> QueryBuilder<'a> {
                 reader,
                 &automatons,
                 &query_enhancer,
-                self.searchables_attrs.as_ref(),
+                self.searchable_attrs.as_ref(),
                 &self.main_store,
                 &self.postings_lists_store,
             )?;
 
+            // stop processing when time is running out
+            if !raw_documents_processed.is_empty() && start_processing.elapsed() > self.timeout {
+                break
+            }
+
             let mut groups = vec![raw_documents.as_mut_slice()];
 
             'criteria: for criterion in self.criteria.as_ref() {
@@ -270,7 +333,7 @@ impl<'a> QueryBuilder<'a> {
             raw_documents_processed.clear();
             raw_documents_processed.extend(iter);
 
-            // stop processing after there is no time
+            // stop processing when time is running out
             if start_processing.elapsed() > self.timeout { break }
         }
 
@@ -285,6 +348,189 @@ impl<'a> QueryBuilder<'a> {
     }
 }
 
+pub struct DistinctQueryBuilder<'c, FI, FD> {
+    inner: QueryBuilder<'c, FI>,
+    function: FD,
+    size: usize,
+}
+
+impl<'c, FI, FD> DistinctQueryBuilder<'c, FI, FD> {
+    pub fn with_filter<F>(self, function: F) -> DistinctQueryBuilder<'c, F, FD>
+    where F: Fn(DocumentId) -> bool,
+    {
+        DistinctQueryBuilder {
+            inner: self.inner.with_filter(function),
+            function: self.function,
+            size: self.size,
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub fn with_fetch_timeout(self, timeout: Duration) -> DistinctQueryBuilder<'c, FI, FD> {
+        DistinctQueryBuilder {
+            inner: self.inner.with_fetch_timeout(timeout),
+            function: self.function,
+            size: self.size,
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub fn add_searchable_attribute(&mut self, attribute: u16) {
+        self.inner.add_searchable_attribute(attribute);
+    }
+}
+
+impl<'c, FI, FD, K> DistinctQueryBuilder<'c, FI, FD>
+where FI: Fn(DocumentId) -> bool,
+      FD: Fn(DocumentId) -> Option<K>,
+      K: Hash + Eq,
+{
+    pub fn query(
+        self,
+        reader: &impl rkv::Readable,
+        query: &str,
+        range: Range<usize>,
+    ) -> MResult<Vec<Document>>
+    {
+        let start_processing = Instant::now();
+        let mut raw_documents_processed = Vec::new();
+
+        let (automaton_producer, query_enhancer) = AutomatonProducer::new(
+            reader,
+            query,
+            self.inner.main_store,
+            self.inner.synonyms_store,
+        )?;
+
+        let mut automaton_producer = automaton_producer.into_iter();
+        let mut automatons = Vec::new();
+
+        // aggregate automatons groups by groups after time
+        while let Some(auts) = automaton_producer.next() {
+            automatons.extend(auts);
+
+            // we must retrieve the documents associated
+            // with the current automatons
+            let mut raw_documents = fetch_raw_documents(
+                reader,
+                &automatons,
+                &query_enhancer,
+                self.inner.searchable_attrs.as_ref(),
+                &self.inner.main_store,
+                &self.inner.postings_lists_store,
+            )?;
+
+            // stop processing when time is running out
+            if !raw_documents_processed.is_empty() && start_processing.elapsed() > self.inner.timeout {
+                break
+            }
+
+            let mut groups = vec![raw_documents.as_mut_slice()];
+            let mut key_cache = HashMap::new();
+
+            let mut filter_map = HashMap::new();
+            // these two variables informs on the current distinct map and
+            // on the raw offset of the start of the group where the
+            // range.start bound is located according to the distinct function
+            let mut distinct_map = DistinctMap::new(self.size);
+            let mut distinct_raw_offset = 0;
+
+            'criteria: for criterion in self.inner.criteria.as_ref() {
+                let tmp_groups = mem::replace(&mut groups, Vec::new());
+                let mut buf_distinct = BufferedDistinctMap::new(&mut distinct_map);
+                let mut documents_seen = 0;
+
+                for group in tmp_groups {
+                    // if this group does not overlap with the requested range,
+                    // push it without sorting and splitting it
+                    if documents_seen + group.len() < distinct_raw_offset {
+                        documents_seen += group.len();
+                        groups.push(group);
+                        continue;
+                    }
+
+                    group.sort_unstable_by(|a, b| criterion.evaluate(a, b));
+
+                    for group in group.binary_group_by_mut(|a, b| criterion.eq(a, b)) {
+                        // we must compute the real distinguished len of this sub-group
+                        for document in group.iter() {
+                            let filter_accepted = match &self.inner.filter {
+                                Some(filter) => {
+                                    let entry = filter_map.entry(document.id);
+                                    *entry.or_insert_with(|| (filter)(document.id))
+                                },
+                                None => true,
+                            };
+
+                            if filter_accepted {
+                                let entry = key_cache.entry(document.id);
+                                let key = entry.or_insert_with(|| (self.function)(document.id).map(Rc::new));
+
+                                match key.clone() {
+                                    Some(key) => buf_distinct.register(key),
+                                    None => buf_distinct.register_without_key(),
+                                };
+                            }
+
+                            // the requested range end is reached: stop computing distinct
+                            if buf_distinct.len() >= range.end { break }
+                        }
+
+                        documents_seen += group.len();
+                        groups.push(group);
+
+                        // if this sub-group does not overlap with the requested range
+                        // we must update the distinct map and its start index
+                        if buf_distinct.len() < range.start {
+                            buf_distinct.transfert_to_internal();
+                            distinct_raw_offset = documents_seen;
+                        }
+
+                        // we have sort enough documents if the last document sorted is after
+                        // the end of the requested range, we can continue to the next criterion
+                        if buf_distinct.len() >= range.end { continue 'criteria }
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+
+            // once we classified the documents related to the current
+            // automatons we save that as the next valid result
+            let mut seen = BufferedDistinctMap::new(&mut distinct_map);
+            raw_documents_processed.clear();
+
+            for document in raw_documents.into_iter().skip(distinct_raw_offset) {
+                let filter_accepted = match &self.inner.filter {
+                    Some(_) => filter_map.remove(&document.id).unwrap(),
+                    None => true,
+                };
+
+                if filter_accepted {
+                    let key = key_cache.remove(&document.id).unwrap();
+                    let distinct_accepted = match key {
+                        Some(key) => seen.register(key),
+                        None => seen.register_without_key(),
+                    };
+
+                    if distinct_accepted && seen.len() > range.start {
+                        raw_documents_processed.push(document);
+                        if raw_documents_processed.len() == range.len() { break }
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+
+            // stop processing when time is running out
+            if start_processing.elapsed() > self.inner.timeout { break }
+        }
+
+        // make real documents now that we know
+        // those must be returned
+        let documents = raw_documents_processed
+            .into_iter()
+            .map(|d| Document::from_raw(d))
+            .collect();
+
+        Ok(documents)
+    }
+}
+
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
     use super::*;