diff --git a/dirsrvtests/tests/suites/retrocl/retrocl_indexing_test.py b/dirsrvtests/tests/suites/retrocl/retrocl_indexing_test.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b1dfe962cb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dirsrvtests/tests/suites/retrocl/retrocl_indexing_test.py
@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+import logging
+import pytest
+import os
+from lib389._constants import RETROCL_SUFFIX, DEFAULT_SUFFIX
+from lib389.topologies import topology_st as topo
+from lib389.plugins import RetroChangelogPlugin
+from lib389.idm.user import UserAccounts
+from lib389._mapped_object import DSLdapObjects
+log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+
+def test_indexing_is_online(topo):
+    """Test that the changenmumber index is online right after enabling the plugin
+
+    :id: 16f4c001-9e0c-4448-a2b3-08ac1e85d40f
+    :setup: Standalone Instance
+    :steps:
+        1. Enable retro cl
+        2. Perform some updates
+        3. Search for "(changenumber>=-1)", and it is not partially unindexed
+        4. Search for "(&(changenumber>=-1)(targetuniqueid=*))", and it is not partially unindexed
+    :expectedresults:
+        1. Success
+        2. Success
+        3. Success
+        4. Success
+    """
+
+    # Enable plugin
+    topo.standalone.config.set('nsslapd-accesslog-logbuffering',  'off')
+    plugin = RetroChangelogPlugin(topo.standalone)
+    plugin.enable()
+    topo.standalone.restart()
+
+    # Do a bunch of updates
+    users = UserAccounts(topo.standalone, DEFAULT_SUFFIX)
+    user_entry = users.create(properties={
+        'sn': '1',
+        'cn': 'user 1',
+        'uid': 'user1',
+        'uidNumber': '11',
+        'gidNumber': '111',
+        'givenname': 'user1',
+        'homePhone': '0861234567',
+        'carLicense': '131D16674',
+        'mail': 'user1@whereever.com',
+        'homeDirectory': '/home'
+    })
+    for count in range(0, 10):
+        user_entry.replace('mail', f'test{count}@test.com')
+
+    # Search the retro cl, and check for error messages
+    filter_simple = '(changenumber>=-1)'
+    filter_compound = '(&(changenumber>=-1)(targetuniqueid=*))'
+    retro_changelog_suffix = DSLdapObjects(topo.standalone, basedn=RETROCL_SUFFIX)
+    retro_changelog_suffix.filter(filter_simple)
+    assert not topo.standalone.searchAccessLog('Partially Unindexed Filter')
+
+    # Search the retro cl again with compound filter
+    retro_changelog_suffix.filter(filter_compound)
+    assert not topo.standalone.searchAccessLog('Partially Unindexed Filter')
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    # Run isolated
+    # -s for DEBUG mode
+    CURRENT_FILE = os.path.realpath(__file__)
+    pytest.main(["-s", CURRENT_FILE])
diff --git a/ldap/servers/plugins/retrocl/retrocl_create.c b/ldap/servers/plugins/retrocl/retrocl_create.c
index fb15035204..09f0a4f909 100644
--- a/ldap/servers/plugins/retrocl/retrocl_create.c
+++ b/ldap/servers/plugins/retrocl/retrocl_create.c
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ retrocl_create_be(const char *bedir)
     val.bv_len = strlen(val.bv_val);
     slapi_entry_add_values(e, "cn", vals);
 
-    val.bv_val = "false";
+    val.bv_val = "true"; /* enables the index */
     val.bv_len = strlen(val.bv_val);
     slapi_entry_add_values(e, "nssystemindex", vals);
 
diff --git a/ldap/servers/slapd/back-ldbm/ldbm_index_config.c b/ldap/servers/slapd/back-ldbm/ldbm_index_config.c
index 80e5b00aec..157b970d17 100644
--- a/ldap/servers/slapd/back-ldbm/ldbm_index_config.c
+++ b/ldap/servers/slapd/back-ldbm/ldbm_index_config.c
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ int ldbm_instance_index_config_delete_callback(Slapi_PBlock *pb, Slapi_Entry *en
 #define INDEXTYPE_NONE 1
 
 static int
-ldbm_index_parse_entry(ldbm_instance *inst, Slapi_Entry *e, const char *trace_string, char **index_name)
+ldbm_index_parse_entry(ldbm_instance *inst, Slapi_Entry *e, const char *trace_string, char **index_name, PRBool *is_system_index, char *err_buf)
 {
     Slapi_Attr *attr;
     const struct berval *attrValue;
@@ -67,6 +67,15 @@ ldbm_index_parse_entry(ldbm_instance *inst, Slapi_Entry *e, const char *trace_st
         }
     }
 
+    *is_system_index = PR_FALSE;
+    if (0 == slapi_entry_attr_find(e, "nsSystemIndex", &attr)) {
+        slapi_attr_first_value(attr, &sval);
+        attrValue = slapi_value_get_berval(sval);
+        if (strcasecmp(attrValue->bv_val, "true") == 0) {
+            *is_system_index = PR_TRUE;
+        }
+    }
+
     /* ok the entry is good to process, pass it to attr_index_config */
     if (attr_index_config(inst->inst_be, (char *)trace_string, 0, e, 0, 0)) {
         slapi_ch_free_string(index_name);
@@ -90,9 +99,10 @@ ldbm_index_init_entry_callback(Slapi_PBlock *pb __attribute__((unused)),
                                void *arg)
 {
     ldbm_instance *inst = (ldbm_instance *)arg;
+    PRBool is_system_index = PR_FALSE;
 
     returntext[0] = '\0';
-    *returncode = ldbm_index_parse_entry(inst, e, "from ldbm instance init", NULL);
+    *returncode = ldbm_index_parse_entry(inst, e, "from ldbm instance init", NULL, &is_system_index /* not used */, NULL);
     if (*returncode == LDAP_SUCCESS) {
         return SLAPI_DSE_CALLBACK_OK;
     } else {
@@ -115,17 +125,21 @@ ldbm_instance_index_config_add_callback(Slapi_PBlock *pb __attribute__((unused))
 {
     ldbm_instance *inst = (ldbm_instance *)arg;
     char *index_name = NULL;
+    PRBool is_system_index = PR_FALSE;
 
     returntext[0] = '\0';
-    *returncode = ldbm_index_parse_entry(inst, e, "from DSE add", &index_name);
+    *returncode = ldbm_index_parse_entry(inst, e, "from DSE add", &index_name, &is_system_index, returntext);
     if (*returncode == LDAP_SUCCESS) {
         struct attrinfo *ai = NULL;
         /* if the index is a "system" index, we assume it's being added by
          * by the server, and it's okay for the index to go online immediately.
          * if not, we set the index "offline" so it won't actually be used
          * until someone runs db2index on it.
+         * If caller wants to add an index that they want to be online
+         * immediately they can also set "nsSystemIndex" to "true" in the
+         * index config entry (e.g. is_system_index).
          */
-        if (!ldbm_attribute_always_indexed(index_name)) {
+        if (!is_system_index && !ldbm_attribute_always_indexed(index_name)) {
             ainfo_get(inst->inst_be, index_name, &ai);
             PR_ASSERT(ai != NULL);
             ai->ai_indexmask |= INDEX_OFFLINE;
@@ -361,13 +375,14 @@ ldbm_instance_index_config_enable_index(ldbm_instance *inst, Slapi_Entry *e)
     char *index_name = NULL;
     int rc = LDAP_SUCCESS;
     struct attrinfo *ai = NULL;
+    PRBool is_system_index = PR_FALSE;
 
     index_name = slapi_entry_attr_get_charptr(e, "cn");
     if (index_name) {
         ainfo_get(inst->inst_be, index_name, &ai);
     }
     if (!ai) {
-        rc = ldbm_index_parse_entry(inst, e, "from DSE add", &index_name);
+        rc = ldbm_index_parse_entry(inst, e, "from DSE add", &index_name, &is_system_index /* not used */, NULL);
     }
     if (rc == LDAP_SUCCESS) {
         /* Assume the caller knows if it is OK to go online immediately */
diff --git a/src/lib389/lib389/_mapped_object.py b/src/lib389/lib389/_mapped_object.py
index ca6ea6ef8d..6cdcb0dc7c 100644
--- a/src/lib389/lib389/_mapped_object.py
+++ b/src/lib389/lib389/_mapped_object.py
@@ -147,6 +147,19 @@ def exists(self):
 
         return True
 
+    def search(self, scope="subtree", filter='objectclass=*'):
+        search_scope = ldap.SCOPE_SUBTREE
+        if scope == 'base':
+            search_scope = ldap.SCOPE_BASE
+        elif scope == 'one':
+            search_scope = ldap.SCOPE_ONE
+        elif scope == 'subtree':
+            search_scope = ldap.SCOPE_SUBTREE
+        return self._instance.search_ext_s(self._dn, search_scope, filter,
+                                           serverctrls=self._server_controls,
+                                           clientctrls=self._client_controls,
+                                           escapehatch='i am sure')
+
     def display(self, attrlist=['*']):
         """Get an entry but represent it as a string LDIF