diff --git a/ckanext/datastore/backend/postgres.py b/ckanext/datastore/backend/postgres.py
index 9933cbbbee6..bcfc3045469 100644
--- a/ckanext/datastore/backend/postgres.py
+++ b/ckanext/datastore/backend/postgres.py
@@ -1459,7 +1459,7 @@ def upsert(context, data_dict):
 
 def search(context, data_dict):
     backend = DatastorePostgresqlBackend.get_active_backend()
-    engine = backend._get_write_engine()
+    engine = backend._get_read_engine()
     context['connection'] = engine.connect()
     timeout = context.get('query_timeout', _TIMEOUT)
     _cache_types(context)
@@ -1860,7 +1860,7 @@ def resource_exists(self, id):
         resources_sql = sqlalchemy.text(
             u'''SELECT 1 FROM "_table_metadata"
             WHERE name = :id AND alias_of IS NULL''')
-        results = self._get_write_engine().execute(resources_sql, id=id)
+        results = self._get_read_engine().execute(resources_sql, id=id)
         res_exists = results.rowcount > 0
         return res_exists
 
@@ -1868,7 +1868,7 @@ def resource_id_from_alias(self, alias):
         real_id = None
         resources_sql = sqlalchemy.text(u'''SELECT alias_of FROM "_table_metadata"
                                         WHERE name = :id''')
-        results = self._get_write_engine().execute(resources_sql, id=alias)
+        results = self._get_read_engine().execute(resources_sql, id=alias)
 
         res_exists = results.rowcount > 0
         if res_exists:
@@ -1896,7 +1896,7 @@ def _type_lookup(t):
                 FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS
                 WHERE table_name = :resource_id;
             ''')
-            schema_results = self._get_write_engine().execute(
+            schema_results = self._get_read_engine().execute(
                 schema_sql, resource_id=id)
             for row in schema_results.fetchall():
                 k = row[0]
@@ -1910,7 +1910,7 @@ def _type_lookup(t):
             meta_sql = sqlalchemy.text(u'''
                 SELECT count(_id) FROM "{0}";
             '''.format(id))
-            meta_results = self._get_write_engine().execute(
+            meta_results = self._get_read_engine().execute(
                 meta_sql, resource_id=id)
             info['meta']['count'] = meta_results.fetchone()[0]
         finally:
@@ -1924,7 +1924,7 @@ def get_all_ids(self):
         resources_sql = sqlalchemy.text(
             u'''SELECT name FROM "_table_metadata"
             WHERE alias_of IS NULL''')
-        query = self._get_write_engine().execute(resources_sql)
+        query = self._get_read_engine().execute(resources_sql)
         return [q[0] for q in query.fetchall()]
 
     def create_function(self, *args, **kwargs):