diff --git a/CHANGELOG.rst b/CHANGELOG.rst
index 30b5a1d0526..69fdb28f345 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.rst
+++ b/CHANGELOG.rst
@@ -7,6 +7,21 @@
 Changelog
 ---------
 
+v?? (TBA)
+=========
+
+Note: This version requires re-running the 'datastore set-permissions' command
+   (assuming you run DataStore). See: :ref:`datastore-set-permissions`
+
+   Otherwise new and updated datasets will not be searchable in DataStore and
+   the logs will contain this error::
+
+      ProgrammingError: (psycopg2.ProgrammingError) function populate_full_text_trigger() does not exist
+
+   CKAN developers should also re-run set-permissions on the test database:
+   :ref:`datastore-test-set-permissions`
+
+
 v2.7.0 2017-08-02
 =================
 
diff --git a/ckanext/datastore/backend/postgres.py b/ckanext/datastore/backend/postgres.py
index 77996cd2d9b..ce1191e6ab0 100644
--- a/ckanext/datastore/backend/postgres.py
+++ b/ckanext/datastore/backend/postgres.py
@@ -349,22 +349,6 @@ def _validate_record(record, num, field_names):
         })
 
 
-def _to_full_text(fields, record):
-    full_text = []
-    ft_types = ['int8', 'int4', 'int2', 'float4', 'float8', 'date', 'time',
-                'timetz', 'timestamp', 'numeric', 'text']
-    for field in fields:
-        value = record.get(field['id'])
-        if not value:
-            continue
-
-        if field['type'].lower() in ft_types and unicode(value):
-            full_text.append(unicode(value))
-        else:
-            full_text.extend(json_get_values(value))
-    return ' '.join(set(full_text))
-
-
 def _where_clauses(data_dict, fields_types):
     filters = data_dict.get('filters', {})
     clauses = []
@@ -755,19 +739,6 @@ def convert(data, type_name):
     return unicode(data)
 
 
-def json_get_values(obj, current_list=None):
-    if current_list is None:
-        current_list = []
-    if isinstance(obj, list) or isinstance(obj, tuple):
-        for item in obj:
-            json_get_values(item, current_list)
-    elif isinstance(obj, dict):
-        json_get_values(obj.items(), current_list)
-    elif obj:
-        current_list.append(unicode(obj))
-    return current_list
-
-
 def check_fields(context, fields):
     '''Check if field types are valid.'''
     for field in fields:
@@ -1052,8 +1023,8 @@ def upsert_data(context, data_dict):
     fields = _get_fields(context, data_dict)
     field_names = _pluck('id', fields)
     records = data_dict['records']
-    sql_columns = ", ".join(['"%s"' % name.replace(
-        '%', '%%') for name in field_names] + ['"_full_text"'])
+    sql_columns = ", ".join(
+        identifier(name) for name in field_names)
 
     if method == _INSERT:
         rows = []
@@ -1067,13 +1038,12 @@ def upsert_data(context, data_dict):
                     # a tuple with an empty second value
                     value = (json.dumps(value), '')
                 row.append(value)
-            row.append(_to_full_text(fields, record))
             rows.append(row)
 
-        sql_string = u'''INSERT INTO "{res_id}" ({columns})
-            VALUES ({values}, to_tsvector(%s));'''.format(
-            res_id=data_dict['resource_id'],
-            columns=sql_columns,
+        sql_string = u'''INSERT INTO {res_id} ({columns})
+            VALUES ({values});'''.format(
+            res_id=identifier(data_dict['resource_id']),
+            columns=sql_columns.replace('%', '%%'),
             values=', '.join(['%s' for field in field_names])
         )
 
@@ -1129,18 +1099,16 @@ def upsert_data(context, data_dict):
 
             used_values = [record[field] for field in used_field_names]
 
-            full_text = _to_full_text(fields, record)
-
             if method == _UPDATE:
                 sql_string = u'''
                     UPDATE "{res_id}"
-                    SET ({columns}, "_full_text") = ({values}, to_tsvector(%s))
+                    SET ({columns}, "_full_text") = ({values}, NULL)
                     WHERE ({primary_key}) = ({primary_value});
                 '''.format(
                     res_id=data_dict['resource_id'],
                     columns=u', '.join(
-                        [u'"{0}"'.format(field)
-                         for field in used_field_names]),
+                        [identifier(field)
+                         for field in used_field_names]).replace('%', '%%'),
                     values=u', '.join(
                         ['%s' for _ in used_field_names]),
                     primary_key=u','.join(
@@ -1149,7 +1117,7 @@ def upsert_data(context, data_dict):
                 )
                 try:
                     results = context['connection'].execute(
-                        sql_string, used_values + [full_text] + unique_values)
+                        sql_string, used_values + unique_values)
                 except sqlalchemy.exc.DatabaseError as err:
                     raise ValidationError({
                         u'records': [_programming_error_summary(err)],
@@ -1164,10 +1132,10 @@ def upsert_data(context, data_dict):
             elif method == _UPSERT:
                 sql_string = u'''
                     UPDATE "{res_id}"
-                    SET ({columns}, "_full_text") = ({values}, to_tsvector(%s))
+                    SET ({columns}, "_full_text") = ({values}, NULL)
                     WHERE ({primary_key}) = ({primary_value});
-                    INSERT INTO "{res_id}" ({columns}, "_full_text")
-                           SELECT {values}, to_tsvector(%s)
+                    INSERT INTO "{res_id}" ({columns})
+                           SELECT {values}
                            WHERE NOT EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM "{res_id}"
                                     WHERE ({primary_key}) = ({primary_value}));
                 '''.format(
@@ -1184,7 +1152,7 @@ def upsert_data(context, data_dict):
                 try:
                     context['connection'].execute(
                         sql_string,
-                        (used_values + [full_text] + unique_values) * 2)
+                        (used_values + unique_values) * 2)
                 except sqlalchemy.exc.DatabaseError as err:
                     raise ValidationError({
                         u'records': [_programming_error_summary(err)],
@@ -1416,7 +1384,8 @@ def _create_triggers(connection, resource_id, triggers):
     or "for_each" parameters from triggers list.
     '''
     existing = connection.execute(
-        u'SELECT tgname FROM pg_trigger WHERE tgrelid = %s::regclass',
+        u"""SELECT tgname FROM pg_trigger
+        WHERE tgrelid = %s::regclass AND tgname LIKE 't___'""",
         resource_id)
     sql_list = (
         [u'DROP TRIGGER {name} ON {table}'.format(
@@ -1438,6 +1407,14 @@ def _create_triggers(connection, resource_id, triggers):
         raise ValidationError({u'triggers': [_programming_error_summary(pe)]})
 
 
+def _create_fulltext_trigger(connection, resource_id):
+    connection.execute(
+        u'''CREATE TRIGGER zfulltext
+        BEFORE INSERT OR UPDATE ON {table}
+        FOR EACH ROW EXECUTE PROCEDURE populate_full_text_trigger()'''.format(
+            table=identifier(resource_id)))
+
+
 def upsert(context, data_dict):
     '''
     This method combines upsert insert and update on the datastore. The method
@@ -1829,6 +1806,9 @@ def create(self, context, data_dict):
             ).fetchone()
             if not result:
                 create_table(context, data_dict)
+                _create_fulltext_trigger(
+                    context['connection'],
+                    data_dict['resource_id'])
             else:
                 alter_table(context, data_dict)
             if 'triggers' in data_dict:
diff --git a/ckanext/datastore/logic/action.py b/ckanext/datastore/logic/action.py
index 9221f0d751f..d40067bdbe0 100644
--- a/ckanext/datastore/logic/action.py
+++ b/ckanext/datastore/logic/action.py
@@ -450,16 +450,16 @@ def datastore_search(context, data_dict):
 
     res_id = data_dict['resource_id']
 
-    res_exists, real_id = backend.resource_id_from_alias(res_id)
-    # Resource only has to exist in the datastore (because it could be an
-    # alias)
+    if data_dict['resource_id'] not in WHITELISTED_RESOURCES:
+        res_exists, real_id = backend.resource_id_from_alias(res_id)
+        # Resource only has to exist in the datastore (because it could be an
+        # alias)
 
-    if not res_exists:
-        raise p.toolkit.ObjectNotFound(p.toolkit._(
-            'Resource "{0}" was not found.'.format(res_id)
-        ))
+        if not res_exists:
+            raise p.toolkit.ObjectNotFound(p.toolkit._(
+                'Resource "{0}" was not found.'.format(res_id)
+            ))
 
-    if data_dict['resource_id'] not in WHITELISTED_RESOURCES:
         # Replace potential alias with real id to simplify access checks
         if real_id:
             data_dict['resource_id'] = real_id
diff --git a/ckanext/datastore/set_permissions.sql b/ckanext/datastore/set_permissions.sql
index 79f0cba0c3a..e1a8747c95a 100644
--- a/ckanext/datastore/set_permissions.sql
+++ b/ckanext/datastore/set_permissions.sql
@@ -49,13 +49,13 @@ GRANT SELECT ON ALL TABLES IN SCHEMA public TO {readuser};
 ALTER DEFAULT PRIVILEGES FOR USER {writeuser} IN SCHEMA public
    GRANT SELECT ON TABLES TO {readuser};
 
+-- a view for listing valid table (resource id) and view names
 CREATE OR REPLACE VIEW "_table_metadata" AS
     SELECT DISTINCT
         substr(md5(dependee.relname || COALESCE(dependent.relname, '')), 0, 17) AS "_id",
         dependee.relname AS name,
         dependee.oid AS oid,
         dependent.relname AS alias_of
-        -- dependent.oid AS oid
     FROM
         pg_class AS dependee
         LEFT OUTER JOIN pg_rewrite AS r ON r.ev_class = dependee.oid
@@ -63,9 +63,46 @@ CREATE OR REPLACE VIEW "_table_metadata" AS
         LEFT OUTER JOIN pg_class AS dependent ON d.refobjid = dependent.oid
     WHERE
         (dependee.oid != dependent.oid OR dependent.oid IS NULL) AND
-        (dependee.relname IN (SELECT tablename FROM pg_catalog.pg_tables)
-            OR dependee.relname IN (SELECT viewname FROM pg_catalog.pg_views)) AND
-        dependee.relnamespace = (SELECT oid FROM pg_namespace WHERE nspname='public')
+        -- is a table (from pg_tables view definition)
+        -- or is a view (from pg_views view definition)
+        (dependee.relkind = 'r'::"char" OR dependee.relkind = 'v'::"char")
+        AND dependee.relnamespace = (
+            SELECT oid FROM pg_namespace WHERE nspname='public')
     ORDER BY dependee.oid DESC;
 ALTER VIEW "_table_metadata" OWNER TO {writeuser};
 GRANT SELECT ON "_table_metadata" TO {readuser};
+
+-- _full_text fields are now updated by a trigger when set to NULL
+CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION populate_full_text_trigger() RETURNS trigger
+AS $body$
+    BEGIN
+        IF NEW._full_text IS NOT NULL THEN
+            RETURN NEW;
+        END IF;
+        NEW._full_text := (
+            SELECT to_tsvector(string_agg(value, ' '))
+            FROM json_each_text(row_to_json(NEW.*))
+            WHERE key NOT LIKE '\_%');
+        RETURN NEW;
+    END;
+$body$ LANGUAGE plpgsql;
+ALTER FUNCTION populate_full_text_trigger() OWNER TO {writeuser};
+
+-- migrate existing tables that don't have full text trigger applied
+DO $body$
+    BEGIN
+        EXECUTE coalesce(
+            (SELECT string_agg(
+                'CREATE TRIGGER zfulltext BEFORE INSERT OR UPDATE ON ' ||
+                quote_ident(relname) || ' FOR EACH ROW EXECUTE PROCEDURE ' ||
+                'populate_full_text_trigger();', ' ')
+            FROM pg_class
+            LEFT OUTER JOIN pg_trigger AS t
+                ON t.tgrelid = relname::regclass AND t.tgname = 'zfulltext'
+            WHERE relkind = 'r'::"char" AND t.tgname IS NULL
+                AND relnamespace = (
+                    SELECT oid FROM pg_namespace WHERE nspname='public')),
+            'SELECT 1;');
+    END;
+$body$;
+
diff --git a/ckanext/datastore/tests/helpers.py b/ckanext/datastore/tests/helpers.py
index eb7f19da6c2..de4a2597153 100644
--- a/ckanext/datastore/tests/helpers.py
+++ b/ckanext/datastore/tests/helpers.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ def clear_db(Session):
         SELECT 'drop function ' || quote_ident(proname) || '();'
         FROM pg_proc
         INNER JOIN pg_namespace ns ON (pg_proc.pronamespace = ns.oid)
-        WHERE ns.nspname = 'public'
+        WHERE ns.nspname = 'public' AND proname != 'populate_full_text_trigger'
         '''
     drop_functions = u''.join(r[0] for r in c.execute(drop_functions_sql))
     if drop_functions:
diff --git a/ckanext/datastore/tests/test_db.py b/ckanext/datastore/tests/test_db.py
index 069bd446e43..c7136091735 100644
--- a/ckanext/datastore/tests/test_db.py
+++ b/ckanext/datastore/tests/test_db.py
@@ -173,26 +173,6 @@ def test_upsert_with_insert_method_and_invalid_data(
         backend.InvalidDataError, db.upsert_data, context, data_dict)
 
 
-class TestJsonGetValues(object):
-    def test_returns_empty_list_if_called_with_none(self):
-        assert_equal(db.json_get_values(None), [])
-
-    def test_returns_list_with_value_if_called_with_string(self):
-        assert_equal(db.json_get_values('foo'), ['foo'])
-
-    def test_returns_list_with_only_the_original_truthy_values_if_called(self):
-        data = [None, 'foo', 42, 'bar', {}, []]
-        assert_equal(db.json_get_values(data), ['foo', '42', 'bar'])
-
-    def test_returns_flattened_list(self):
-        data = ['foo', ['bar', ('baz', 42)]]
-        assert_equal(db.json_get_values(data), ['foo', 'bar', 'baz', '42'])
-
-    def test_returns_only_truthy_values_from_dict(self):
-        data = {'foo': 'bar', 'baz': [42, None, {}, [], 'hey']}
-        assert_equal(db.json_get_values(data), ['foo', 'bar', 'baz', '42', 'hey'])
-
-
 class TestGetAllResourcesIdsInDatastore(object):
     @classmethod
     def setup_class(cls):
diff --git a/doc/contributing/test.rst b/doc/contributing/test.rst
index 11bfa226233..20d61b74a06 100644
--- a/doc/contributing/test.rst
+++ b/doc/contributing/test.rst
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ environment:
 
     pip install -r |virtualenv|/src/ckan/dev-requirements.txt
 
+.. _datastore-test-set-permissions:
 
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 Set up the test databases
@@ -55,6 +56,9 @@ Create test databases:
 
     sudo -u postgres createdb -O |database_user| |test_database| -E utf-8
     sudo -u postgres createdb -O |database_user| |test_datastore| -E utf-8
+
+Set the permissions::
+
     paster datastore set-permissions -c test-core.ini | sudo -u postgres psql
 
 This database connection is specified in the ``test-core.ini`` file by the
diff --git a/doc/maintaining/datastore.rst b/doc/maintaining/datastore.rst
index d402aa6c354..7eda592b5e6 100644
--- a/doc/maintaining/datastore.rst
+++ b/doc/maintaining/datastore.rst
@@ -120,6 +120,8 @@ if necessary, for example:
 Replace ``pass`` with the passwords you created for your |database_user| and
 |datastore_user| database users.
 
+.. _datastore-set-permissions:
+
 Set permissions
 ---------------