diff --git a/includes/core/class-member-directory-meta.php b/includes/core/class-member-directory-meta.php
index bb094cde..a97020df 100644
--- a/includes/core/class-member-directory-meta.php
+++ b/includes/core/class-member-directory-meta.php
@@ -601,7 +601,17 @@ if ( ! class_exists( 'um\core\Member_Directory_Meta' ) ) {
 
 					$search_like_string = apply_filters( 'um_member_directory_meta_search_like_type', '%' . $search_line . '%', $search_line );
 
-					$this->where_clauses[] = $wpdb->prepare( "( umm_search.um_value = %s OR umm_search.um_value LIKE %s OR umm_search.um_value LIKE %s OR {$core_search}{$additional_search})", $search_line, $search_like_string, '%' . serialize( (string) $search_line ) . '%' );
+					$directory_id   = $this->get_directory_by_hash( sanitize_key( $_POST['directory_id'] ) );
+					$exclude_fields = get_post_meta( $directory_id, '_um_search_exclude_fields', true );
+					if ( ! empty( $exclude_fields ) ) {
+						$exclude_fields_sql = 'AND umm_search.um_key NOT IN (';
+						foreach ( $exclude_fields as $exclude_field ) {
+							$exclude_fields_sql .= "'" . $exclude_field . "',";
+						}
+						$exclude_fields_sql  = rtrim( $exclude_fields_sql, ',' );
+						$exclude_fields_sql .= ') ';
+					}
+					$this->where_clauses[] = $wpdb->prepare( "( umm_search.um_value = %s OR umm_search.um_value LIKE %s OR umm_search.um_value LIKE %s OR {$core_search}{$additional_search}) {$exclude_fields_sql}", $search_line, $search_like_string, '%' . serialize( (string) $search_line ) . '%' );
 
 					$this->is_search = true;
 				}
diff --git a/includes/core/class-member-directory.php b/includes/core/class-member-directory.php
index b34a2626..5e96d1cc 100644
--- a/includes/core/class-member-directory.php
+++ b/includes/core/class-member-directory.php
@@ -1739,6 +1739,14 @@ if ( ! class_exists( 'um\core\Member_Directory' ) ) {
 								$sql['join']
 							);
 						}
+
+						$directory_id   = $this->get_directory_by_hash( sanitize_key( $_POST['directory_id'] ) );
+						$exclude_fields = get_post_meta( $directory_id, '_um_search_exclude_fields', true );
+						if ( ! empty( $exclude_fields ) ) {
+							foreach ( $exclude_fields as $field ) {
+								$sql['join'] = str_replace( ",'" . $field . "'", '', $sql['join'] );
+							}
+						}
 					}
 
 					// Add OR instead AND to search in WP core fields user_email, user_login, user_display_name
@@ -1756,14 +1764,6 @@ if ( ! class_exists( 'um\core\Member_Directory' ) ) {
 				}
 			}
 
-			$directory_id   = $this->get_directory_by_hash( sanitize_key( $_POST['directory_id'] ) );
-			$exclude_fields = get_post_meta( $directory_id, '_um_search_exclude_fields', true );
-			if ( ! empty( $exclude_fields ) ) {
-				foreach ( $exclude_fields as $field ) {
-					$sql['join'] = str_replace( ",'" . $field . "'", '', $sql['join'] );
-				}
-			}
-
 			return $sql;
 		}