diff --git a/lbry/wallet/server/session.py b/lbry/wallet/server/session.py
index 23b713d1a..003174267 100644
--- a/lbry/wallet/server/session.py
+++ b/lbry/wallet/server/session.py
@@ -979,8 +979,12 @@ class LBRYElectrumX(SessionBase):
 
     async def claimtrie_search(self, **kwargs):
         start = time.perf_counter()
-        if isinstance(kwargs, dict):
-            kwargs['release_time'] = format_release_time(kwargs.get('release_time'))
+        if 'release_time' in kwargs:
+            release_time = kwargs.pop('release_time')
+            try:
+                kwargs['release_time'] = format_release_time(release_time)
+            except ValueError:
+                pass
         try:
             self.session_mgr.pending_query_metric.inc()
             if 'channel' in kwargs:
diff --git a/tests/integration/blockchain/test_claim_commands.py b/tests/integration/blockchain/test_claim_commands.py
index 448c6c721..07f787437 100644
--- a/tests/integration/blockchain/test_claim_commands.py
+++ b/tests/integration/blockchain/test_claim_commands.py
@@ -1767,6 +1767,7 @@ class StreamCommands(ClaimTestCase):
         self.assertEqual(3, len(await self.claim_search(release_time='>0', order_by=['release_time'])))
         self.assertEqual(3, len(await self.claim_search(release_time='>=0', order_by=['release_time'])))
         self.assertEqual(4, len(await self.claim_search(order_by=['release_time'])))
+        self.assertEqual(4, len(await self.claim_search(release_time='<derp', order_by=['release_time'])))
         self.assertEqual(3, len(await self.claim_search(claim_type='stream', order_by=['release_time'])))
         self.assertEqual(1, len(await self.claim_search(claim_type='channel', order_by=['release_time'])))
         self.assertEqual(1, len(await self.claim_search(release_time='>=123456', order_by=['release_time'])))