diff --git a/src/main/java/com/example/holidayplanner/group/GroupController.java b/src/main/java/com/example/holidayplanner/group/GroupController.java
index 561d391..4ae445e 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/example/holidayplanner/group/GroupController.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/example/holidayplanner/group/GroupController.java
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ public ResponseEntity<Object> findById(@PathVariable("groupId") String groupId)
 
     @GetMapping(path = "/search/{searchTerm}/{userId}")
     @Operation(summary = "Search for a group")
-    public ResponseEntity<Object> search(@PathVariable("searchTerm") String searchTerm, @PathVariable("userId") String userId) throws JsonProcessingException {
+    public ResponseEntity<String> search(@PathVariable("searchTerm") String searchTerm, @PathVariable("userId") String userId) throws JsonProcessingException {
         return groupService.search(searchTerm, userId);
     }
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/example/holidayplanner/group/GroupService.java b/src/main/java/com/example/holidayplanner/group/GroupService.java
index 50057c1..0643a93 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/example/holidayplanner/group/GroupService.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/example/holidayplanner/group/GroupService.java
@@ -195,8 +195,8 @@ public ResponseEntity<Object> findById(String groupId) throws JsonProcessingExce
         return ResponseEntity.ok(groupJson);
     }
 
-    public ResponseEntity<Object> search(String searchTerm, String userId) {
-        User user = userRepository.findById(new ObjectId(userId));
+    public ResponseEntity<String> search(String searchTerm, String userId) throws JsonProcessingException {
+        User user = userService.findSingleUserByIdInCacheOrDatabase(userId);
 
         if (user == null) {
             return ResponseEntity.badRequest().body("User with id " + userId + " does not exist");
@@ -226,9 +226,10 @@ public ResponseEntity<Object> search(String searchTerm, String userId) {
 
         List<Group> groups = mongoTemplate.find(searchQuery, Group.class);
 
-        userRepository.save(user);
+        userService.updateSingleUserInCacheAndDatabase(user);
 
-        return ResponseEntity.ok(groups);
+        String groupsJson = mapper.writeValueAsString(groups);
+        return ResponseEntity.ok(groupsJson);
     }
 
     public ResponseEntity<Object> inviteUsers(String groupId, String invitingUserId, List<String> invitedUsersIds) {
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/example/holidayplanner/user/UserController.java b/src/main/java/com/example/holidayplanner/user/UserController.java
index c1536a9..9003e17 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/example/holidayplanner/user/UserController.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/example/holidayplanner/user/UserController.java
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ public ResponseEntity<String> findMultipleByPhoneNumberOrEmail(@RequestBody User
 
     @GetMapping(path = "/search/{searchTerm}/{userId}")
     @Operation(summary = "Search for a user")
-    public ResponseEntity<Object> search(@PathVariable("searchTerm") String searchTerm, @PathVariable("userId") String userId) {
+    public ResponseEntity<String> search(@PathVariable("searchTerm") String searchTerm, @PathVariable("userId") String userId) throws JsonProcessingException {
         return userService.search(searchTerm, userId);
     }
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/example/holidayplanner/user/UserService.java b/src/main/java/com/example/holidayplanner/user/UserService.java
index cd27a9e..81de47b 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/example/holidayplanner/user/UserService.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/example/holidayplanner/user/UserService.java
@@ -434,7 +434,7 @@ public ResponseEntity<String> findMultipleByPhoneNumberOrEmail(UserLookupModel u
         return ResponseEntity.ok(usersJson);
     }
 
-    public ResponseEntity<Object> search(String searchTerm, String userId) {
+    public ResponseEntity<String> search(String searchTerm, String userId) throws JsonProcessingException {
         User user = findSingleUserByIdInCacheOrDatabase(userId);
 
         if (user == null) {
@@ -472,7 +472,9 @@ public ResponseEntity<Object> search(String searchTerm, String userId) {
         users.remove(user);
         users.removeIf(u -> u.getEmail().equals("admin@mail.com"));
         updateSingleUserInCacheAndDatabase(user);
-        return ResponseEntity.ok(users);
+
+        String usersJson = mapper.writeValueAsString(users);
+        return ResponseEntity.ok(usersJson);
     }
 
     public ResponseEntity<String> findById(String id) throws JsonProcessingException {