diff --git a/bookwyrm/book_search.py b/bookwyrm/book_search.py
index 4b0a6eab9..803641cb7 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/book_search.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/book_search.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ from django.contrib.postgres.search import SearchRank, SearchQuery
 from django.db.models import OuterRef, Subquery, F, Q
 
 from bookwyrm import models
+from bookwyrm import connectors
 from bookwyrm.settings import MEDIA_FULL_URL
 
 
@@ -30,7 +31,9 @@ def isbn_search(query):
     """search your local database"""
     if not query:
         return []
-
+    # Up-case the ISBN string to ensure any 'X' check-digit is correct
+    # If the ISBN has only 9 characters, prepend missing zero
+    query = query.strip().upper().rjust(10, "0")
     filters = [{f: query} for f in ["isbn_10", "isbn_13"]]
     results = models.Edition.objects.filter(
         reduce(operator.or_, (Q(**f) for f in filters))
@@ -72,6 +75,10 @@ def format_search_result(search_result):
 
 def search_identifiers(query, *filters, return_first=False):
     """tries remote_id, isbn; defined as dedupe fields on the model"""
+    if connectors.maybe_isbn(query):
+        # Oh did you think the 'S' in ISBN stood for 'standard'?
+        normalized_isbn = query.strip().upper().rjust(10, "0")
+        query = normalized_isbn
     # pylint: disable=W0212
     or_filters = [
         {f.name: query}
diff --git a/bookwyrm/connectors/__init__.py b/bookwyrm/connectors/__init__.py
index efbdb1666..3a4f5f3e0 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/connectors/__init__.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/connectors/__init__.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 """ bring connectors into the namespace """
 from .settings import CONNECTORS
 from .abstract_connector import ConnectorException
-from .abstract_connector import get_data, get_image
+from .abstract_connector import get_data, get_image, maybe_isbn
 
 from .connector_manager import search, first_search_result
diff --git a/bookwyrm/connectors/abstract_connector.py b/bookwyrm/connectors/abstract_connector.py
index dc4be4b3d..c1ee7fe78 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/connectors/abstract_connector.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/connectors/abstract_connector.py
@@ -42,8 +42,10 @@ class AbstractMinimalConnector(ABC):
         """format the query url"""
         # Check if the query resembles an ISBN
         if maybe_isbn(query) and self.isbn_search_url and self.isbn_search_url != "":
-            return f"{self.isbn_search_url}{query}"
-
+            # Up-case the ISBN string to ensure any 'X' check-digit is correct
+            # If the ISBN has only 9 characters, prepend missing zero
+            normalized_query = query.strip().upper().rjust(10, "0")
+            return f"{self.isbn_search_url}{normalized_query}"
         # NOTE: previously, we tried searching isbn and if that produces no results,
         # searched as free text. This, instead, only searches isbn if it's isbn-y
         return f"{self.search_url}{query}"
@@ -325,4 +327,11 @@ def unique_physical_format(format_text):
 def maybe_isbn(query):
     """check if a query looks like an isbn"""
     isbn = re.sub(r"[\W_]", "", query)  # removes filler characters
-    return len(isbn) in [10, 13]  # ISBN10 or ISBN13
+    # ISBNs must be numeric except an ISBN10 checkdigit can be 'X'
+    if not isbn.upper().rstrip("X").isnumeric():
+        return False
+    return len(isbn) in [
+        9,
+        10,
+        13,
+    ]  # ISBN10 or ISBN13, or maybe ISBN10 missing a leading zero
diff --git a/bookwyrm/tests/test_book_search.py b/bookwyrm/tests/test_book_search.py
index 7274cb49c..db6ba8353 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/tests/test_book_search.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/tests/test_book_search.py
@@ -28,6 +28,12 @@ class BookSearch(TestCase):
             openlibrary_key="hello",
         )
 
+        self.third_edition = models.Edition.objects.create(
+            title="Edition with annoying ISBN",
+            parent_work=self.work,
+            isbn_10="022222222X",
+        )
+
     def test_search(self):
         """search for a book in the db"""
         # title/author
@@ -57,6 +63,12 @@ class BookSearch(TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(len(results), 1)
         self.assertEqual(results[0], self.second_edition)
 
+    def test_search_identifiers_isbn_search(self):
+        """search by unique ID with slightly wonky ISBN"""
+        results = book_search.search_identifiers("22222222x")
+        self.assertEqual(len(results), 1)
+        self.assertEqual(results[0], self.third_edition)
+
     def test_search_identifiers_return_first(self):
         """search by unique identifiers"""
         result = book_search.search_identifiers("hello", return_first=True)