diff --git a/repository/src/main/java/org/apache/atlas/discovery/ClassificationSearchProcessor.java b/repository/src/main/java/org/apache/atlas/discovery/ClassificationSearchProcessor.java
index 77b2c7c..b6e0de5 100644
--- a/repository/src/main/java/org/apache/atlas/discovery/ClassificationSearchProcessor.java
+++ b/repository/src/main/java/org/apache/atlas/discovery/ClassificationSearchProcessor.java
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@
         if (useSolrSearch) {
             StringBuilder solrQuery = new StringBuilder();
 
-            constructTypeTestQuery(solrQuery, typeAndSubTypes);
+            constructTypeTestQuery(solrQuery, classificationType, typeAndSubTypes);
             constructFilterQuery(solrQuery, classificationType, filterCriteria, solrAttributes);
 
             String solrQueryString = STRAY_AND_PATTERN.matcher(solrQuery).replaceAll(")");
@@ -95,20 +95,26 @@
         }
 
         try {
-            int         qryOffset      = (nextProcessor == null) ? context.getSearchParameters().getOffset() : 0;
-            int         limit          = context.getSearchParameters().getLimit();
-            int         resultIdx      = qryOffset;
-            Set<String> processedGuids = new HashSet<>();
+            final int startIdx  = context.getSearchParameters().getOffset();
+            final int limit     = context.getSearchParameters().getLimit();
+            int       qryOffset = nextProcessor == null ? startIdx : 0;
+            int       resultIdx = qryOffset;
 
-            while (ret.size() < limit) {
+            final Set<String>       processedGuids         = new HashSet<>();
+            final List<AtlasVertex> entityVertices         = new ArrayList<>();
+            final List<AtlasVertex> classificationVertices = new ArrayList<>();
+
+
+            for (; ret.size() < limit; qryOffset += limit) {
+                entityVertices.clear();
+                classificationVertices.clear();
+
                 if (context.terminateSearch()) {
                     LOG.warn("query terminated: {}", context.getSearchParameters());
 
                     break;
                 }
 
-                List<AtlasVertex> classificationVertices;
-
                 if (indexQuery != null) {
                     Iterator<AtlasIndexQuery.Result> queryResult = indexQuery.vertices(qryOffset, limit);
 
@@ -116,7 +122,7 @@
                         break;
                     }
 
-                    classificationVertices = getVerticesFromIndexQueryResult(queryResult);
+                    getVerticesFromIndexQueryResult(queryResult, classificationVertices);
                 } else {
                     Iterator<AtlasVertex> queryResult = allGraphQuery.vertices(qryOffset, limit).iterator();
 
@@ -124,13 +130,9 @@
                         break;
                     }
 
-                    classificationVertices = getVertices(queryResult);
+                    getVertices(queryResult, classificationVertices);
                 }
 
-                qryOffset += limit;
-
-                List<AtlasVertex> entityVertices = new ArrayList<>();
-
                 for (AtlasVertex classificationVertex : classificationVertices) {
                     Iterable<AtlasEdge> edges = classificationVertex.getEdges(AtlasEdgeDirection.IN);
 
@@ -148,12 +150,12 @@
                     }
                 }
 
-                entityVertices = super.filter(entityVertices);
+                super.filter(entityVertices);
 
                 for (AtlasVertex entityVertex : entityVertices) {
                     resultIdx++;
 
-                    if (resultIdx < context.getSearchParameters().getOffset()) {
+                    if (resultIdx <= startIdx) {
                         continue;
                     }
 
@@ -176,7 +178,7 @@
     }
 
     @Override
-    public List<AtlasVertex> filter(List<AtlasVertex> entityVertices) {
+    public void filter(List<AtlasVertex> entityVertices) {
         if (LOG.isDebugEnabled()) {
             LOG.debug("==> ClassificationSearchProcessor.filter({})", entityVertices.size());
         }
@@ -185,14 +187,13 @@
 
         query.addConditionsFrom(filterGraphQuery);
 
-        List<AtlasVertex> ret = getVertices(query.vertices().iterator());
+        entityVertices.clear();
+        getVertices(query.vertices().iterator(), entityVertices);
 
-        ret = super.filter(ret);
+        super.filter(entityVertices);
 
         if (LOG.isDebugEnabled()) {
-            LOG.debug("<== ClassificationSearchProcessor.filter({}): ret.size()={}", entityVertices.size(), ret.size());
+            LOG.debug("<== ClassificationSearchProcessor.filter(): ret.size()={}", entityVertices.size());
         }
-
-        return ret;
     }
 }
diff --git a/repository/src/main/java/org/apache/atlas/discovery/EntitySearchProcessor.java b/repository/src/main/java/org/apache/atlas/discovery/EntitySearchProcessor.java
index 50376ef..6f629eb 100644
--- a/repository/src/main/java/org/apache/atlas/discovery/EntitySearchProcessor.java
+++ b/repository/src/main/java/org/apache/atlas/discovery/EntitySearchProcessor.java
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 import org.apache.atlas.model.discovery.SearchParameters.FilterCriteria;
 import org.apache.atlas.repository.Constants;
 import org.apache.atlas.repository.graphdb.*;
+import org.apache.atlas.repository.store.graph.v1.AtlasGraphUtilsV1;
 import org.apache.atlas.type.AtlasClassificationType;
 import org.apache.atlas.type.AtlasEntityType;
 import org.apache.atlas.utils.AtlasPerfTracer;
@@ -59,7 +60,7 @@
         StringBuilder solrQuery = new StringBuilder();
 
         if (typeSearchBySolr) {
-            constructTypeTestQuery(solrQuery, typeAndSubTypes);
+            constructTypeTestQuery(solrQuery, entityType, typeAndSubTypes);
         }
 
         if (attrSearchBySolr) {
@@ -127,34 +128,48 @@
         }
 
         try {
-            int qryOffset = (nextProcessor == null && (graphQuery == null || indexQuery == null)) ? context.getSearchParameters().getOffset() : 0;
-            int limit     = context.getSearchParameters().getLimit();
-            int resultIdx = qryOffset;
+            final int startIdx  = context.getSearchParameters().getOffset();
+            final int limit     = context.getSearchParameters().getLimit();
+            int       qryOffset = (nextProcessor == null && (graphQuery == null || indexQuery == null)) ? startIdx : 0;
+            int       resultIdx = qryOffset;
 
-            while (ret.size() < limit) {
+            final List<AtlasVertex> entityVertices = new ArrayList<>();
+
+            for (; ret.size() < limit; qryOffset += limit) {
+                entityVertices.clear();
+
                 if (context.terminateSearch()) {
                     LOG.warn("query terminated: {}", context.getSearchParameters());
 
                     break;
                 }
 
-                List<AtlasVertex> vertices;
-
                 if (indexQuery != null) {
-                    Iterator<AtlasIndexQuery.Result> queryResult = indexQuery.vertices(qryOffset, limit);
+                    Iterator<AtlasIndexQuery.Result> idxQueryResult = indexQuery.vertices(qryOffset, limit);
 
-                    if (!queryResult.hasNext()) { // no more results from solr - end of search
+                    if (!idxQueryResult.hasNext()) { // no more results from solr - end of search
                         break;
                     }
 
-                    vertices = getVerticesFromIndexQueryResult(queryResult);
+                    while (idxQueryResult.hasNext()) {
+                        AtlasVertex vertex = idxQueryResult.next().getVertex();
+
+                        // skip non-entity vertices
+                        if (!AtlasGraphUtilsV1.isEntityVertex(vertex)) {
+                            LOG.warn("EntitySearchProcessor.execute(): ignoring non-entity vertex (id={})", vertex.getId()); // might cause duplicate entries in result
+
+                            continue;
+                        }
+
+                        entityVertices.add(vertex);
+                    }
 
                     if (graphQuery != null) {
-                        AtlasGraphQuery guidQuery = context.getGraph().query().in(Constants.GUID_PROPERTY_KEY, getGuids(vertices));
+                        AtlasGraphQuery guidQuery = context.getGraph().query().in(Constants.GUID_PROPERTY_KEY, getGuids(entityVertices));
 
                         guidQuery.addConditionsFrom(graphQuery);
 
-                        vertices = getVertices(guidQuery.vertices().iterator());
+                        getVertices(guidQuery.vertices().iterator(), entityVertices);
                     }
                 } else {
                     Iterator<AtlasVertex> queryResult = graphQuery.vertices(qryOffset, limit).iterator();
@@ -163,21 +178,19 @@
                         break;
                     }
 
-                    vertices = getVertices(queryResult);
+                    getVertices(queryResult, entityVertices);
                 }
 
-                qryOffset += limit;
+                super.filter(entityVertices);
 
-                vertices = super.filter(vertices);
-
-                for (AtlasVertex vertex : vertices) {
+                for (AtlasVertex entityVertex : entityVertices) {
                     resultIdx++;
 
-                    if (resultIdx < context.getSearchParameters().getOffset()) {
+                    if (resultIdx <= startIdx) {
                         continue;
                     }
 
-                    ret.add(vertex);
+                    ret.add(entityVertex);
 
                     if (ret.size() == limit) {
                         break;
@@ -196,7 +209,7 @@
     }
 
     @Override
-    public List<AtlasVertex> filter(List<AtlasVertex> entityVertices) {
+    public void filter(List<AtlasVertex> entityVertices) {
         if (LOG.isDebugEnabled()) {
             LOG.debug("==> EntitySearchProcessor.filter({})", entityVertices.size());
         }
@@ -205,14 +218,13 @@
 
         query.addConditionsFrom(filterGraphQuery);
 
-        List<AtlasVertex> ret = getVertices(query.vertices().iterator());
+        entityVertices.clear();
+        getVertices(query.vertices().iterator(), entityVertices);
 
-        ret = super.filter(ret);
+        super.filter(entityVertices);
 
         if (LOG.isDebugEnabled()) {
-            LOG.debug("<== EntitySearchProcessor.filter({}): ret.size()={}", entityVertices.size(), ret.size());
+            LOG.debug("<== EntitySearchProcessor.filter(): ret.size()={}", entityVertices.size());
         }
-
-        return ret;
     }
 }
diff --git a/repository/src/main/java/org/apache/atlas/discovery/FullTextSearchProcessor.java b/repository/src/main/java/org/apache/atlas/discovery/FullTextSearchProcessor.java
index 83368c2..22d91e0 100644
--- a/repository/src/main/java/org/apache/atlas/discovery/FullTextSearchProcessor.java
+++ b/repository/src/main/java/org/apache/atlas/discovery/FullTextSearchProcessor.java
@@ -19,8 +19,10 @@
 
 import org.apache.atlas.model.discovery.SearchParameters;
 import org.apache.atlas.repository.Constants;
+import org.apache.atlas.repository.graph.GraphHelper;
 import org.apache.atlas.repository.graphdb.AtlasIndexQuery;
 import org.apache.atlas.repository.graphdb.AtlasVertex;
+import org.apache.atlas.repository.store.graph.v1.AtlasGraphUtilsV1;
 import org.apache.atlas.utils.AtlasPerfTracer;
 import org.apache.commons.lang3.StringUtils;
 import org.slf4j.Logger;
@@ -68,7 +70,7 @@
                 queryString.append(AND_STR).append("(").append(StringUtils.join(typeAndSubTypeNames, SPACE_STRING)).append(")");
             } else {
                 LOG.warn("'{}' has too many subtypes ({}) to include in index-query; might cause poor performance",
-                        context.getEntityType().getTypeName(), typeAndSubTypeNames.size());
+                        context.getClassificationType().getTypeName(), typeAndSubTypeNames.size());
             }
         }
 
@@ -92,11 +94,16 @@
         }
 
         try {
-            int qryOffset = nextProcessor == null ? context.getSearchParameters().getOffset() : 0;
-            int limit     = context.getSearchParameters().getLimit();
-            int resultIdx = qryOffset;
+            final int startIdx  = context.getSearchParameters().getOffset();
+            final int limit     = context.getSearchParameters().getLimit();
+            int       qryOffset = nextProcessor == null ? startIdx : 0;
+            int       resultIdx = qryOffset;
 
-            while (ret.size() < limit) {
+            final List<AtlasVertex> entityVertices = new ArrayList<>();
+
+            for (; ret.size() < limit; qryOffset += limit) {
+                entityVertices.clear();
+
                 if (context.terminateSearch()) {
                     LOG.warn("query terminated: {}", context.getSearchParameters());
 
@@ -109,20 +116,29 @@
                     break;
                 }
 
-                qryOffset += limit;
+                while (idxQueryResult.hasNext()) {
+                    AtlasVertex vertex = idxQueryResult.next().getVertex();
 
-                List<AtlasVertex> vertices = getVerticesFromIndexQueryResult(idxQueryResult);
+                    // skip non-entity vertices
+                    if (!AtlasGraphUtilsV1.isEntityVertex(vertex)) {
+                        LOG.warn("FullTextSearchProcessor.execute(): ignoring non-entity vertex (id={})", vertex.getId()); // might cause duplicate entries in result
 
-                vertices = super.filter(vertices);
-
-                for (AtlasVertex vertex : vertices) {
-                    resultIdx++;
-
-                    if (resultIdx < context.getSearchParameters().getOffset()) {
                         continue;
                     }
 
-                    ret.add(vertex);
+                    entityVertices.add(vertex);
+                }
+
+                super.filter(entityVertices);
+
+                for (AtlasVertex entityVertex : entityVertices) {
+                    resultIdx++;
+
+                    if (resultIdx <= startIdx) {
+                        continue;
+                    }
+
+                    ret.add(entityVertex);
 
                     if (ret.size() == limit) {
                         break;
diff --git a/repository/src/main/java/org/apache/atlas/discovery/SearchProcessor.java b/repository/src/main/java/org/apache/atlas/discovery/SearchProcessor.java
index 596b43b..2e75dfe 100644
--- a/repository/src/main/java/org/apache/atlas/discovery/SearchProcessor.java
+++ b/repository/src/main/java/org/apache/atlas/discovery/SearchProcessor.java
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@
     public static final String  SPACE_STRING    = " ";
     public static final String  BRACE_OPEN_STR  = "( ";
     public static final String  BRACE_CLOSE_STR = " )";
+    public static final char    DOUBLE_QUOTE    = '"';
 
     private static final Map<SearchParameters.Operator, String> OPERATOR_MAP = new HashMap<>();
     private static final char[] OFFENDING_CHARS = {'@', '/', ' '}; // This can grow as we discover corner cases
@@ -87,8 +88,10 @@
 
     public abstract List<AtlasVertex> execute();
 
-    public List<AtlasVertex> filter(List<AtlasVertex> entityVertices) {
-        return nextProcessor == null || CollectionUtils.isEmpty(entityVertices) ? entityVertices : nextProcessor.filter(entityVertices);
+    public void filter(List<AtlasVertex> entityVertices) {
+        if (nextProcessor != null && CollectionUtils.isNotEmpty(entityVertices)) {
+            nextProcessor.filter(entityVertices);
+        }
     }
 
 
@@ -178,12 +181,26 @@
         return ret;
     }
 
-    protected void constructTypeTestQuery(StringBuilder solrQuery, Set<String> typeAndAllSubTypes) {
+    protected void constructTypeTestQuery(StringBuilder solrQuery, AtlasStructType type, Set<String> typeAndAllSubTypes) {
         String typeAndSubtypesString = StringUtils.join(typeAndAllSubTypes, SPACE_STRING);
 
-        solrQuery.append("v.\"").append(Constants.TYPE_NAME_PROPERTY_KEY).append("\": (")
-                .append(typeAndSubtypesString)
-                .append(")");
+        if (CollectionUtils.isNotEmpty(typeAndAllSubTypes)) {
+            if (solrQuery.length() > 0) {
+                solrQuery.append(AND_STR);
+            }
+
+            solrQuery.append("v.\"").append(Constants.TYPE_NAME_PROPERTY_KEY).append("\": (")
+                    .append(typeAndSubtypesString)
+                    .append(")");
+        }
+
+        if (type instanceof AtlasEntityType && context.getSearchParameters().getExcludeDeletedEntities()) {
+            if (solrQuery.length() > 0) {
+                solrQuery.append(AND_STR);
+            }
+
+            solrQuery.append("v.\"").append(Constants.STATE_PROPERTY_KEY).append("\":ACTIVE");
+        }
     }
 
     protected void constructFilterQuery(StringBuilder solrQuery, AtlasStructType type, FilterCriteria filterCriteria, Set<String> solrAttributes) {
@@ -200,14 +217,6 @@
                 solrQuery.append(filterQuery);
             }
         }
-
-        if (type instanceof AtlasEntityType && context.getSearchParameters().getExcludeDeletedEntities()) {
-            if (solrQuery.length() > 0) {
-                solrQuery.append(AND_STR);
-            }
-
-            solrQuery.append("v.\"").append(Constants.STATE_PROPERTY_KEY).append("\":ACTIVE");
-        }
     }
 
     private String toSolrQuery(AtlasStructType type, FilterCriteria criteria, Set<String> solrAttributes, int level) {
@@ -246,15 +255,10 @@
         String ret = EMPTY_STRING;
 
         try {
-            String qualifiedName = type.getQualifiedAttributeName(attrName);
-
             if (OPERATOR_MAP.get(op) != null) {
-                if (hasOffendingChars(attrVal)) {
-                    // FIXME: if attrVal has offending chars & op is contains, endsWith, startsWith, solr doesn't like it and results are skewed
-                    ret = String.format(OPERATOR_MAP.get(op), qualifiedName, "\"" + attrVal + "\"");
-                } else {
-                    ret = String.format(OPERATOR_MAP.get(op), qualifiedName, attrVal);
-                }
+                String qualifiedName = type.getQualifiedAttributeName(attrName);
+
+                ret = String.format(OPERATOR_MAP.get(op), qualifiedName, escapeIndexQueryValue(attrVal));
             }
         } catch (AtlasBaseException ex) {
             LOG.warn(ex.getMessage());
@@ -348,32 +352,28 @@
 
     private String getLikeRegex(String attributeValue) { return ".*" + attributeValue + ".*"; }
 
-    protected List<AtlasVertex> getVerticesFromIndexQueryResult(Iterator<AtlasIndexQuery.Result> idxQueryResult) {
-        List<AtlasVertex> ret = new ArrayList<>();
-
+    protected List<AtlasVertex> getVerticesFromIndexQueryResult(Iterator<AtlasIndexQuery.Result> idxQueryResult, List<AtlasVertex> vertices) {
         if (idxQueryResult != null) {
             while (idxQueryResult.hasNext()) {
                 AtlasVertex vertex = idxQueryResult.next().getVertex();
 
-                ret.add(vertex);
+                vertices.add(vertex);
             }
         }
 
-        return ret;
+        return vertices;
     }
 
-    protected List<AtlasVertex> getVertices(Iterator<AtlasVertex> vertices) {
-        List<AtlasVertex> ret = new ArrayList<>();
+    protected List<AtlasVertex> getVertices(Iterator<AtlasVertex> iterator, List<AtlasVertex> vertices) {
+        if (iterator != null) {
+            while (iterator.hasNext()) {
+                AtlasVertex vertex = iterator.next();
 
-        if (vertices != null) {
-            while (vertices.hasNext()) {
-                AtlasVertex vertex = vertices.next();
-
-                ret.add(vertex);
+                vertices.add(vertex);
             }
         }
 
-        return ret;
+        return vertices;
     }
 
     protected Set<String> getGuids(List<AtlasVertex> vertices) {
@@ -402,7 +402,24 @@
         return defaultValue;
     }
 
-    private boolean hasOffendingChars(String str) {
-        return StringUtils.containsAny(str, OFFENDING_CHARS);
+    private String escapeIndexQueryValue(String value) {
+        String ret = value;
+
+        if (StringUtils.containsAny(value, OFFENDING_CHARS)) {
+            boolean isQuoteAtStart = value.charAt(0) == DOUBLE_QUOTE;
+            boolean isQuoteAtEnd   = value.charAt(value.length() - 1) == DOUBLE_QUOTE;
+
+            if (!isQuoteAtStart) {
+                if (!isQuoteAtEnd) {
+                    ret = DOUBLE_QUOTE + value + DOUBLE_QUOTE;
+                } else {
+                    ret = DOUBLE_QUOTE + value;
+                }
+            } else if (!isQuoteAtEnd) {
+                ret = value + DOUBLE_QUOTE;
+            }
+        }
+
+        return ret;
     }
 }
diff --git a/repository/src/main/java/org/apache/atlas/repository/store/graph/v1/AtlasGraphUtilsV1.java b/repository/src/main/java/org/apache/atlas/repository/store/graph/v1/AtlasGraphUtilsV1.java
index cd9a47a..43f2c55 100644
--- a/repository/src/main/java/org/apache/atlas/repository/store/graph/v1/AtlasGraphUtilsV1.java
+++ b/repository/src/main/java/org/apache/atlas/repository/store/graph/v1/AtlasGraphUtilsV1.java
@@ -103,6 +103,10 @@
         }
     }
 
+    public static boolean isEntityVertex(AtlasVertex vertex) {
+        return StringUtils.isNotEmpty(getIdFromVertex(vertex)) && StringUtils.isNotEmpty(getTypeName(vertex));
+    }
+
     public static boolean isReference(AtlasType type) {
         return isReference(type.getTypeCategory());
     }