diff --git a/code/Data/DataContext.cs b/code/Data/DataContext.cs
index 60277b49..c69075f8 100644
--- a/code/Data/DataContext.cs
+++ b/code/Data/DataContext.cs
@@ -38,4 +38,13 @@ public class DataContext : DbContext
             v => DateTime.SpecifyKind(v, DateTimeKind.Utc)
         ) {}
     }
+    
+    public static string GetLikePattern(string input)
+    {
+        input = input.Replace("[", "[[]")
+            .Replace("%", "[%]")
+            .Replace("_", "[_]");
+        
+        return $"%{input}%";
+    }
 } 
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/code/Executable/Controllers/EventsController.cs b/code/Executable/Controllers/EventsController.cs
index cffc584e..85d2617d 100644
--- a/code/Executable/Controllers/EventsController.cs
+++ b/code/Executable/Controllers/EventsController.cs
@@ -66,10 +66,12 @@ public class EventsController : ControllerBase
         // Apply search filter if provided
         if (!string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(search))
         {
+            string pattern = DataContext.GetLikePattern(search);
             query = query.Where(e =>
-                (e.Message != null && e.Message.Contains(search, StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase)) ||
-                (e.Data != null && e.Data.Contains(search, StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase)) ||
-                (e.TrackingId != null && e.TrackingId.ToString().Contains(search, StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase)));
+                EF.Functions.Like(e.Message, pattern) ||
+                EF.Functions.Like(e.Data, pattern) ||
+                EF.Functions.Like(e.TrackingId.ToString(), pattern)
+            );
         }
 
         // Count total matching records for pagination
@@ -192,56 +194,6 @@ public class EventsController : ControllerBase
         var severities = Enum.GetNames(typeof(EventSeverity)).ToList();
         return Ok(severities);
     }
-    
-    /// <summary>
-    /// Gets the latest events for real-time updates
-    /// </summary>
-    [HttpGet("latest")]
-    public async Task<ActionResult<List<AppEvent>>> GetLatestEvents(
-        [FromQuery] int count = 100,
-        [FromQuery] string? severity = null,
-        [FromQuery] string? eventType = null,
-        [FromQuery] DateTime? after = null,
-        [FromQuery] string? search = null)
-    {
-        var query = _context.Events.AsQueryable();
-
-        // Apply filters
-        if (!string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(severity))
-        {
-            if (Enum.TryParse<EventSeverity>(severity, true, out var severityEnum))
-                query = query.Where(e => e.Severity == severityEnum);
-        }
-
-        if (!string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(eventType))
-        {
-            if (Enum.TryParse<EventType>(eventType, true, out var eventTypeEnum))
-                query = query.Where(e => e.EventType == eventTypeEnum);
-        }
-        
-        // Filter for events after a specific timestamp
-        if (after.HasValue)
-        {
-            query = query.Where(e => e.Timestamp > after.Value);
-        }
-        
-        // Apply search filter if provided
-        if (!string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(search))
-        {
-            query = query.Where(e =>
-                (e.Message != null && e.Message.Contains(search, StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase)) ||
-                (e.Data != null && e.Data.Contains(search, StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase)) ||
-                (e.TrackingId != null && e.TrackingId.ToString().Contains(search, StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase)));
-        }
-
-        // Order and limit
-        var events = await query
-            .OrderByDescending(e => e.Timestamp)
-            .Take(Math.Min(count, 1000)) // Cap at 1000
-            .ToListAsync();
-
-        return Ok(events);
-    }
 } 
 
 /// <summary>
diff --git a/code/UI/src/app/core/services/events.service.ts b/code/UI/src/app/core/services/events.service.ts
index bb6c78c8..536dd8e3 100644
--- a/code/UI/src/app/core/services/events.service.ts
+++ b/code/UI/src/app/core/services/events.service.ts
@@ -68,54 +68,6 @@ export class EventsService {
       );
   }
 
-  /**
-   * Get latest events (for polling)
-   */
-  getLatestEvents(filter: Partial<EventsFilter> = {}): Observable<AppEvent[]> {
-    let params = new HttpParams().set('count', '100');
-    
-    // Add timestamp filter if we have a last event timestamp
-    if (this.lastEventTimestamp) {
-      params = params.set('after', this.lastEventTimestamp.toISOString());
-    }
-    
-    // Add optional filters if they exist
-    params = this.addFiltersToParams(params, filter);
-    
-    return this.http.get<AppEvent[]>(`${this.apiUrl}/latest`, { params })
-      .pipe(
-        tap(newEvents => {
-          if (newEvents.length > 0) {
-            // Update the last event timestamp
-            const newestEvent = newEvents.reduce((prev, current) => {
-              return new Date(current.timestamp) > new Date(prev.timestamp) ? current : prev;
-            });
-            this.lastEventTimestamp = new Date(newestEvent.timestamp);
-            
-            // Update the events list if we already have events loaded
-            const currentEvents = this.events.value;
-            if (currentEvents) {
-              // Combine old and new events, respecting pagination
-              const combinedItems = [...newEvents, ...currentEvents.items]
-                .sort((a, b) => new Date(b.timestamp).getTime() - new Date(a.timestamp).getTime())
-                .slice(0, currentEvents.pageSize);
-              
-              // Update the events subject
-              this.events.next({
-                ...currentEvents,
-                items: combinedItems,
-                totalCount: currentEvents.totalCount + newEvents.length
-              });
-            }
-          }
-        }),
-        catchError(error => {
-          console.error('Error getting latest events:', error);
-          return of([]);
-        })
-      );
-  }
-
   /**
    * Helper to add filters to HttpParams
    */