diff --git a/src/commands/default/building.py b/src/commands/default/building.py
index 4e1ba3f682..66a51ac998 100644
--- a/src/commands/default/building.py
+++ b/src/commands/default/building.py
@@ -1750,7 +1750,7 @@ class CmdExamine(ObjManipCommand):
 
             self.player_mode = "player" in self.switches or obj_name.startswith('*')
 
-            obj = caller.search(obj_name, player=self.player_mode)
+            obj = caller.search(obj_name, player=self.player_mode, global_dbref=True)
             if not obj:
                 continue
 
diff --git a/src/objects/models.py b/src/objects/models.py
index 8204f51132..c3c3c6d245 100644
--- a/src/objects/models.py
+++ b/src/objects/models.py
@@ -508,6 +508,7 @@ class ObjectDB(TypedObject):
 
     def search(self, ostring,
                global_search=False,
+               global_dbref=False,
                attribute_name=None,
                use_nicks=False, location=None,
                player=False,
@@ -521,6 +522,7 @@ class ObjectDB(TypedObject):
                        start of ostring.
         global_search: Search all objects, not just the current
                        location/inventory. This is overruled if location keyword is given.
+        global_dbref: Search globally -only- if a valid #dbref is given, otherwise local.
         attribute_name: (string) Which attribute to match (if None, uses default 'name')
         use_nicks : Use nickname replace (off by default)
         location : If None, use caller's current location, and caller.contents.
@@ -558,6 +560,7 @@ class ObjectDB(TypedObject):
         if ostring in (_ME, _SELF, '*' + _ME, '*' + _SELF):
             return self
 
+
         if use_nicks:
             nick = None
             nicktype = "object"
@@ -574,7 +577,7 @@ class ObjectDB(TypedObject):
                     break
 
         candidates=None
-        if global_search:
+        if global_search or (global_dbref and ostring.startswith("#")):
             # only allow exact matching if searching the entire database
             exact = True
         elif location:
diff --git a/src/objects/objects.py b/src/objects/objects.py
index adfc066d5e..8ae03b32fc 100644
--- a/src/objects/objects.py
+++ b/src/objects/objects.py
@@ -92,7 +92,8 @@ class Object(TypeClass):
 
         * Helper methods (see src.objects.objects.py for full headers)
 
-         search(ostring, global_search=False, attribute_name=None, use_nicks=False, location=None, ignore_errors=False, player=False)
+         search(ostring, global_search=False, global_dbref=False, attribute_name=None,
+                use_nicks=False, location=None, ignore_errors=False, player=False)
          execute_cmd(raw_string)
          msg(message, from_obj=None, data=None)
          msg_contents(message, exclude=None, from_obj=None, data=None)
@@ -150,6 +151,7 @@ class Object(TypeClass):
 
     def search(self, ostring,
                global_search=False,
+               global_dbref=False,
                attribute_name=None,
                use_nicks=False,
                location=None,
@@ -195,6 +197,7 @@ class Object(TypeClass):
         """
         return self.dbobj.search(ostring,
                                  global_search=global_search,
+                                 global_dbref=global_dbref,
                                  attribute_name=attribute_name,
                                  use_nicks=use_nicks,
                                  location=location,