diff --git a/search_service/api/table.py b/search_service/api/table.py
index 560c409e..cd896461 100644
--- a/search_service/api/table.py
+++ b/search_service/api/table.py
@@ -160,10 +160,15 @@ def post(self) -> Iterable[Any]:
             msg = 'The search request payload is not available in the request'
             return {'message': msg}, HTTPStatus.BAD_REQUEST
 
+        query_term = args.get('query_term')  # type: str
+        if ':' in query_term:
+            msg = 'The query term contains an invalid character'
+            return {'message': msg}, HTTPStatus.BAD_REQUEST
+
         try:
             results = self.proxy.fetch_table_search_results_with_filter(
                 search_request=search_request,
-                query_term=args.get('query_term'),
+                query_term=query_term,
                 page_index=page_index,
                 index=args['index']
             )
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 0711e9d4..9fcbee4e 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 from setuptools import setup, find_packages
 
-__version__ = '2.1.3'
+__version__ = '2.1.4'
 
 requirements_path = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__)), 'requirements.txt')
 with open(requirements_path) as requirements_file:
diff --git a/tests/unit/api/table/test_search_table_filter.py b/tests/unit/api/table/test_search_table_filter.py
index 64c85457..16f52d55 100644
--- a/tests/unit/api/table/test_search_table_filter.py
+++ b/tests/unit/api/table/test_search_table_filter.py
@@ -48,3 +48,14 @@ def test_post_return_400_if_no_search_request(self, get_proxy, RequestParser) ->
 
         response = self.app.test_client().post(self.url)
         self.assertEqual(response.status_code, HTTPStatus.BAD_REQUEST)
+
+    @patch('search_service.api.document.reqparse.RequestParser')
+    @patch('search_service.api.table.get_proxy_client')
+    def test_post_return_400_if_bad_query_term(self, get_proxy, RequestParser) -> None:
+        RequestParser().parse_args.return_value = dict(index=self.mock_index,
+                                                       page_index=self.mock_page_index,
+                                                       query_term='column:bad_syntax',
+                                                       search_request=self.mock_search_request)
+
+        response = self.app.test_client().post(self.url)
+        self.assertEqual(response.status_code, HTTPStatus.BAD_REQUEST)