diff --git a/sopel/modules/xkcd.py b/sopel/modules/xkcd.py
index 38ac6baee2..7f084b4e19 100644
--- a/sopel/modules/xkcd.py
+++ b/sopel/modules/xkcd.py
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@
 """
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+from json import JSONDecodeError
+import logging
 import random
 import re
 
@@ -17,8 +19,13 @@
 from sopel import plugin
 from sopel.modules.search import bing_search
 
+LOGGER = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 PLUGIN_OUTPUT_PREFIX = '[xkcd] '
 
+# used with permission of site owner
+# https://twitter.com/Dmdboi/status/1589202274999767041
+SEARCHXKCD_API = 'https://gq67pznq1k.execute-api.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/search'
+
 ignored_sites = [
     # For searching the web
     'almamater.xkcd.com',
@@ -53,6 +60,32 @@ def web_search(query):
         return match.group(1)
 
 
+def searchxkcd_search(query):
+    parameters = {
+        'q': query,
+        'page': 0,
+    }
+    try:
+        response = requests.post(SEARCHXKCD_API, params=parameters)
+    except requests.exceptions.ConnectionError as e:
+        LOGGER.debug("Unable to reach searchxkcd API: %s", e)
+        return None
+    except Exception as e:
+        LOGGER.debug("Unexpected error calling searchxkcd API: %s", e)
+        return None
+
+    try:
+        hits = response.json()['results']['hits']
+        if not hits:
+            return None
+        first = hits[0]['objectID']
+    except (JSONDecodeError, LookupError):
+        LOGGER.debug("Data format from searchxkcd API could not be understood.")
+        return None
+
+    return first
+
+
 @plugin.command('xkcd')
 @plugin.example(".xkcd 1782", user_help=True)
 @plugin.example(".xkcd", user_help=True)
@@ -90,7 +123,10 @@ def xkcd(bot, trigger):
             if (query.lower() == "latest" or query.lower() == "newest"):
                 requested = latest
             else:
-                number = web_search(query)
+                number = searchxkcd_search(query)
+                if number is None:
+                    # generic web-search engine as fallback
+                    number = web_search(query)
                 if not number:
                     bot.reply('Could not find any comics for that query.')
                     return