diff --git a/src/accessories/SearchAssistant.ttslua b/src/accessories/SearchAssistant.ttslua
index 316dffbe..67bbdbf5 100644
--- a/src/accessories/SearchAssistant.ttslua
+++ b/src/accessories/SearchAssistant.ttslua
@@ -113,11 +113,25 @@ function startSearch(messageColor, number)
 
   -- get draw deck
   local deckAreaObjects = playermatApi.getDeckAreaObjects(matColor)
-  if deckAreaObjects.draw == nil then
+  if deckAreaObjects.draw == nil and deckAreaObjects.topCard == nil then
     printToColor(matColor .. " draw deck could not be found!", messageColor, "Red")
     return
   end
 
+  -- check for harbinger
+  local harbinger
+  if deckAreaObjects.topCard then
+    harbinger = isHarbinger(deckAreaObjects.topCard.getGMNotes())
+  elseif deckAreaObjects.draw and not deckAreaObjects.draw.is_face_down then
+    local cards = deckAreaObjects.draw.getObjects()
+    harbinger = isHarbinger(cards[#cards].gm_notes)
+  end
+
+  if harbinger then
+    printToColor("The Harbinger is on top of your deck, searching isn't allowed", messageColor)
+    return
+  end
+
   -- get bounds to know the height of the deck
   local bounds = deckAreaObjects.draw.getBounds()
   drawDeckPosition = bounds.center + Vector(0, bounds.size.y / 2 + 0.2, 0)
@@ -158,16 +172,21 @@ function startSearch(messageColor, number)
 
   -- handling for Norman Withers
   if deckAreaObjects.topCard then
-    deckAreaObjects.topCard.setRotation(setAsideRotation)
+    deckAreaObjects.topCard.deal(1, handColor)
+    number = number - 1
     topCardDetected = true
   end
 
   searchView()
 
-  Wait.time(function()
-    deckAreaObjects = playermatApi.getDeckAreaObjects(matColor)
+  if number > 0 then
     deckAreaObjects.draw.deal(number, handColor)
-  end, 1)
+  end
+end
+
+function isHarbinger(notes)
+  local md = JSON.decode(notes or "") or {}
+  return md.id == "08006"
 end
 
 -- place handCards back into deck and optionally shuffle
diff --git a/src/core/Global.ttslua b/src/core/Global.ttslua
index f856dbad..d273d4f0 100644
--- a/src/core/Global.ttslua
+++ b/src/core/Global.ttslua
@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@ function onObjectNumberTyped(hoveredObject, playerColor, number)
   end
 
   -- check whether the hovered object is part of a players draw objects
-  for _, color in ipairs(playermatApi.getUsedMatColors()) do
+  for color, _ in pairs(guidReferenceApi.getObjectsByType("Playermat")) do
     local deckAreaObjects = playermatApi.getDeckAreaObjects(color)
     if deckAreaObjects.topCard == hoveredObject or deckAreaObjects.draw == hoveredObject then
       playermatApi.drawCardsWithReshuffle(color, number)
diff --git a/src/playermat/Playermat.ttslua b/src/playermat/Playermat.ttslua
index 9fc8ac46..e65568b1 100644
--- a/src/playermat/Playermat.ttslua
+++ b/src/playermat/Playermat.ttslua
@@ -438,14 +438,12 @@ function drawCardsWithReshuffle(numCards)
   local deckAreaObjects = getDeckAreaObjects()
 
   -- Norman Withers handling
-  local harbinger = false
-  if deckAreaObjects.topCard and deckAreaObjects.topCard.getName() == "The Harbinger" then
-    harbinger = true
+  local harbinger
+  if deckAreaObjects.topCard then
+    harbinger = isHarbinger(deckAreaObjects.topCard.getGMNotes())
   elseif deckAreaObjects.draw and not deckAreaObjects.draw.is_face_down then
     local cards = deckAreaObjects.draw.getObjects()
-    if cards[#cards].name == "The Harbinger" then
-      harbinger = true
-    end
+    harbinger = isHarbinger(cards[#cards].gm_notes)
   end
 
   if harbinger then
@@ -473,8 +471,7 @@ function drawCardsWithReshuffle(numCards)
 
   if deckSize >= numCards then
     drawCards(numCards)
-    -- flip top card again for Norman
-    if topCardDetected and string.match(activeInvestigatorId, "%d%d%d%d%d") == "08004" then
+    if topCardDetected then
       flipTopCardFromDeck()
     end
   else
@@ -483,8 +480,7 @@ function drawCardsWithReshuffle(numCards)
       shuffleDiscardIntoDeck()
       Wait.time(function()
         drawCards(numCards - deckSize)
-        -- flip top card again for Norman
-        if topCardDetected and string.match(activeInvestigatorId, "%d%d%d%d%d") == "08004" then
+        if topCardDetected then
           flipTopCardFromDeck()
         end
       end, 1)
@@ -493,6 +489,11 @@ function drawCardsWithReshuffle(numCards)
   end
 end
 
+function isHarbinger(notes)
+  local md = JSON.decode(notes or "") or {}
+  return md.id == "08006"
+end
+
 -- get the draw deck and discard pile objects and returns the references
 ---@return table: string-indexed table with references to the found objects
 function getDeckAreaObjects()