diff --git a/bindings/ruby/query.c b/bindings/ruby/query.c
index f87700a4..8cbc73f2 100644
--- a/bindings/ruby/query.c
+++ b/bindings/ruby/query.c
@@ -134,12 +134,13 @@ notmuch_rb_query_search_threads (VALUE self)
 {
     notmuch_query_t *query;
     notmuch_threads_t *threads;
+    notmuch_status_t status;
 
     Data_Get_Notmuch_Query (self, query);
 
-    threads = notmuch_query_search_threads (query);
-    if (!threads)
-	rb_raise (notmuch_rb_eMemoryError, "Out of memory");
+    status = notmuch_query_search_threads_st (query, &threads);
+    if (status)
+	notmuch_rb_status_raise (status);
 
     return Data_Wrap_Struct (notmuch_rb_cThreads, NULL, NULL, threads);
 }
@@ -154,12 +155,13 @@ notmuch_rb_query_search_messages (VALUE self)
 {
     notmuch_query_t *query;
     notmuch_messages_t *messages;
+    notmuch_status_t status;
 
     Data_Get_Notmuch_Query (self, query);
 
-    messages = notmuch_query_search_messages (query);
-    if (!messages)
-	rb_raise (notmuch_rb_eMemoryError, "Out of memory");
+    status = notmuch_query_search_messages_st (query, &messages);
+    if (status)
+	notmuch_rb_status_raise (status);
 
     return Data_Wrap_Struct (notmuch_rb_cMessages, NULL, NULL, messages);
 }