diff --git a/lib/net/ldap.rb b/lib/net/ldap.rb
index ae63ce5..27bc5e9 100644
--- a/lib/net/ldap.rb
+++ b/lib/net/ldap.rb
@@ -619,7 +619,7 @@ class Net::LDAP
     end
 
     args[:base] ||= @base
-    result_set = (args and args[:return_result] == false) ? nil : []
+    result_set = args[:return_result] == false ? nil : []
 
     if @open_connection
       @result = @open_connection.search(args) { |entry|
@@ -642,7 +642,11 @@ class Net::LDAP
       end
     end
 
-    result_set || @result == 0
+    if args[:return_result]
+      @result == 0 ? result_set : nil
+    else
+      @result == 0
+    end
   end
 
   # #bind connects to an LDAP server and requests authentication based on
diff --git a/spec/unit/ldap/search_spec.rb b/spec/unit/ldap/search_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3bf2187
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/unit/ldap/search_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+# -*- ruby encoding: utf-8 -*-
+
+describe Net::LDAP, "search method" do
+  class FakeConnection
+    def search(args)
+      error_code = 1
+      return error_code
+    end
+  end
+
+  before(:each) do
+    @connection = Net::LDAP.new
+    @connection.instance_variable_set(:@open_connection, FakeConnection.new)
+  end
+
+  context "when returning result set" do
+    it "should return nil upon error" do
+      result_set = @connection.search(:return_result => true)
+      result_set.should be_nil
+    end
+  end
+
+  context "when returning boolean" do
+    it "should return false upon error" do
+      success = @connection.search(:return_result => false)
+      success.should == false
+    end
+  end
+end