diff --git a/src/calibre/db/constants.py b/src/calibre/db/constants.py
index 08dcfa49ad..334de6039c 100644
--- a/src/calibre/db/constants.py
+++ b/src/calibre/db/constants.py
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ DATA_FILE_PATTERN = f'{DATA_DIR_NAME}/**/*'
 BOOK_ID_PATH_TEMPLATE = ' ({})'
 RESOURCE_URL_SCHEME = 'calres'
 TEMPLATE_ICON_INDICATOR = ' template '  # Item values cannot start or end with space
-NO_SEARCH_LINK = '*no_link*'
+NO_SEARCH_LINK = '__no_link__'
 
 
 @dataclass
diff --git a/src/calibre/srv/code.py b/src/calibre/srv/code.py
index 71e2c2c42e..fca4331912 100644
--- a/src/calibre/srv/code.py
+++ b/src/calibre/srv/code.py
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ from threading import Lock
 from calibre import as_unicode
 from calibre.constants import in_develop_mode
 from calibre.customize.ui import available_input_formats
-from calibre.db.constants import NO_SEARCH_LINK
 from calibre.db.view import sanitize_sort_field_name
 from calibre.ebooks.metadata.book.render import resolve_default_author_link
 from calibre.srv.ajax import search_result
@@ -176,8 +175,6 @@ def basic_interface_data(ctx, rd):
         'lang_code_for_user_manual': lang_code_for_user_manual(),
         'default_author_link': resolve_default_author_link(get_gpref('default_author_link')),
     }
-    if ans['default_author_link'] == NO_SEARCH_LINK:
-        ans['default_author_link'] = ''
     ans['library_map'], ans['default_library_id'] = ctx.library_info(rd)
     if ans['username']:
         ans['recently_read_by_user'] = tuple(
diff --git a/src/calibre/utils/rapydscript.py b/src/calibre/utils/rapydscript.py
index 85fa917af9..fc516f34b6 100644
--- a/src/calibre/utils/rapydscript.py
+++ b/src/calibre/utils/rapydscript.py
@@ -434,6 +434,7 @@ def run_rapydscript_tests():
 
 
 def set_data(src, **kw):
+    from calibre.db.constants import NO_SEARCH_LINK
     for k, v in {
         '__SPECIAL_TITLE__': SPECIAL_TITLE_FOR_WEBENGINE_COMMS,
         '__FAKE_PROTOCOL__': FAKE_PROTOCOL,
@@ -442,7 +443,8 @@ def set_data(src, **kw):
         '__DARK_LINK_COLOR__': dark_link_color,
         '__BUILTIN_COLORS_LIGHT__': json.dumps(builtin_colors_light),
         '__BUILTIN_COLORS_DARK__': json.dumps(builtin_colors_dark),
-        '__BUILTIN_DECORATIONS__': json.dumps(builtin_decorations)
+        '__BUILTIN_DECORATIONS__': json.dumps(builtin_decorations),
+        '__NO_SEARCH_LINK__': NO_SEARCH_LINK,
     }.items():
         src = src.replace(k, v, 1)
     for k, v in kw.items():
diff --git a/src/pyj/book_list/book_details.pyj b/src/pyj/book_list/book_details.pyj
index d053887cff..c45d9cd72d 100644
--- a/src/pyj/book_list/book_details.pyj
+++ b/src/pyj/book_list/book_details.pyj
@@ -287,7 +287,9 @@ def render_metadata(mi, table, book_id, iframe_css):  # {{{
             parent = table.lastChild.lastChild
             if is_searchable:
                 websearch_link = False
+                no_link = False
                 if field is 'authors':
+                    no_link = interface_data.default_author_link is '__NO_SEARCH_LINK__'
                     websearch_link = bool(interface_data.default_author_link) and interface_data.default_author_link is not 'search-calibre'
                 else:
                     fm = field_metadata[field]
@@ -306,22 +308,22 @@ def render_metadata(mi, table, book_id, iframe_css):  # {{{
                 else:
                     url = calibre_search_url
                     tooltip = calibre_search_tooltip
-                parent.appendChild(E.a(v, target=target, title=tooltip, class_='blue-link', href=url))
+                if no_link:
+                    parent.appendChild(v if v.appendChild else document.createTextNode(v))
+                else:
+                    parent.appendChild(E.a(v, target=target, title=tooltip, class_='blue-link', href=url))
                 if link_maps[field] and link_maps[field][text_rep]:
                     url = link_maps[field][text_rep]
                     if url.startswith('https://') or url.startswith('http://'):
                         parent.appendChild(document.createTextNode(' '))
                         parent.appendChild(E.a(
                             svgicon('external-link'), title=_('Click to open') + ': ' + url, href=url, target='_blank', class_='blue-link'))
-                if websearch_link:
+                if websearch_link or no_link:
                     parent.appendChild(document.createTextNode(' '))
                     parent.appendChild(E.a(
                         svgicon('search'), title=calibre_search_tooltip, href=calibre_search_url, class_='blue-link'))
             else:
-                if v.appendChild:
-                    parent.appendChild(v)
-                else:
-                    parent.appendChild(document.createTextNode(v))
+                parent.appendChild(v if v.appendChild else document.createTextNode(v))
             if jstype(v) is 'string' and not is_html:
                 add_note_link(field, name, v, parent)