diff --git a/gallery_dl/extractor/pixiv.py b/gallery_dl/extractor/pixiv.py
index bda924a0..e3a96bd2 100644
--- a/gallery_dl/extractor/pixiv.py
+++ b/gallery_dl/extractor/pixiv.py
@@ -560,7 +560,7 @@ class PixivSearchExtractor(PixivExtractor):
             sort = "date_d"
         self.sort = sort_map[sort]
 
-        target = query.get("s_mode", "s_tag")
+        target = query.get("s_mode", "s_tag_full")
         target_map = {
             "s_tag": "partial_match_for_tags",
             "s_tag_full": "exact_match_for_tags",
@@ -568,7 +568,7 @@ class PixivSearchExtractor(PixivExtractor):
         }
         if target not in target_map:
             self.log.warning("invalid search target '%s'", target)
-            target = "s_tag"
+            target = "s_tag_full"
         self.target = target_map[target]
 
         self.date_start = query.get("scd")