diff --git a/sqlite_utils/cli.py b/sqlite_utils/cli.py
index 15c78f6..37c44f7 100644
--- a/sqlite_utils/cli.py
+++ b/sqlite_utils/cli.py
@@ -941,6 +941,7 @@ def query(
     "Execute SQL query and return the results as JSON"
     db = sqlite_utils.Database(path)
     _load_extensions(db, load_extension)
+    db.register_fts4_bm25()
     with db.conn:
         cursor = db.execute(sql, dict(param))
         if cursor.description is None:
diff --git a/sqlite_utils/db.py b/sqlite_utils/db.py
index f1a1e74..9d067d3 100644
--- a/sqlite_utils/db.py
+++ b/sqlite_utils/db.py
@@ -1360,7 +1360,7 @@ class Table(Queryable):
             rank_implementation = "[{}].rank".format(fts_table)
         else:
             self.db.register_fts4_bm25()
-            rank_implementation = "-rank_bm25(matchinfo([{}], 'pcnalx'))".format(
+            rank_implementation = "rank_bm25(matchinfo([{}], 'pcnalx'))".format(
                 fts_table
             )
         return sql.format(
diff --git a/tests/test_cli.py b/tests/test_cli.py
index f9b2509..69aef64 100644
--- a/tests/test_cli.py
+++ b/tests/test_cli.py
@@ -1677,3 +1677,35 @@ def test_insert_encoding(tmpdir):
             "longitude": None,
         },
     ]
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("fts", ["FTS4", "FTS5"])
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "extra_arg,expected",
+    [
+        (
+            None,
+            '[{"rowid": 2, "id": 2, "title": "Title the second", "rank": -0.5108256237659907}]\n',
+        ),
+        ("--csv", "rowid,id,title,rank\n2,2,Title the second,-0.5108256237659907\n"),
+    ],
+)
+def test_search(tmpdir, fts, extra_arg, expected):
+    db_path = str(tmpdir / "test.db")
+    db = Database(db_path)
+    db["articles"].insert_all(
+        [
+            {"id": 1, "title": "Title the first"},
+            {"id": 2, "title": "Title the second"},
+            {"id": 3, "title": "Title the third"},
+        ],
+        pk="id",
+    )
+    db["articles"].enable_fts(["title"], fts_version=fts)
+    result = CliRunner().invoke(
+        cli.cli,
+        ["search", db_path, "articles", "second"] + ([extra_arg] if extra_arg else []),
+        catch_exceptions=False,
+    )
+    assert result.exit_code == 0
+    assert result.output == expected
diff --git a/tests/test_fts.py b/tests/test_fts.py
index 0b0c106..6f469a2 100644
--- a/tests/test_fts.py
+++ b/tests/test_fts.py
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ def test_populate_fts(fresh_db):
             "text": "racoons are biting trash pandas",
             "country": "USA",
             "not_searchable": "bar",
-            "rank": 0.5108256237659907,
+            "rank": -0.5108256237659907,
         }
     ] == rows
 
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ def test_populate_fts_escape_table_names(fresh_db):
             "text": "racoons are biting trash pandas",
             "country": "USA",
             "not_searchable": "bar",
-            "rank": 0.5108256237659907,
+            "rank": -0.5108256237659907,
         }
     ] == list(table.search("usa"))