diff --git a/app/models/item/search/query.rb b/app/models/item/search/query.rb
index 8a7d9524..64358158 100644
--- a/app/models/item/search/query.rb
+++ b/app/models/item/search/query.rb
@@ -193,6 +193,10 @@ class Item
             raise Item::Search::Error, message
           end
           
+          if key == :user_closet_hanger_ownership
+            Item::Search.error 'user_filters_disabled'
+          end
+          
           if TEXT_QUERY_RESOURCE_TYPES_BY_KEY.has_key?(key)
             resource_type = TEXT_QUERY_RESOURCE_TYPES_BY_KEY[key]
             finder = TEXT_QUERY_RESOURCE_FINDERS[resource_type]
diff --git a/config/locales/en.yml b/config/locales/en.yml
index 27238125..e3079aa1 100644
--- a/config/locales/en.yml
+++ b/config/locales/en.yml
@@ -330,6 +330,9 @@ en:
     
     search:
       errors:
+        user_filters_disabled:
+          We've temporarily disabled user-filters because they're especially
+          tough on the server. They'll be back soon. Thanks for understanding.
         not_found:
           label: Filter "%{label}" does not exist. Is it spelled correctly?
           species: