diff --git a/pkg/models/querybuilder_sql.go b/pkg/models/querybuilder_sql.go
index 1eb98edb8..a854d2309 100644
--- a/pkg/models/querybuilder_sql.go
+++ b/pkg/models/querybuilder_sql.go
@@ -60,20 +60,28 @@ func (qb *queryBuilder) handleIntCriterionInput(c *IntCriterionInput, column str
 
 func (qb *queryBuilder) handleStringCriterionInput(c *StringCriterionInput, column string) {
 	if c != nil {
-		if modifier := c.Modifier.String(); c.Modifier.IsValid() {
+		if modifier := c.Modifier; c.Modifier.IsValid() {
 			switch modifier {
-			case "EQUALS":
+			case CriterionModifierIncludes:
 				clause, thisArgs := getSearchBinding([]string{column}, c.Value, false)
 				qb.addWhere(clause)
 				qb.addArg(thisArgs...)
-			case "NOT_EQUALS":
+			case CriterionModifierExcludes:
 				clause, thisArgs := getSearchBinding([]string{column}, c.Value, true)
 				qb.addWhere(clause)
 				qb.addArg(thisArgs...)
-			case "IS_NULL":
-				qb.addWhere(column + " IS NULL")
-			case "NOT_NULL":
-				qb.addWhere(column + " IS NOT NULL")
+			case CriterionModifierEquals:
+				qb.addWhere(column + " LIKE ?")
+				qb.addArg(c.Value)
+			case CriterionModifierNotEquals:
+				qb.addWhere(column + " NOT LIKE ?")
+				qb.addArg(c.Value)
+			default:
+				clause, count := getSimpleCriterionClause(modifier, "?")
+				qb.addWhere(column + " " + clause)
+				if count == 1 {
+					qb.addArg(c.Value)
+				}
 			}
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/ui/v2.5/src/models/list-filter/criteria/criterion.ts b/ui/v2.5/src/models/list-filter/criteria/criterion.ts
index 3aa50ae62..07e77e308 100644
--- a/ui/v2.5/src/models/list-filter/criteria/criterion.ts
+++ b/ui/v2.5/src/models/list-filter/criteria/criterion.ts
@@ -250,6 +250,8 @@ export class StringCriterion extends Criterion {
   public modifierOptions = [
     StringCriterion.getModifierOption(CriterionModifier.Equals),
     StringCriterion.getModifierOption(CriterionModifier.NotEquals),
+    StringCriterion.getModifierOption(CriterionModifier.Includes),
+    StringCriterion.getModifierOption(CriterionModifier.Excludes),
     StringCriterion.getModifierOption(CriterionModifier.IsNull),
     StringCriterion.getModifierOption(CriterionModifier.NotNull),
   ];
@@ -273,36 +275,6 @@ export class StringCriterion extends Criterion {
       this.parameterName = type;
     }
   }
-
-  public static getModifierOption(
-    modifier: CriterionModifier = CriterionModifier.Equals
-  ): ILabeledValue {
-    switch (modifier) {
-      case CriterionModifier.Equals:
-        return { value: CriterionModifier.Equals, label: "Includes" };
-      case CriterionModifier.NotEquals:
-        return { value: CriterionModifier.NotEquals, label: "Excludes" };
-      default:
-        return super.getModifierOption(modifier);
-    }
-  }
-
-  public getLabel(): string {
-    let modifierString: string;
-    switch (this.modifier) {
-      case CriterionModifier.Equals:
-        modifierString = "includes";
-        break;
-      case CriterionModifier.NotEquals:
-        modifierString = "excludes";
-        break;
-      default:
-        return super.getLabel();
-    }
-
-    const valueString = this.getLabelValue();
-    return `${Criterion.getLabel(this.type)} ${modifierString} ${valueString}`;
-  }
 }
 
 export class MandatoryStringCriterion extends StringCriterion {
diff --git a/ui/v2.5/src/models/list-filter/filter.ts b/ui/v2.5/src/models/list-filter/filter.ts
index de035effe..accddfd38 100644
--- a/ui/v2.5/src/models/list-filter/filter.ts
+++ b/ui/v2.5/src/models/list-filter/filter.ts
@@ -329,10 +329,7 @@ export class ListFilterModel {
       }
 
       jsonParameters.forEach((jsonString) => {
-        // make sure we escape \
-        const escaped = jsonString.replaceAll("\\", "\\\\");
-
-        const encodedCriterion = JSON.parse(escaped);
+        const encodedCriterion = JSON.parse(jsonString);
         const criterion = makeCriteria(encodedCriterion.type);
         // it's possible that we have unsupported criteria. Just skip if so.
         if (criterion) {
diff --git a/ui/v2.5/src/models/list-filter/types.ts b/ui/v2.5/src/models/list-filter/types.ts
index 5e00a172f..4507b63eb 100644
--- a/ui/v2.5/src/models/list-filter/types.ts
+++ b/ui/v2.5/src/models/list-filter/types.ts
@@ -29,7 +29,9 @@ export interface ILabeledValue {
 }
 
 export function encodeILabeledId(o: ILabeledId) {
-  return { ...o, label: encodeURIComponent(o.label) };
+  // escape \ to \\ so that it encodes to JSON correctly
+  const adjustedLabel = o.label.replaceAll("\\", "\\\\");
+  return { ...o, label: encodeURIComponent(adjustedLabel) };
 }
 
 export interface IOptionType {