diff --git a/lib/gitlab/sql/pattern.rb b/lib/gitlab/sql/pattern.rb
index 26bfeeeee67..b42bc67ccfc 100644
--- a/lib/gitlab/sql/pattern.rb
+++ b/lib/gitlab/sql/pattern.rb
@@ -7,17 +7,13 @@ module Gitlab
 
       class_methods do
         def to_pattern(query)
-          if exact_matching?(query)
-            sanitize_sql_like(query)
-          else
+          if partial_matching?(query)
             "%#{sanitize_sql_like(query)}%"
+          else
+            sanitize_sql_like(query)
           end
         end
 
-        def exact_matching?(query)
-          query.length < MIN_CHARS_FOR_PARTIAL_MATCHING
-        end
-
         def partial_matching?(query)
           query.length >= MIN_CHARS_FOR_PARTIAL_MATCHING
         end
diff --git a/spec/lib/gitlab/sql/pattern_spec.rb b/spec/lib/gitlab/sql/pattern_spec.rb
index 224336421be..9d7b2136dab 100644
--- a/spec/lib/gitlab/sql/pattern_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/gitlab/sql/pattern_spec.rb
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 require 'spec_helper'
 
 describe Gitlab::SQL::Pattern do
-  describe '#to_pattern' do
+  describe '.to_pattern' do
     subject(:to_pattern) { User.to_pattern(query) }
 
     context 'when a query is shorter than 3 chars' do