diff --git a/dje/admin.py b/dje/admin.py
index 16c1787d..b313c775 100644
--- a/dje/admin.py
+++ b/dje/admin.py
@@ -431,9 +431,7 @@ def set_reference_link(self, request):
                 self.reference_params = params
 
     def get_search_fields_for_hint_display(self):
-        if not self.search_fields:
-            return []
-        return tuple(set(field.split("__")[0] for field in self.search_fields))
+        return self.search_fields or []
 
 
 class DataspacedAdmin(
diff --git a/license_library/tests/test_admin.py b/license_library/tests/test_admin.py
index ef9b14b0..9b090825 100644
--- a/license_library/tests/test_admin.py
+++ b/license_library/tests/test_admin.py
@@ -1784,6 +1784,13 @@ def test_license_spdx_license_key_validation(self):
         expected = [["License with this Dataspace and SPDX short identifier already exists."]]
         self.assertEqual(expected, response.context["errors"])
 
+    def test_license_admin_get_search_fields_for_hint_display(self):
+        self.client.login(username="nexb_user", password="t3st")
+        changelist_url = reverse("admin:license_library_license_changelist")
+        response = self.client.get(changelist_url)
+        expected = "Search fields: key, name, short_name, keywords, owner__name"
+        self.assertContains(response, expected)
+
 
 class LicenseChoiceAdminTestCase(TestCase):
     def setUp(self):