diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/cmd/desc.rb b/Library/Homebrew/cmd/desc.rb
index 67d673c3fa8e92..a4e24c051e4463 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/cmd/desc.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/cmd/desc.rb
@@ -47,6 +47,9 @@ def run
         end
 
         if search_type.present?
+          if !args.eval_all? && !Homebrew::EnvConfig.eval_all? && Homebrew::EnvConfig.no_install_from_api?
+            raise UsageError, "`brew desc --search` needs `--eval-all` passed or `HOMEBREW_EVAL_ALL` set!"
+          end
           query = args.named.join(" ")
           string_or_regex = Search.query_regexp(query)
           return Search.search_descriptions(string_or_regex, args, search_type:)
diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/cmd/search.rb b/Library/Homebrew/cmd/search.rb
index 4a7480119b87a1..d38f58d3f6a202 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/cmd/search.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/cmd/search.rb
@@ -70,6 +70,9 @@ def run
         string_or_regex = Search.query_regexp(query)
 
         if args.desc?
+          if !args.eval_all? && !Homebrew::EnvConfig.eval_all? && Homebrew::EnvConfig.no_install_from_api?
+            raise UsageError, "`brew search --desc` needs `--eval-all` passed or `HOMEBREW_EVAL_ALL` set!"
+          end
           Search.search_descriptions(string_or_regex, args)
         elsif args.pull_request?
           search_pull_requests(query)