diff --git a/esxport/click_opt/click_custom.py b/esxport/click_opt/click_custom.py
index f0fad84..c1e0e05 100644
--- a/esxport/click_opt/click_custom.py
+++ b/esxport/click_opt/click_custom.py
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ class Json(ParamType):
     def convert(self: Self, value: Any, param: Parameter | None, ctx: Context | None) -> dict[str, Any]:
         """Convert input to json."""
         try:
-            return json.loads(value)  # type: ignore[no-any-return]
+            return value if isinstance(value, dict) else json.loads(value)  # type: ignore[no-any-return]
         except json.JSONDecodeError as exc:
             self.fail(invalid_query_format.format(value=value, exc=exc), param, ctx)
 
diff --git a/esxport/esxport.py b/esxport/esxport.py
index f32cf23..c32a51a 100644
--- a/esxport/esxport.py
+++ b/esxport/esxport.py
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@
 from esxport.strings import index_not_found, meta_field_not_found, output_fields, sorting_by, using_indexes, using_query
 from esxport.writer import Writer
 
+from .click_opt.click_custom import Json
+
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from typing_extensions import Self
 
@@ -87,7 +89,7 @@ def _prepare_search_query(self: Self) -> None:
             "scroll": self.scroll_time,
             "size": self.opts.scroll_size,
             "terminate_after": self.opts.max_results,
-            "body": self.opts.query,
+            "query": Json().convert(self.opts.query, None, None)["query"],
         }
         if self.opts.sort:
             self.search_args["sort"] = self.opts.sort
@@ -97,7 +99,7 @@ def _prepare_search_query(self: Self) -> None:
 
         if self.opts.debug:
             logger.debug(using_indexes.format(indexes={", ".join(self.opts.index_prefixes)}))
-            query = json.dumps(self.opts.query)
+            query = json.dumps(self.opts.query, default=str)
             logger.debug(using_query.format(query={query}))
             logger.debug(output_fields.format(fields={", ".join(self.opts.fields)}))
             logger.debug(sorting_by.format(sort=self.opts.sort))
diff --git a/test/esxport/_prepare_search_query_test.py b/test/esxport/_prepare_search_query_test.py
index 704dac8..1bf9444 100644
--- a/test/esxport/_prepare_search_query_test.py
+++ b/test/esxport/_prepare_search_query_test.py
@@ -93,9 +93,10 @@ def test_query(self: Self, _: Any, esxport_obj: EsXport) -> None:
         """
         expected_query: dict[str, Any] = {"query": {"match_all": {}}}
         esxport_obj.opts.query = expected_query
+        actual_query = expected_query["query"]
 
         esxport_obj._prepare_search_query()
-        assert esxport_obj.search_args["body"] == expected_query
+        assert esxport_obj.search_args["query"] == actual_query
 
     def test_terminate_after(self: Self, _: Any, esxport_obj: EsXport) -> None:
         """Arr, matey!.