# Issue with Distance Value in Weaviate Hybrid Search and Applying Similarity Score Threshold

**URL:** <https://forum.weaviate.io/t/issue-with-distance-value-in-weaviate-hybrid-search-and-applying-similarity-score-threshold/20443>\
**Category:** Support\
**Created:** [April 1, 2025, 11:09am UTC](https://forum.weaviate.io/t/issue-with-distance-value-in-weaviate-hybrid-search-and-applying-similarity-score-threshold/20443 "2025-04-01T11:09:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Rohini\_vaidya](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/forum.weaviate.io/rohini_vaidya/32/3290_2.png) [@Rohini\_vaidya](https://forum.weaviate.io/u/Rohini_vaidya)\
**Post date:** [April 1, 2025, 11:09am UTC](https://forum.weaviate.io/t/issue-with-distance-value-in-weaviate-hybrid-search-and-applying-similarity-score-threshold/20443/1 "2025-04-01T11:09:55Z")

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I am using hybrid search in Weaviate and setting `alpha=1` as I want to perform purely semantic search in my current scenario. I also need to filter results based on the semantic similarity score.

Here’s my query code:

```auto
response = self.collection.query.hybrid(
                query=query_text.strip(),
                query_properties=[field_name],
                alpha=alpha,
                target_vector=[f"{field_name}_embeddings"],
                return_metadata=MetadataQuery(score=True,distance=True,explain_score=True),
                filters=search_filter,
                limit=top_k
            )

            # Process results efficiently
            field_guids = set()
            for obj in response.objects:
                print(f"Object: {obj.metadata}")
                distance = obj.metadata.distance
                print(f"Distance: {distance}")
                score = 1 - distance
                if score < score_threshold:
                    continue # Skip low-score results

```

### Issues I am facing:

1. The `distance` value in `obj.metadata` is always **None**.
2. Since distance is `None`, I am unable to calculate the semantic similarity score (`1 - distance`).
3. What is the correct way to filter search results based on **semantic similarity** in hybrid search?

Am I missing something in the query setup, or is there a better approach to applying a score threshold in hybrid search? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![DudaNogueira](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/forum.weaviate.io/dudanogueira/32/7846_2.png) [@DudaNogueira](https://forum.weaviate.io/u/DudaNogueira)\
**Post date:** [April 1, 2025, 3:47pm UTC](https://forum.weaviate.io/t/issue-with-distance-value-in-weaviate-hybrid-search-and-applying-similarity-score-threshold/20443/2 "2025-04-01T15:47:02Z")

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hi @Rohini_vaidya !!

When you run a hybrid query, Weaviate will fuse the distance (Vector/Similarity search) and the score (Bm25). Because of that, you will not have a distance.

Even if you run a hybrid with alpha 1.

If you want to filter he results based on distance, you need to do a `near_text` query.

Let me know if this clarifies it for you.

Thanks!

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Rohini\_vaidya](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/forum.weaviate.io/rohini_vaidya/32/3290_2.png) [@Rohini\_vaidya](https://forum.weaviate.io/u/Rohini_vaidya)\
**Post date:** [April 2, 2025, 4:50am UTC](https://forum.weaviate.io/t/issue-with-distance-value-in-weaviate-hybrid-search-and-applying-similarity-score-threshold/20443/3 "2025-04-02T04:50:45Z")

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Thank you @DudaNogueira

I understood the point.