diff --git a/test/view/admin_multi_match.js b/test/view/admin_multi_match.js
index 6577b9a..b6a385b 100644
--- a/test/view/admin_multi_match.js
+++ b/test/view/admin_multi_match.js
@@ -92,7 +92,8 @@ module.exports.tests.no_exceptions_conditions = function(test, common) {
           'property2_field value^property2_boost value'
         ],
         'query': { $: 'property1 value' },
-        'analyzer': 'analyzer value'
+        'analyzer': 'analyzer value',
+        'type': { $: 'cross_fields' }
       }
     };
 
@@ -117,7 +118,8 @@ module.exports.tests.no_exceptions_conditions = function(test, common) {
           'property1_field value^1'
         ],
         'query': { $: 'property1 value' },
-        'analyzer': 'analyzer value'
+        'analyzer': 'analyzer value',
+        'type': { $: 'cross_fields' }
       }
     };
 
diff --git a/view/admin_multi_match.js b/view/admin_multi_match.js
index ff91529..78163ec 100644
--- a/view/admin_multi_match.js
+++ b/view/admin_multi_match.js
@@ -41,6 +41,15 @@ module.exports = function( admin_properties, analyzer ){
     // TODO: handle the case where not all admin area input values are the same
     var queryVar = 'input:' + valid_admin_properties[0];
 
+    // admin multi-matching should always use the 'cross_fields' matching type
+    // this is to ensure that scoring is not only based on the best matching field.
+    // see: https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/query-dsl-multi-match-query.html#multi-match-types
+    vs.var('multi_match:type', 'cross_fields');
+
+    // disable cutoff_frequency as most of these admin  terms are very common
+    // and we would still like them to match and score appropriately.
+    vs.unset('multi_match:cutoff_frequency');
+
     // send the parameters to the standard multi_match view
     var view = multi_match(vs, fields_with_boosts, analyzer, queryVar);