diff --git a/app/graph/types/team_type.rb b/app/graph/types/team_type.rb
index c755c4201..88083f823 100644
--- a/app/graph/types/team_type.rb
+++ b/app/graph/types/team_type.rb
@@ -413,7 +413,15 @@ def statistics(period:, language: nil, platform: nil)
   def bot_query(search_text:, threshold: nil, max_number_of_words: nil, enable_language_detection: nil, should_restrict_by_language: nil, enable_link_shortening: nil, utm_code: nil)
     return nil unless User.current&.is_admin # Feature flag
 
-    results = object.search_for_similar_articles(search_text)
+    settings = {
+      threshold: threshold,
+      max_number_of_words: max_number_of_words,
+      enable_language_detection: enable_language_detection,
+      should_restrict_by_language: should_restrict_by_language,
+      enable_link_shortening: enable_link_shortening,
+      utm_code: utm_code
+    }.with_indifferent_access
+    results = object.search_for_similar_articles(search_text, nil, settings)
     results.map(&:as_tipline_search_result)
   end
 end
diff --git a/app/models/concerns/smooch_search.rb b/app/models/concerns/smooch_search.rb
index c82bf7131..7681cc08b 100644
--- a/app/models/concerns/smooch_search.rb
+++ b/app/models/concerns/smooch_search.rb
@@ -160,9 +160,20 @@ def search_for_similar_published_fact_checks(type, query, team_ids, limit, after
       end
     end
 
+    def get_setting_value_or_default(setting_name, custom_settings)
+      custom_value = custom_settings.to_h.with_indifferent_access[setting_name]
+      return custom_value unless custom_value.nil?
+      case setting_name.to_sym
+      when :threshold
+        self.get_text_similarity_threshold
+      else
+        nil
+      end
+    end
+
     # "type" is text, video, audio or image
     # "query" is either a piece of text of a media URL
-    def search_for_similar_published_fact_checks_no_cache(type, query, team_ids, limit, after = nil, feed_id = nil, language = nil, published_only = true)
+    def search_for_similar_published_fact_checks_no_cache(type, query, team_ids, limit, after = nil, feed_id = nil, language = nil, published_only = true, settings = nil)
       results = []
       pm = nil
       pm = ProjectMedia.new(team_id: team_ids[0]) if team_ids.size == 1 # We'll use the settings of a team instead of global settings when there is only one team
@@ -183,7 +194,7 @@ def search_for_similar_published_fact_checks_no_cache(type, query, team_ids, lim
         if Bot::Alegre.get_number_of_words(text) <= self.max_number_of_words_for_keyword_search
           results = self.search_by_keywords_for_similar_published_fact_checks(words, after, team_ids, limit, feed_id, language, published_only)
         else
-          alegre_results = Bot::Alegre.get_merged_similar_items(pm, [{ value: self.get_text_similarity_threshold }], Bot::Alegre::ALL_TEXT_SIMILARITY_FIELDS, text, team_ids)
+          alegre_results = Bot::Alegre.get_merged_similar_items(pm, [{ value: self.get_setting_value_or_default('threshold', settings) }], Bot::Alegre::ALL_TEXT_SIMILARITY_FIELDS, text, team_ids)
           results = self.parse_search_results_from_alegre(alegre_results, limit, published_only, after, feed_id, team_ids)
           Rails.logger.info "[Smooch Bot] Text similarity search got #{results.count} results while looking for '#{text}' after date #{after.inspect} for teams #{team_ids}"
         end
@@ -310,7 +321,7 @@ def ask_for_feedback_when_all_search_results_are_received(app_id, language, work
       end
     end
 
-    def search_for_explainers(uid, query, team_id, limit, language = nil)
+    def search_for_explainers(uid, query, team_id, limit, language = nil, settings = nil)
       results = nil
       begin
         text = ::Bot::Smooch.extract_claim(query)
@@ -319,7 +330,7 @@ def search_for_explainers(uid, query, team_id, limit, language = nil)
           results = results.where(language: language) if !language.nil? && should_restrict_by_language?([team_id])
           results = results.order('updated_at DESC')
         else
-          results = Explainer.search_by_similarity(text, language, team_id, limit)
+          results = Explainer.search_by_similarity(text, language, team_id, limit, settings.to_h.with_indifferent_access[:threshold])
         end
       rescue StandardError => e
         self.handle_search_error(uid, e, language) unless uid.blank?
diff --git a/app/models/explainer.rb b/app/models/explainer.rb
index 96e81be93..da16eeeb2 100644
--- a/app/models/explainer.rb
+++ b/app/models/explainer.rb
@@ -103,8 +103,9 @@ def self.update_paragraphs_in_alegre(id, previous_paragraphs_count, timestamp)
     end
   end
 
-  def self.search_by_similarity(text, language, team_id, limit)
+  def self.search_by_similarity(text, language, team_id, limit, custom_threshold = nil)
     models_thresholds = Explainer.get_alegre_models_and_thresholds(team_id)
+    models_thresholds.each { |model, _threshold| models_thresholds[model] = custom_threshold } unless custom_threshold.blank?
     context = {
       type: 'explainer',
       team_id: team_id
@@ -116,7 +117,7 @@ def self.search_by_similarity(text, language, team_id, limit)
       per_model_threshold: models_thresholds,
       context: context
     }
-    response = Bot::Alegre.query_sync_with_params(params, "text")
+    response = Bot::Alegre.query_sync_with_params(params, 'text')
     results = response['result'].to_a.sort_by{ |result| [result['model'] != Bot::Alegre::ELASTICSEARCH_MODEL ? 1 : 0, result['_score']] }.reverse
     explainer_ids = results.collect{ |result| result.dig('context', 'explainer_id').to_i }.uniq.first(limit)
     explainer_ids.empty? ? Explainer.none : Explainer.where(team_id: team_id, id: explainer_ids)
diff --git a/app/models/team.rb b/app/models/team.rb
index f5519b8ee..6102807f7 100644
--- a/app/models/team.rb
+++ b/app/models/team.rb
@@ -563,15 +563,16 @@ def filter_by_keywords(query, filters, type = 'FactCheck')
     query.where(Arel.sql("#{tsvector} @@ #{tsquery}"))
   end
 
-  def search_for_similar_articles(query, pm = nil)
+  def search_for_similar_articles(query, pm = nil, settings = nil)
     # query:  expected to be text
     # pm: to request a most relevant to specific item and also include both FactCheck & Explainer
     limit = pm.nil? ? CheckConfig.get('most_relevant_team_limit', 3, :integer) : CheckConfig.get('most_relevant_item_limit', 10, :integer)
     threads = []
     fc_items = []
     ex_items = []
-    threads << Thread.new {
-      result_ids = Bot::Smooch.search_for_similar_published_fact_checks_no_cache('text', query, [self.id], limit, nil, nil, nil, false).map(&:id)
+    # FIXME: Threads approach not working locally - requests from GraphiQL hang forever.
+    # threads << Thread.new {
+      result_ids = Bot::Smooch.search_for_similar_published_fact_checks_no_cache('text', query, [self.id], limit, nil, nil, nil, false, settings).map(&:id)
       unless result_ids.blank?
         fc_items = FactCheck.joins(claim_description: :project_media).where('project_medias.id': result_ids)
         if pm.nil?
@@ -583,13 +584,13 @@ def search_for_similar_articles(query, pm = nil)
           fc_items = fc_items.where.not('fact_checks.id' => pm.fact_check_id) unless pm&.fact_check_id.nil?
         end
       end
-    }
-    threads << Thread.new {
-      ex_items = Bot::Smooch.search_for_explainers(nil, query, self.id, limit).distinct
+    # }
+    # threads << Thread.new {
+      ex_items = Bot::Smooch.search_for_explainers(nil, query, self.id, limit, nil, settings).distinct
       # Exclude the ones already applied to a target item
       ex_items = ex_items.where.not(id: pm.explainer_ids) unless pm&.explainer_ids.blank?
-    }
-    threads.map(&:join)
+    # }
+    # threads.map(&:join)
     items = fc_items
     # Get Explainers if no fact-check returned or get similar_articles for a ProjectMedia
     items += ex_items if items.blank? || !pm.nil?