diff --git a/apiserver/scripts/delete-story.py b/apiserver/scripts/delete-story.py
index 55205fa..1b53090 100644
--- a/apiserver/scripts/delete-story.py
+++ b/apiserver/scripts/delete-story.py
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 import database
 import search
 import sys
-import settings
-import logging
 
 import json
 import requests
@@ -22,16 +20,8 @@ def database_del_story(sid):
         session.close()
 
 def search_del_story(sid):
-    try:
-        r = requests.delete(settings.MEILI_URL + 'indexes/qotnews/documents/'+sid, timeout=2)
-        if r.status_code != 202:
-            raise Exception('Bad response code ' + str(r.status_code))
-        return r.json()
-    except KeyboardInterrupt:
-        raise
-    except BaseException as e:
-        logging.error('Problem deleting MeiliSearch story: {}'.format(str(e)))
-        return False
+    return search.meili_api(
+        requests.delete, 'indexes/qotnews/documents/' + sid)
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     if len(sys.argv) == 2:
diff --git a/apiserver/search.py b/apiserver/search.py
index 622cd97..f3bee36 100644
--- a/apiserver/search.py
+++ b/apiserver/search.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ SEARCH_ENABLED = bool(settings.MEILI_URL)
 def meili_api(method, route, json=None, params=None, parse_json=True):
     try:
         headers = {'Authorization': 'Bearer ' + settings.MEILI_API_KEY}
-        r = method(settings.MEILI_URL + route, json=json, params=params, timeout=4)
+        r = method(settings.MEILI_URL + route, json=json, params=params, headers=headers, timeout=4)
         if r.status_code > 299:
             raise Exception('Bad response code ' + str(r.status_code))
         if parse_json:
diff --git a/apiserver/settings.py.example b/apiserver/settings.py.example
index a039b24..2fa5576 100644
--- a/apiserver/settings.py.example
+++ b/apiserver/settings.py.example
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ NUM_TILDES = 5
 # Leave blank if not using search
 #MEILI_URL = 'http://127.0.0.1:7700/'
 MEILI_URL = ''
+MEILI_API_KEY = ''
 
 # Readerserver URL
 # Leave blank if not using, but that defeats the whole point