diff --git a/core/modules/help_topics/help_topics.install b/core/modules/help_topics/help_topics.install
index b0b604f0a9..5d0ca155a9 100644
--- a/core/modules/help_topics/help_topics.install
+++ b/core/modules/help_topics/help_topics.install
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ function help_topics_schema() {
         'unsigned' => TRUE,
         'not null' => TRUE,
       ],
-      'plugin_type' => [
+      'plugin_id' => [
         'description' => 'The help plugin type the item comes from',
         'type' => 'varchar_ascii',
         'length' => 255,
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ function help_topics_schema() {
     ],
     'primary key' => ['sid'],
     'indexes' => [
-      'plugin_type' => ['plugin_type'],
+      'plugin_id' => ['plugin_id'],
       'id' => ['id'],
     ],
   ];
diff --git a/core/modules/help_topics/src/Plugin/Search/HelpSearch.php b/core/modules/help_topics/src/Plugin/Search/HelpSearch.php
index 4967f0abc6..9c4e5bf63b 100644
--- a/core/modules/help_topics/src/Plugin/Search/HelpSearch.php
+++ b/core/modules/help_topics/src/Plugin/Search/HelpSearch.php
@@ -193,14 +193,16 @@ protected function findResults() {
     if (!$this->account->hasPermission('access administration pages')) {
       return NULL;
     }
-    $denied_permissions = array_filter($this->database
+    $permissions = $this->database
       ->select('help_search_items', 'hsi')
+      ->distinct()
       ->fields('hsi', ['permission'])
-      ->groupBy('hsi.permission')
+      ->condition('permission', '', '<>')
       ->execute()
-      ->fetchCol(), function ($permission) {
-        return $permission && !$this->account->hasPermission($permission);
-      });
+      ->fetchCol();
+    $denied_permissions = array_filter($permissions, function ($permission) {
+      return !$this->account->hasPermission($permission);
+    });
 
     $query = $this->database
       ->select('search_index', 'i')
@@ -208,8 +210,8 @@ protected function findResults() {
       ->condition('i.langcode', $this->languageManager->getCurrentLanguage()->getId())
       ->extend(SearchQuery::class)
       ->extend(PagerSelectExtender::class);
-    $query->join('help_search_items', 'hsi', 'i.sid = hsi.sid AND i.type = :type', [':type' => $this->getPluginId()]);
-    if (count($denied_permissions)) {
+    $query->innerJoin('help_search_items', 'hsi', 'i.sid = hsi.sid AND i.type = :type', [':type' => $this->getPluginId()]);
+    if ($denied_permissions) {
       $query->condition('hsi.permission', $denied_permissions, 'NOT IN');
     }
     $query->searchExpression($this->getKeywords(), $this->getPluginId());
@@ -258,9 +260,9 @@ protected function prepareResults(StatementInterface $found) {
     foreach ($found as $item) {
       $record = $this->database->select('help_search_items', 'hsi')
         ->condition('sid', $item->sid)
-        ->fields('hsi', ['plugin_type', 'id'])
+        ->fields('hsi', ['plugin_id', 'id'])
         ->execute()->fetchObject();
-      $type = $record->plugin_type;
+      $type = $record->plugin_id;
       if (!isset($plugins[$type])) {
         $plugins[$type] = $this->getSectionPlugin($type);
       }
@@ -301,11 +303,11 @@ public function updateIndex() {
     $limit = (int) $this->searchSettings->get('index.cron_limit');
 
     $query = $this->database->select('help_search_items', 'hsi');
-    $query->fields('hsi', ['sid', 'plugin_type', 'id']);
+    $query->fields('hsi', ['sid', 'plugin_id', 'id']);
     $query->leftJoin('search_dataset', 'sd', 'sd.sid = hsi.sid AND sd.type = :type', [':type' => $this->getPluginId()]);
     $query->where('sd.sid IS NULL');
     $query->groupBy('hsi.sid')
-      ->groupBy('hsi.plugin_type')
+      ->groupBy('hsi.plugin_id')
       ->groupBy('hsi.id')
       ->range(0, $limit);
     $items = $query->execute()->fetchAll();
@@ -314,11 +316,11 @@ public function updateIndex() {
     // been indexed before, but are currently marked as needing a re-index.
     if (count($items) < $limit) {
       $query = $this->database->select('help_search_items', 'hsi');
-      $query->fields('hsi', ['sid', 'plugin_type', 'id']);
+      $query->fields('hsi', ['sid', 'plugin_id', 'id']);
       $query->leftJoin('search_dataset', 'sd', 'sd.sid = hsi.sid AND sd.type = :type', [':type' => $this->getPluginId()]);
       $query->condition('sd.reindex', 0, '<>');
       $query->groupBy('hsi.sid')
-        ->groupBy('hsi.plugin_type')
+        ->groupBy('hsi.plugin_id')
         ->groupBy('hsi.id')
         ->range(0, $limit - count($items));
       $items = $items + $query->execute()->fetchAll();
@@ -329,7 +331,7 @@ public function updateIndex() {
     $plugins = [];
 
     foreach ($items as $item) {
-      $type = $item->plugin_type;
+      $type = $item->plugin_id;
       if (!isset($plugins[$type])) {
         $plugins[$type] = $this->getSectionPlugin($type);
       }
@@ -366,13 +368,12 @@ public function markForReindex() {
     // Update the list of help items. Start by fetching the existing list,
     // so we can remove items not found at the end.
     $old_list = $this->database->select('help_search_items', 'hsi')
-      ->fields('hsi', ['sid', 'id', 'plugin_type', 'permission'])
-      ->execute()
-      ->fetchAll();
+      ->fields('hsi', ['sid', 'id', 'plugin_id', 'permission'])
+      ->execute();
     $old_list_ordered = [];
     $sids_to_remove = [];
     foreach ($old_list as $item) {
-      $old_list_ordered[$item->plugin_type][$item->id] = $item;
+      $old_list_ordered[$item->plugin_id][$item->id] = $item;
       $sids_to_remove[$item->sid] = $item->sid;
     }
 
@@ -383,11 +384,7 @@ public function markForReindex() {
         continue;
       }
       $permission = $plugin_definition['permission'] ?? '';
-      $items = $plugin->listSearchableTopics();
-      if (!count($items)) {
-        continue;
-      }
-      foreach ($items as $id) {
+      foreach ($plugin->listSearchableTopics() as $id) {
         if (isset($old_list_ordered[$plugin_id][$id])) {
           $old_item = $old_list_ordered[$plugin_id][$id];
           if ($old_item->permission == $permission) {
@@ -408,7 +405,7 @@ public function markForReindex() {
         // New record, create it.
         $this->database->insert('help_search_items')
           ->fields([
-            'plugin_type' => $plugin_id,
+            'plugin_id' => $plugin_id,
             'permission' => $permission,
             'id' => $id,
           ])
@@ -479,16 +476,16 @@ protected function removeItemsFromIndex($sids) {
   /**
    * Instantiates a help section plugin and verifies it is searchable.
    *
-   * @param string $plugin_type
+   * @param string $plugin_id
    *   Type of plugin to instantiate.
    *
    * @return \Drupal\help_topics\SearchableHelpInterface|false
    *   Plugin object, or FALSE if it is not a searchable type.
    */
-  protected function getSectionPlugin($plugin_type) {
+  protected function getSectionPlugin($plugin_id) {
     /** @var \Drupal\help\HelpSectionPluginInterface $plugin */
-    $plugin = $this->helpManager->createInstance($plugin_type);
-    if ($plugin && $plugin instanceof SearchableHelpInterface) {
+    $plugin = $this->helpManager->createInstance($plugin_id);
+    if ($plugin instanceof SearchableHelpInterface) {
       return $plugin;
     }
     // Intentionally return boolean to allow caching of results.
diff --git a/core/modules/help_topics/tests/src/Functional/HelpTopicSearchTest.php b/core/modules/help_topics/tests/src/Functional/HelpTopicSearchTest.php
index 48cbb84765..40b81e1ee6 100644
--- a/core/modules/help_topics/tests/src/Functional/HelpTopicSearchTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/help_topics/tests/src/Functional/HelpTopicSearchTest.php
@@ -55,14 +55,12 @@ protected function setUp() {
 
     // Run cron until the topics are fully indexed, with a limit of 100 runs
     // to avoid infinite loops.
-    $num_runs = 0;
-    $indexed = FALSE;
+    $num_runs = 100;
     $plugin = HelpSearch::create($this->container, [], 'foo', []);
-    while (($num_runs < 100) && !$indexed) {
+    do {
       $this->cronRun();
       $status = $plugin->indexStatus();
-      $indexed = ($status['remaining'] == $status['total']);
-    }
+    } while (--$num_runs && $status['remaining'] != $status['total']);
 
     // Visit the Search settings page and verify it says 100% indexed.
     $this->drupalGet('admin/config/search/pages');