diff --git a/search_api_db.install b/search_api_db.install
index 43ca1b0..34db15e 100644
--- a/search_api_db.install
+++ b/search_api_db.install
@@ -108,3 +108,99 @@ function search_api_db_update_7103() {
     }
   }
 }
+
+/**
+ * Use a single full text table per index.
+ */
+function search_api_db_update_7104() {
+  $servers_query = db_select('search_api_server', 's')
+    ->condition('s.class', 'search_api_db_service');
+  $servers_query->innerJoin('search_api_index', 'i', 'i.server = s.machine_name');
+  // todo from this table?
+  $servers_query->fields('s', array('options'));
+  $servers_query->fields('i', array('machine_name', 'item_type'));
+  $servers = $servers_query->execute();
+  foreach ($servers as $server) {
+    $options = unserialize($server->options);
+    if (!empty($options['indexes'])) {
+      // Add new table.
+      $text_table = 'search_api_db_' . $server->machine_name . '_text';
+      $table = array(
+        'name' => $text_table,
+        'module' => 'search_api_db',
+        'fields' => array(
+          'item_id' => array(
+            'description' => 'The primary identifier of the item.',
+            'not null' => TRUE,
+          ),
+          'field_name' => array(
+            'description' => "Name of the item's field.",
+            'not null' => TRUE,
+            'type' => 'varchar',
+            'length' => 32,
+          ),
+          'word' => array(
+            'description' => 'The text of the indexed token.',
+            'type' => 'varchar',
+            'length' => 50,
+            'not null' => TRUE,
+          ),
+          'score' => array(
+            'description' => 'The score associated with this token.',
+            'type' => 'float',
+            'not null' => TRUE,
+          ),
+        ),
+      );
+      // The type of the item_id field depends on the ID field's type.
+      $id_field = search_api_get_datasource_controller($server->item_type)->getIdFieldInfo();
+      switch ($id_field['type']) {
+        case 'text':
+        case 'string':
+        case 'uri':
+          $table['fields']['item_id'] += array('type' => 'varchar', 'length' => 50);
+          break;
+
+        case 'integer':
+        case 'duration':
+        case 'date':
+          // 'datetime' sucks. Therefore, we just store the timestamp.
+          $table['fields']['item_id'] += array('type' => 'int', 'size' => 'big');
+          break;
+
+        case 'decimal':
+          $table['fields']['item_id'] += array('type' => 'float');
+          break;
+
+        case 'boolean':
+          $table['fields']['item_id'] += array('type' => 'int', 'size' => 'tiny');
+          break;
+
+        default:
+          throw new SearchApiException(t('Unknown field type @type. Database search module might be out of sync with Search API.', array('@type' => $id_field['type'])));
+      }
+      db_create_table($text_table, $table);
+      global $databases;
+      list($key, $target) = explode(':', $options['database'], 2);
+      if ($databases[$key][$target]['driver'] === 'mysql') {
+        db_query("ALTER TABLE {{$text_table}} CONVERT TO CHARACTER SET 'utf8' COLLATE 'utf8_bin'");
+      }
+      // Migrate data.
+      foreach ($options['indexes'] as $fields) {
+        foreach ($fields as $name => $field) {
+          if (search_api_is_text_type($field['type'])) {
+            $query = db_select($field['table'], 't')
+              ->fields('t', array('item_id', 'word', 'score'));
+            $query->addExpression(':field_name', 'field_name', array(':field_name' => $name));
+            db_insert($text_table)->from($query)->execute();
+            // todo
+            // db_drop_table($field['table']);
+          }
+        }
+      }
+      // Add keys.
+      db_add_index($text_table, 'word', array(array('word', 20)));
+      db_add_primary_key($text_table, array('item_id', 'field_name', 'word'));
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/service.inc b/service.inc
index d115ed1..f370841 100644
--- a/service.inc
+++ b/service.inc
@@ -333,53 +333,32 @@ class SearchApiDbService extends SearchApiAbstractService {
       }
     }
 
-    if ($type == 'text') {
-      // Text columns are always a separate table.
-      db_add_field($db['table'], 'word', array(
-        'description' => 'The text of the indexed token.',
-        'type' => 'varchar',
-        'length' => 50,
-        'not null' => TRUE,
-      ));
-      db_add_field($db['table'], 'score', array(
-        'description' => 'The score associated with this token.',
-        'type' => 'float',
-        'not null' => TRUE,
-      ));
-      db_add_index($db['table'], 'word', array(array('word', 10)));
-      if ($new_table) {
-        // Add a covering index since word is not repeated for each item.
-        db_add_primary_key($db['table'], array('item_id', 'word'));
-      }
+    if (!isset($db['column'])) {
+      $db['column'] = 'value';
+    }
+    $db_field = $this->sqlType($type);
+    $db_field += array(
+      'description' => "The field's value for this item.",
+    );
+    db_add_field($db['table'], $db['column'], $db_field);
+    if ($new_table && search_api_is_list_type($field['type'])) {
+      $db_field['not null'] = TRUE;
+    }
+    if ($db_field['type'] === 'varchar') {
+      db_add_index($db['table'], $db['column'], array(array($db['column'], 10)));
     }
     else {
-      if (!isset($db['column'])) {
-        $db['column'] = 'value';
-      }
-      $db_field = $this->sqlType($type);
-      $db_field += array(
-        'description' => "The field's value for this item.",
-      );
-      if ($new_table && search_api_is_list_type($field['type'])) {
-        $db_field['not null'] = TRUE;
-      }
-      db_add_field($db['table'], $db['column'], $db_field);
-      if ($db_field['type'] === 'varchar') {
-        db_add_index($db['table'], $db['column'], array(array($db['column'], 10)));
+      db_add_index($db['table'], $db['column'], array($db['column']));
+    }
+    if ($new_table) {
+      if (search_api_is_list_type($field['type'])) {
+        // Add a covering index for lists.
+        db_add_primary_key($db['table'], array('item_id', $db['column']));
       }
       else {
-        db_add_index($db['table'], $db['column'], array($db['column']));
-      }
-      if ($new_table) {
-        if (search_api_is_list_type($field['type'])) {
-          // Add a covering index for lists.
-          db_add_primary_key($db['table'], array('item_id', $db['column']));
-        }
-        else {
-          // Otherwise, a denormalized table with many columns, where we can't
-          // predict the best covering index.
-          db_add_primary_key($db['table'], array('item_id'));
-        }
+        // Otherwise, a denormalized table with many columns, where we can't
+        // predict the best covering index.
+        db_add_primary_key($db['table'], array('item_id'));
       }
     }
   }
@@ -432,6 +411,71 @@ class SearchApiDbService extends SearchApiAbstractService {
       $cleared = FALSE;
       $change = FALSE;
 
+      $prefix = 'search_api_db_' . $index->machine_name;
+
+      // Always make sure the text table exists.
+      $text_table = $prefix . '_text';
+      if (!db_table_exists($text_table)) {
+        $table = array(
+          'name' => $text_table,
+          'module' => 'search_api_db',
+          'fields' => array(
+            'item_id' => array(
+              'description' => 'The primary identifier of the item.',
+              'not null' => TRUE,
+            ),
+            'field_name' => array(
+              'description' => "Name of the item's field.",
+              'not null' => TRUE,
+              'type' => 'varchar',
+              'length' => 32,
+            ),
+            'word' => array(
+              'description' => 'The text of the indexed token.',
+              'type' => 'varchar',
+              'length' => 50,
+              'not null' => TRUE,
+            ),
+            'score' => array(
+              'description' => 'The score associated with this token.',
+              'type' => 'float',
+              'not null' => TRUE,
+            ),
+          ),
+          'indexes' => array(
+            'word' => array(array('word', 20)),
+          ),
+          // Add a covering index since word is not repeated for each item.
+          'primary key' => array('item_id', 'field_name', 'word'),
+        );
+        // The type of the item_id field depends on the ID field's type.
+        $id_field = $index->datasource()->getIdFieldInfo();
+        $table['fields']['item_id'] += $this->sqlType($id_field['type'] == 'text' ? 'string' : $id_field['type']);
+        if (isset($table['fields']['item_id']['length'])) {
+          // A length of 255 is overkill for IDs. 50 should be more than enough.
+          $table['fields']['item_id']['length'] = 50;
+        }
+        db_create_table($text_table, $table);
+
+        // Some DBMSs will need a character encoding and collation set.
+        global $databases;
+        list($key, $target) = explode(':', $this->options['database'], 2);
+        $db_driver = $databases[$key][$target]['driver'];
+
+        switch ($db_driver) {
+          case 'mysql':
+            db_query("ALTER TABLE {{$text_table}} CONVERT TO CHARACTER SET 'utf8' COLLATE 'utf8_bin'");
+            break;
+
+            // @todo Add fixes for other DBMSs.
+          case 'oracle':
+          case 'pgsql':
+          case 'sqlite':
+          case 'sqlsrv':
+            break;
+        }
+      }
+
       foreach ($fields as $name => $field) {
         if (!isset($new_fields[$name])) {
           // The field is no longer in the index, drop the data.
@@ -485,27 +529,28 @@ class SearchApiDbService extends SearchApiAbstractService {
         }
         // Make sure the table and column now exist. (Especially important when
         // we actually add the index for the first time.)
-        if (!db_table_exists($field['table']) || (isset($field['column']) && !db_field_exists($field['table'], $field['column']))) {
+        if (!search_api_is_text_type($field['type']) && (!db_table_exists($field['table']) || (isset($field['column']) && !db_field_exists($field['table'], $field['column'])))) {
           $this->createFieldTable($index, $new_fields[$name], $field);
         }
         unset($new_fields[$name]);
       }
 
-      $prefix = 'search_api_db_' . $index->machine_name;
       // These are new fields that were previously not indexed.
       foreach ($new_fields as $name => $field) {
-        $reindex = TRUE;
-        if ($this->canDenormalize($field)) {
-          $fields[$name]['table'] = $prefix;
-          $fields[$name]['column'] = $this->findFreeColumn($fields[$name]['table'], $name);
-        }
-        else {
-          $fields[$name]['table'] = $this->findFreeTable($prefix . '_', $name);
+        if (!search_api_is_text_type($field['type'])) {
+          $reindex = TRUE;
+          if ($this->canDenormalize($field)) {
+            $fields[$name]['table'] = $prefix;
+            $fields[$name]['column'] = $this->findFreeColumn($fields[$name]['table'], $name);
+          }
+          else {
+            $fields[$name]['table'] = $this->findFreeTable($prefix . '_', $name);
+          }
+          $this->createFieldTable($index, $field, $fields[$name]);
+          $fields[$name]['type']  = $field['type'];
+          $fields[$name]['boost'] = $field['boost'];
+          $change = TRUE;
         }
-        $this->createFieldTable($index, $field, $fields[$name]);
-        $fields[$name]['type'] = $field['type'];
-        $fields[$name]['boost'] = $field['boost'];
-        $change = TRUE;
       }
 
       if ($change) {
@@ -548,7 +593,7 @@ class SearchApiDbService extends SearchApiAbstractService {
     if ($this->canDenormalize($field) && isset($field['column'])) {
       db_drop_field($field['table'], $field['column']);
     }
-    else {
+    elseif (db_table_exists($field['table'])) {
       db_drop_table($field['table']);
     }
   }
@@ -679,11 +724,12 @@ class SearchApiDbService extends SearchApiAbstractService {
             }
           }
           if ($words) {
-            $query = $this->connection->insert($table)
-              ->fields(array('item_id', 'word', 'score'));
+            $query = $this->connection->insert('search_api_db_' . $this->machine_name . '_text')
+              ->fields(array('item_id', 'field_name', 'word', 'score'));
             foreach ($words as $word) {
               $query->values(array(
                 'item_id' => $id,
+                'field_name' => $name,
                 'word'    => $word['value'],
                 'score'   => $word['score'] * $boost,
               ));
@@ -876,10 +922,20 @@ class SearchApiDbService extends SearchApiAbstractService {
         if (empty($this->options['indexes'])) {
           return;
         }
-        foreach ($this->options['indexes'] as $index) {
+        foreach ($this->options['indexes'] as $machine_name => $index) {
+          if (is_array($ids)) {
+            $this->connection->delete('search_api_db_' . $machine_name . '_text')
+              ->condition('item_id', $ids, 'IN')
+              ->execute();
+          }
+          else {
+            $this->connection->truncate('search_api_db_' . $machine_name . '_text')->execute();
+          }
           foreach ($index as $fields) {
             foreach ($fields as $field) {
-              $this->connection->truncate($field['table'])->execute();
+              if (!search_api_is_text_type($field['type'])) {
+                $this->connection->truncate($field['table'])->execute();
+              }
             }
           }
         }
@@ -889,11 +945,21 @@ class SearchApiDbService extends SearchApiAbstractService {
       if (empty($this->options['indexes'][$index->machine_name])) {
         return;
       }
+      if (is_array($ids)) {
+        $this->connection->delete('search_api_db_' . $index->machine_name . '_text')
+          ->condition('item_id', $ids, 'IN')
+          ->execute();
+      }
+      else {
+        $this->connection->truncate('search_api_db_' . $index->machine_name . '_text')->execute();
+      }
       foreach ($this->options['indexes'][$index->machine_name] as $field) {
         if (is_array($ids)) {
-          $this->connection->delete($field['table'])
-            ->condition('item_id', $ids, 'IN')
-            ->execute();
+          if (!search_api_is_text_type($field['type'])) {
+            $this->connection->delete($field['table'])
+              ->condition('item_id', $ids, 'IN')
+              ->execute();
+          }
         }
         else {
           $this->connection->truncate($field['table'])->execute();
@@ -1027,6 +1093,7 @@ class SearchApiDbService extends SearchApiAbstractService {
    *   If some illegal query setting (unknown field, etc.) was encountered.
    */
   protected function createDbQuery(SearchApiQueryInterface $query, array $fields) {
+    $index = $query->getIndex();
     $keys = &$query->getKeys();
     $keys_set = (boolean) $keys;
     $keys = $this->prepareKeys($keys);
@@ -1057,7 +1124,7 @@ class SearchApiDbService extends SearchApiAbstractService {
           $fulltext_fields[$name] = $fields[$name];
         }
 
-        $db_query = $this->createKeysQuery($keys, $fulltext_fields, $fields);
+        $db_query = $this->createKeysQuery($index, $keys, $fulltext_fields, $fields);
         if (is_array($keys) && !empty($keys['#negation'])) {
           $db_query->addExpression(':score', 'score', array(':score' => 1));
           $db_query->distinct();
@@ -1083,7 +1150,7 @@ class SearchApiDbService extends SearchApiAbstractService {
 
     $filter = $query->getFilter();
     if ($filter->getFilters()) {
-      $condition = $this->createFilterCondition($filter, $fields, $db_query);
+      $condition = $this->createFilterCondition($index, $filter, $fields, $db_query);
       if ($condition) {
         $db_query->condition($condition);
       }
@@ -1220,6 +1287,8 @@ class SearchApiDbService extends SearchApiAbstractService {
    *
    * Used as a helper method in createDbQuery() and createFilterCondition().
    *
+   * @param $index
+   *   The SearchApiIndex object for this query.
    * @param $keys
    *   The search keys, formatted like the return value of
    *   SearchApiQueryInterface::getKeys(), but preprocessed according to
@@ -1234,7 +1303,7 @@ class SearchApiDbService extends SearchApiAbstractService {
    *   A SELECT query returning item_id and score (or only item_id, if
    *   $keys['#negation'] is set).
    */
-  protected function createKeysQuery($keys, array $fields, array $all_fields) {
+  protected function createKeysQuery(SearchApiIndex $index, $keys, array $fields, array $all_fields) {
     if (!is_array($keys)) {
       $keys = array(
         '#conjunction' => 'AND',
@@ -1242,7 +1311,6 @@ class SearchApiDbService extends SearchApiAbstractService {
       );
     }
 
-    $or = db_or();
     $neg = !empty($keys['#negation']);
     $conj = $keys['#conjunction'];
     $words = array();
@@ -1275,53 +1343,28 @@ class SearchApiDbService extends SearchApiAbstractService {
     $not_nested = ($subs <= 1 && count($fields) == 1) || ($neg && $conj == 'OR' && !$negated);
 
     if ($words) {
-      if (count($words) > 1) {
-        $mul_words = TRUE;
-        foreach ($words as $word) {
-          $or->condition('word', $word);
-        }
+      $db_query = $this->connection->select('search_api_db_' . $index->machine_name . '_text', 't');
+      $mul_words = count($words) > 1;
+      if ($neg_nested) {
+        $db_query->fields('t', array('item_id', 'word'));
       }
-      else {
-        $word = array_shift($words);
+      elseif ($neg) {
+        $db_query->fields('t', array('item_id'));
       }
-      foreach ($fields as $name => $field) {
-        $table = $field['table'];
-        $query = $this->connection->select($table, 't');
-        if ($neg_nested) {
-          $query->fields('t', array('item_id', 'word'));
-        }
-        elseif ($neg) {
-          $query->fields('t', array('item_id'));
-        }
-        elseif ($not_nested) {
-          $query->fields('t', array('item_id', 'score'));
-        }
-        else {
-          $query->fields('t');
-        }
-        if ($mul_words) {
-          $query->condition($or);
-        }
-        else {
-          $query->condition('word', $word);
-        }
-
-        if (!isset($db_query)) {
-          $db_query = $query;
-        }
-        elseif ($not_nested) {
-          $db_query->union($query, 'UNION');
-        }
-        else {
-          $db_query->union($query, 'UNION ALL');
-        }
+      elseif ($not_nested) {
+        $db_query->fields('t', array('item_id', 'score'));
+      }
+      else {
+        $db_query->fields('t');
       }
+      $db_query->condition('word', $words, 'IN');
+      $db_query->condition('field_name', array_keys($fields), 'IN');
     }
 
     if ($nested) {
       $word = '';
       foreach ($nested as $k) {
-        $query = $this->createKeysQuery($k, $fields, $all_fields);
+        $query = $this->createKeysQuery($index, $k, $fields, $all_fields);
         if (!$neg) {
           $word .= ' ';
           $var = ':word' . strlen($word);
@@ -1395,13 +1438,13 @@ class SearchApiDbService extends SearchApiAbstractService {
 
       if ($conj == 'AND') {
         foreach ($negated as $k) {
-          $db_query->condition('t.item_id', $this->createKeysQuery($k, $fields, $all_fields), 'NOT IN');
+          $db_query->condition('t.item_id', $this->createKeysQuery($index, $k, $fields, $all_fields), 'NOT IN');
         }
       }
       else {
         $or = db_or();
         foreach ($negated as $k) {
-          $or->condition('t.item_id', $this->createKeysQuery($k, $fields, $all_fields), 'NOT IN');
+          $or->condition('t.item_id', $this->createKeysQuery($index, $k, $fields, $all_fields), 'NOT IN');
         }
         if (isset($old_query)) {
           $or->condition('t.item_id', $old_query, 'NOT IN');
@@ -1422,6 +1465,8 @@ class SearchApiDbService extends SearchApiAbstractService {
    *
    * Used as a helper method in createDbQuery().
    *
+   * @param $index
+   *   The SearchApiIndex object for this query.
    * @param SearchApiQueryFilterInterface $filter
    *   The filter for which a condition should be created.
    * @param array $fields
@@ -1435,7 +1480,7 @@ class SearchApiDbService extends SearchApiAbstractService {
    * @throws SearchApiException
    *   If an unknown field was used in the filter.
    */
-  protected function createFilterCondition(SearchApiQueryFilterInterface $filter, array $fields, SelectQueryInterface $db_query) {
+  protected function createFilterCondition(SearchApiIndex $index, SearchApiQueryFilterInterface $filter, array $fields, SelectQueryInterface $db_query) {
     $cond = db_condition($filter->getConjunction());
     $empty = TRUE;
     // Store whether a JOIN alrady occurred for a field, so we don't JOIN
@@ -1445,7 +1490,7 @@ class SearchApiDbService extends SearchApiAbstractService {
     $tables = array();
     foreach ($filter->getFilters() as $f) {
       if (is_object($f)) {
-        $c = $this->createFilterCondition($f, $fields, $db_query);
+        $c = $this->createFilterCondition($index, $f, $fields, $db_query);
         if ($c) {
           $empty = FALSE;
           $cond->condition($c);
@@ -1467,7 +1512,7 @@ class SearchApiDbService extends SearchApiAbstractService {
         }
         if (search_api_is_text_type($field['type'])) {
           $keys = $this->prepareKeys($f[1]);
-          $query = $this->createKeysQuery($keys, array($field), $fields);
+          $query = $this->createKeysQuery($index, $keys, array($field), $fields);
           // We don't need the score, so we remove it. The score might either be
           // an expression or a field.
           $query_expressions = &$query->getExpressions();