diff --git a/include/parameters.h b/include/parameters.h
index edde5df9c..2c16bf9e1 100644
--- a/include/parameters.h
+++ b/include/parameters.h
@@ -139,11 +139,12 @@ enum State : uint8_t
 template <typename LabelT = uint32_t> class IndexSearchContext
 {
   public:
-    IndexSearchContext(uint32_t time_limit_in_microseconds = 0u, uint32_t io_limit = UINT32_MAX)
-        : _time_limit_in_microseconds(time_limit_in_microseconds), _io_limit(io_limit), _result_state(State::Unknown)
+    IndexSearchContext(uint32_t time_limit_in_microseconds = 0u, uint32_t io_limit = UINT32_MAX, bool allowLessThanKResults = false)
+        : _time_limit_in_microseconds(time_limit_in_microseconds), _io_limit(io_limit), _result_state(State::Unknown), _allowLessThankResults(allowLessThanKResults)
     {
         _use_filter = false;
         _label = (LabelT)0;
+        _total_result_returned = 0;
     }
 
     void SetLabel(LabelT label, bool use_filter)
@@ -157,6 +158,16 @@ template <typename LabelT = uint32_t> class IndexSearchContext
         _result_state = state;
     }
 
+    void UpdateResultReturned(size_t result_returned)
+    {
+        _total_result_returned = result_returned;
+    }
+
+    size_t GetResultCount()
+    {
+        return _total_result_returned;
+    }
+
     State GetState() const
     {
         return _result_state;
@@ -198,6 +209,11 @@ template <typename LabelT = uint32_t> class IndexSearchContext
         return _stats;
     }
 
+    bool GetAllowLessThanKResults()
+    {
+        return _allowLessThankResults;
+    }
+
   private:
     uint32_t _time_limit_in_microseconds;
     uint32_t _io_limit;
@@ -206,6 +222,8 @@ template <typename LabelT = uint32_t> class IndexSearchContext
     LabelT _label;
     Timer _timer;
     QueryStats _stats;
+    bool _allowLessThankResults;
+    size_t _total_result_returned;
 };
 
 } // namespace diskann
diff --git a/src/index.cpp b/src/index.cpp
index 4157edcef..aac892573 100644
--- a/src/index.cpp
+++ b/src/index.cpp
@@ -2251,14 +2251,20 @@ std::pair<uint32_t, uint32_t> Index<T, TagT, LabelT>::search(const T *query, con
             break;
     }
 
-    if (pos < K)
+    if (pos < K && context.GetAllowLessThanKResults())
+    {
+        context.SetState(State::Success);
+        context.UpdateResultReturned(pos);
+    }
+    else if(pos < K)
     {
         context.SetState(State::Failure);
-        diskann::cerr << "Found pos: " << pos << "fewer than K elements " << K << " for query" << std::endl;
+        context.UpdateResultReturned(pos);
     }
     else
     {
         context.SetState(State::Success);
+        context.UpdateResultReturned(K);
     }
 
     return retval;
@@ -2387,14 +2393,20 @@ std::pair<uint32_t, uint32_t> Index<T, TagT, LabelT>::search_with_filters(const
         if (pos == K)
             break;
     }
-    if (pos < K)
+    if (pos < K && context.GetAllowLessThanKResults())
+    {
+        context.SetState(State::Success);
+        context.UpdateResultReturned(pos);
+    }
+    else if(pos < K)
     {
         context.SetState(State::Failure);
-        diskann::cerr << "Found fewer than K elements for query" << std::endl;
+        context.UpdateResultReturned(pos);
     }
     else
     {
         context.SetState(State::Success);
+        context.UpdateResultReturned(K);
     }
 
     return retval;
diff --git a/src/pq_flash_index.cpp b/src/pq_flash_index.cpp
index 68c54ea65..1d9cce796 100644
--- a/src/pq_flash_index.cpp
+++ b/src/pq_flash_index.cpp
@@ -1687,6 +1687,7 @@ void PQFlashIndex<T, LabelT>::cached_beam_search(const T *query1, const uint64_t
     }
 
     context.SetState(State::Success);
+    context.UpdateResultReturned(k_search);
 }
 
 // range search returns results of all neighbors within distance of range.