diff --git a/intake_esm/_search.py b/intake_esm/_search.py
index 47978b4c..a97c49c4 100644
--- a/intake_esm/_search.py
+++ b/intake_esm/_search.py
@@ -5,6 +5,17 @@
 import pandas as pd
 
 
+def unpack_iterable_column(df: pd.DataFrame, column: str) -> pd.DataFrame:
+    """Return a DataFrame where elements of a given iterable column have been unpacked into multiple lines."""
+    rows = []
+    for _, row in df.iterrows():
+        for val in row[column]:
+            new_row = row.copy()
+            new_row[column] = val
+            rows.append(new_row)
+    return pd.DataFrame(rows)
+
+
 def is_pattern(value):
     if isinstance(value, typing.Pattern):
         return True
@@ -50,6 +61,7 @@ def search_apply_require_all_on(
     df: pd.DataFrame,
     query: typing.Dict[str, typing.Any],
     require_all_on: typing.Union[str, typing.List[typing.Any]],
+    columns_with_iterables: set = None,
 ) -> pd.DataFrame:
     _query = query.copy()
     # Make sure to remove columns that were already
@@ -66,12 +78,17 @@ def search_apply_require_all_on(
     condition = set(itertools.product(*values))
     query_results = []
     for _, group in grouped:
-        index = group.set_index(keys).index
+        group_for_index = group
+        # Unpack iterables to get testable index.
+        for column in (columns_with_iterables or set()).intersection(keys):
+            group_for_index = unpack_iterable_column(group_for_index, column)
+
+        index = group_for_index.set_index(keys).index
         if not isinstance(index, pd.MultiIndex):
             index = {(element,) for element in index.to_list()}
         else:
             index = set(index.to_list())
-        if index == condition:
+        if condition.issubset(index):  # with iterables we could have more then requested
             query_results.append(group)
 
     if query_results:
diff --git a/intake_esm/cat.py b/intake_esm/cat.py
index 42f4d11d..9b2110c7 100644
--- a/intake_esm/cat.py
+++ b/intake_esm/cat.py
@@ -356,7 +356,10 @@ def search(
         )
         if _query.require_all_on is not None and not results.empty:
             results = search_apply_require_all_on(
-                df=results, query=_query.query, require_all_on=_query.require_all_on
+                df=results,
+                query=_query.query,
+                require_all_on=_query.require_all_on,
+                columns_with_iterables=self.columns_with_iterables,
             )
         return results
 
diff --git a/tests/test_search.py b/tests/test_search.py
index 90fb3f20..bc6f6c84 100644
--- a/tests/test_search.py
+++ b/tests/test_search.py
@@ -171,3 +171,42 @@ def test_search_columns_with_iterables(query, expected):
         df=df, query=query_model.query, columns_with_iterables={'variable', 'random'}
     ).to_dict(orient='records')
     assert results == expected
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    'query,expected',
+    [
+        (
+            dict(variable=['A', 'B'], random='bx'),
+            [
+                {'path': 'file1', 'variable': ['A', 'B'], 'attr': 1, 'random': {'bx', 'by'}},
+                {'path': 'file3', 'variable': ['A'], 'attr': 2, 'random': {'bx', 'bz'}},
+                {'path': 'file4', 'variable': ['B', 'C'], 'attr': 2, 'random': {'bx', 'bz'}},
+            ],
+        ),
+    ],
+)
+def test_search_require_all_on_columns_with_iterables(query, expected):
+    df = pd.DataFrame(
+        {
+            'path': ['file1', 'file2', 'file3', 'file4', 'file5'],
+            'variable': [['A', 'B'], ['C', 'D'], ['A'], ['B', 'C'], ['C', 'D', 'A']],
+            'attr': [1, 1, 2, 2, 3],
+            'random': [
+                {'bx', 'by'},
+                {'bx', 'by'},
+                {'bx', 'bz'},
+                {'bx', 'bz'},
+                {'bx', 'by'},
+            ],
+        }
+    )
+    query_model = QueryModel(query=query, columns=df.columns.tolist(), require_all_on=['attr'])
+    results = search(df=df, query=query_model.query, columns_with_iterables={'variable', 'random'})
+    results = search_apply_require_all_on(
+        df=results,
+        query=query_model.query,
+        require_all_on=query_model.require_all_on,
+        columns_with_iterables={'variable', 'random'},
+    ).to_dict(orient='records')
+    assert results == expected