diff --git a/model/ConceptSearchParameters.php b/model/ConceptSearchParameters.php
index e78d85d1a..22f613b20 100644
--- a/model/ConceptSearchParameters.php
+++ b/model/ConceptSearchParameters.php
@@ -112,7 +112,9 @@ private function getDefaultTypeLimit()
     public function getTypeLimit() 
     {
         $type = $this->request->getQueryParam('type') !== '' ? $this->request->getQueryParam('type') : null;
-        if ($type && strpos($type, '+')) {
+        if ($type && strpos($type, ' ')) {
+            $type = explode(' ', $type);
+        } else if ($type && strpos($type, '+')) {
             $type = explode('+', $type);
         } else if ($type && !is_array($type)) {
             // if only one type param given place it into an array regardless
diff --git a/swagger.json b/swagger.json
index 9afa18dfd..e1d70cadf 100644
--- a/swagger.json
+++ b/swagger.json
@@ -403,7 +403,7 @@
                     {
                         "name": "type",
                         "in": "query",
-                        "description": "limit search to concepts of the given type, e.g. \"skos:Concept\".",
+                        "description": "limit search to concepts of the given type, e.g. \"skos:Concept\"; multiple types can be specified as a space-separated list",
                         "required": false,
                         "type": "string"
                     },
@@ -1804,4 +1804,4 @@
             ]
         }
     }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}