diff --git a/.changeset/eight-cobras-think.md b/.changeset/eight-cobras-think.md
index 854e4fcec8..3a9ec54a90 100644
--- a/.changeset/eight-cobras-think.md
+++ b/.changeset/eight-cobras-think.md
@@ -2,4 +2,4 @@
 '@backstage/plugin-search-backend': patch
 ---
 
-Fix typing when invoking `PermissionClient#authorize`
+Use `PermissionEvaluator` instead of `PermissionAuthorizer`.
diff --git a/plugins/search-backend/src/service/AuthorizedSearchEngine.test.ts b/plugins/search-backend/src/service/AuthorizedSearchEngine.test.ts
index 8a7662c1f4..5f666b3a26 100644
--- a/plugins/search-backend/src/service/AuthorizedSearchEngine.test.ts
+++ b/plugins/search-backend/src/service/AuthorizedSearchEngine.test.ts
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ import {
   EvaluatePermissionResponse,
   AuthorizeResult,
   createPermission,
-  PermissionAuthorizer,
   PolicyDecision,
   PermissionEvaluator,
 } from '@backstage/plugin-permission-common';
@@ -77,7 +76,7 @@ describe('AuthorizedSearchEngine', () => {
     PermissionEvaluator['query']
   > = jest.fn();
 
-  const permissionAuthorizer: PermissionEvaluator = {
+  const permissionEvaluator: PermissionEvaluator = {
     authorize: mockedAuthorize,
     query: mockedPermissionQuery,
   };
@@ -116,13 +115,13 @@ describe('AuthorizedSearchEngine', () => {
   const authorizedSearchEngine = new AuthorizedSearchEngine(
     searchEngine,
     defaultTypes,
-    permissionAuthorizer,
+    permissionEvaluator,
     new ConfigReader({}),
   );
 
   const options = { token: 'token' };
 
-  const allowAll: PermissionAuthorizer['authorize'] &
+  const allowAll: PermissionEvaluator['authorize'] &
     PermissionEvaluator['query'] = async queries => {
     return queries.map(() => ({
       result: AuthorizeResult.ALLOW,
diff --git a/plugins/search-backend/src/service/router.test.ts b/plugins/search-backend/src/service/router.test.ts
index 85773fb3b8..673556f450 100644
--- a/plugins/search-backend/src/service/router.test.ts
+++ b/plugins/search-backend/src/service/router.test.ts
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ import request from 'supertest';
 
 import { createRouter } from './router';
 
-const mockPermissionAuthorizer: PermissionEvaluator = {
+const mockPermissionEvaluator: PermissionEvaluator = {
   authorize: () => {
     throw new Error('Not implemented');
   },
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ describe('createRouter', () => {
         'second-type': {},
       },
       config: new ConfigReader({ permissions: { enabled: false } }),
-      permissions: mockPermissionAuthorizer,
+      permissions: mockPermissionEvaluator,
       logger,
     });
     app = express().use(router);
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ describe('createRouter', () => {
           engine: indexBuilder.getSearchEngine(),
           types: indexBuilder.getDocumentTypes(),
           config: new ConfigReader({ permissions: { enabled: false } }),
-          permissions: mockPermissionAuthorizer,
+          permissions: mockPermissionEvaluator,
           logger,
         });
         app = express().use(router);