diff --git a/packages/adapter-commons/lib/filter-query.js b/packages/adapter-commons/lib/filter-query.js
index 42d79b069b..c3d1788574 100644
--- a/packages/adapter-commons/lib/filter-query.js
+++ b/packages/adapter-commons/lib/filter-query.js
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 const { _ } = require('@feathersjs/commons');
+const { BadRequest } = require('@feathersjs/errors');
 
 function parse (number) {
   if (typeof number !== 'undefined') {
@@ -33,15 +34,21 @@ function convertSort (sort) {
   }, {});
 }
 
-function cleanQuery (query, operators) {
+function cleanQuery (query, operators, filters) {
   if (_.isObject(query) && query.constructor === {}.constructor) {
     const result = {};
-    _.each(query, (query, key) => {
-      if (key[0] === '$' && operators.indexOf(key) === -1) {
-        return;
+    _.each(query, (value, key) => {
+      if (key[0] === '$') {
+        if(filters[key] !== undefined) {
+          return;
+        }
+
+        if(!operators.includes(key)) {
+          throw new BadRequest(`Invalid query parameter ${key}`, query);
+        }
       }
 
-      result[key] = cleanQuery(query, operators);
+      result[key] = cleanQuery(value, operators, filters);
     });
     return result;
   }
@@ -91,7 +98,7 @@ module.exports = function filterQuery (query, options = {}) {
   result.filters = assignFilters({}, query, FILTERS, options);
   result.filters = assignFilters(result.filters, query, additionalFilters, options);
 
-  result.query = cleanQuery(query, OPERATORS.concat(additionalOperators));
+  result.query = cleanQuery(query, OPERATORS.concat(additionalOperators), result.filters);
 
   return result;
 };
diff --git a/packages/adapter-commons/test/filter-query.test.js b/packages/adapter-commons/test/filter-query.test.js
index 69c852a1e6..60223cdc06 100644
--- a/packages/adapter-commons/test/filter-query.test.js
+++ b/packages/adapter-commons/test/filter-query.test.js
@@ -37,8 +37,19 @@ describe('@feathersjs/adapter-commons/filterQuery', () => {
       assert.deepStrictEqual(query, {});
     });
 
+    it('throws an error when special parameter is not known', () => {
+      try {
+        const query = { $foo: 1 };
+        filterQuery(query);
+        assert.ok(false, 'Should never get here');
+      } catch (error) {
+        assert.strictEqual(error.name, 'BadRequest');
+        assert.strictEqual(error.message, 'Invalid query parameter $foo');
+      }
+    });
+
     it('returns undefined when not present in query', () => {
-      const query = { $foo: 1 };
+      const query = { foo: 1 };
       const { filters } = filterQuery(query);
 
       assert.strictEqual(filters.$sort, undefined);
@@ -58,7 +69,7 @@ describe('@feathersjs/adapter-commons/filterQuery', () => {
     });
 
     it('returns undefined when not present in query', () => {
-      const query = { $foo: 1 };
+      const query = { foo: 1 };
       const { filters } = filterQuery(query);
 
       assert.strictEqual(filters.$limit, undefined);
@@ -113,7 +124,7 @@ describe('@feathersjs/adapter-commons/filterQuery', () => {
     });
 
     it('returns undefined when not present in query', () => {
-      const query = { $foo: 1 };
+      const query = { foo: 1 };
       const { filters } = filterQuery(query);
 
       assert.strictEqual(filters.$skip, undefined);
@@ -142,7 +153,7 @@ describe('@feathersjs/adapter-commons/filterQuery', () => {
     });
 
     it('returns undefined when not present in query', () => {
-      const query = { $foo: 1 };
+      const query = { foo: 1 };
       const { filters } = filterQuery(query);
 
       assert.strictEqual(filters.$select, undefined);
@@ -161,28 +172,29 @@ describe('@feathersjs/adapter-commons/filterQuery', () => {
   });
 
   describe('additional filters', () => {
-    beforeEach(() => {
-      this.query = { $select: 1, $known: 1, $unknown: 1 };
-    });
-
-    it('returns only default filters when no additionals', () => {
-      const { filters } = filterQuery(this.query);
-
-      assert.strictEqual(filters.$unknown, undefined);
-      assert.strictEqual(filters.$known, undefined);
-      assert.strictEqual(filters.$select, 1);
+    it('throw error when not set as additionals', () => {
+      try {
+        filterQuery({ $select: 1, $known: 1 });
+        assert.ok(false, 'Should never get here');
+      } catch(error) {
+        assert.strictEqual(error.message, 'Invalid query parameter $known');
+      }
     });
 
     it('returns default and known additional filters (array)', () => {
-      const { filters } = filterQuery(this.query, { filters: [ '$known' ] });
+      const query = { $select: ['a', 'b'], $known: 1, $unknown: 1 };
+      const { filters } = filterQuery(query, { filters: [ '$known', '$unknown' ] });
 
-      assert.strictEqual(filters.$unknown, undefined);
+      assert.strictEqual(filters.$unknown, 1);
       assert.strictEqual(filters.$known, 1);
-      assert.strictEqual(filters.$select, 1);
+      assert.deepStrictEqual(filters.$select, [ 'a', 'b' ]);
     });
 
     it('returns default and known additional filters (object)', () => {
-      const { filters } = filterQuery(this.query, { filters: { $known: (value) => value.toString() } });
+      const { filters } = filterQuery({
+        $known: 1,
+        $select: 1
+      }, { filters: { $known: (value) => value.toString() } });
 
       assert.strictEqual(filters.$unknown, undefined);
       assert.strictEqual(filters.$known, '1');
@@ -191,32 +203,14 @@ describe('@feathersjs/adapter-commons/filterQuery', () => {
   });
 
   describe('additional operators', () => {
-    beforeEach(() => {
-      this.query = { $ne: 1, $known: 1, $unknown: 1 };
-    });
-
-    it('returns query with only default operators when no additionals', () => {
-      const { query } = filterQuery(this.query);
-
-      assert.strictEqual(query.$ne, 1);
-      assert.strictEqual(query.$known, undefined);
-      assert.strictEqual(query.$unknown, undefined);
-    });
-
     it('returns query with default and known additional operators', () => {
-      const { query } = filterQuery(this.query, { operators: [ '$known' ] });
+      const { query } = filterQuery({
+        $ne: 1, $known: 1
+      }, { operators: [ '$known' ] });
 
       assert.strictEqual(query.$ne, 1);
       assert.strictEqual(query.$known, 1);
       assert.strictEqual(query.$unknown, undefined);
     });
-
-    it('returns query with default and known additional operators (nested)', () => {
-      const { query } = filterQuery({ field: this.query }, { operators: [ '$known' ] });
-
-      assert.strictEqual(query.field.$ne, 1);
-      assert.strictEqual(query.field.$known, 1);
-      assert.strictEqual(query.field.$unknown, undefined);
-    });
   });
 });