diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 40b0baa2b..e97a76f18 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 ### Changes
 
 ### Bugs Fixed
+  * [#816](https://github.com/toptal/chewy/pull/816): Move query [`preference`](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/7.x/search-search.html#search-preference) from body to query parameters. ([@afg419][])
 
 ## 7.2.2 (2021-05-24)
 
@@ -624,6 +625,7 @@
 [@aglushkov]: https://github.com/aglushkov
 [@AlexVPopov]: https://github.com/AlexVPopov
 [@AndreySavelyev]: https://github.com/AndreySavelyev
+[@afg419]: https://github.com/afg419
 [@arion]: https://github.com/arion
 [@arturtr]: https://github.com/arturtr
 [@averell23]: https://github.com/averell23
diff --git a/lib/chewy/search/parameters.rb b/lib/chewy/search/parameters.rb
index 931531d8c..85d838a88 100644
--- a/lib/chewy/search/parameters.rb
+++ b/lib/chewy/search/parameters.rb
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ module Search
     # @see Chewy::Search::Request#parameters
     # @see Chewy::Search::Parameters::Storage
     class Parameters
-      QUERY_STRING_STORAGES = %i[indices search_type request_cache allow_partial_search_results].freeze
+      QUERY_STRING_STORAGES = %i[indices preference search_type request_cache allow_partial_search_results].freeze
 
       # Default storage classes warehouse. It is probably possible to
       # add your own classes here if necessary, but I'm not sure it will work.
diff --git a/spec/chewy/search/request_spec.rb b/spec/chewy/search/request_spec.rb
index 6bc7bc667..a5279e65a 100644
--- a/spec/chewy/search/request_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/chewy/search/request_spec.rb
@@ -214,13 +214,18 @@
     specify { expect { subject.search_type('foo') }.not_to change { subject.render } }
   end
 
-  %i[preference timeout].each do |name|
-    describe "##{name}" do
-      specify { expect(subject.send(name, :foo).render[:body]).to include(name => 'foo') }
-      specify { expect(subject.send(name, :foo).send(name, :bar).render[:body]).to include(name => 'bar') }
-      specify { expect(subject.send(name, :foo).send(name, nil).render[:body]).to be_blank }
-      specify { expect { subject.send(name, :foo) }.not_to change { subject.render } }
-    end
+  describe '#preference' do
+    specify { expect(subject.preference('foo').render).to include(preference: 'foo') }
+    specify { expect(subject.preference('foo').preference('bar').render).to include(preference: 'bar') }
+    specify { expect(subject.preference('foo').preference(nil).render[:preference]).to be_blank }
+    specify { expect { subject.preference('foo') }.not_to change { subject.render } }
+  end
+
+  describe '#timeout' do
+    specify { expect(subject.timeout(:foo).render[:body]).to include(timeout: 'foo') }
+    specify { expect(subject.timeout(:foo).timeout(:bar).render[:body]).to include(timeout: 'bar') }
+    specify { expect(subject.timeout(:foo).timeout(nil).render[:body]).to be_blank }
+    specify { expect { subject.timeout(:foo) }.not_to change { subject.render } }
   end
 
   describe '#source' do