diff --git a/apps/server/src/orchestration-v2/ProjectionStore.ts b/apps/server/src/orchestration-v2/ProjectionStore.ts
index 0c4976dc9059..8c35ce7a1de8 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/orchestration-v2/ProjectionStore.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/orchestration-v2/ProjectionStore.ts
@@ -96,6 +96,7 @@ import type * as Statement from "effect/sql/Statement";
 
 import { MCP_APP_OUTPUT_KEY } from "@t3tools/shared/mcpApp";
 import { threadHtmlRenderAttachmentIds } from "../attachmentStore.ts";
+import { readableSearchText } from "./messageSearchIndex.ts";
 import {
   isThreadHistoryUserTurn,
   isConversationHistoryItem,
@@ -2594,7 +2595,8 @@ export const layer: Layer.Layer<ProjectionStoreV2, never, SqlClient.SqlClient> =
                 streaming,
                 created_at,
                 updated_at,
-                payload_json
+                payload_json,
+                search_text
               )
               VALUES (
                 ${event.payload.id},
@@ -2605,7 +2607,8 @@ export const layer: Layer.Layer<ProjectionStoreV2, never, SqlClient.SqlClient> =
                 ${booleanInt(event.payload.streaming)},
                 ${createdAt},
                 ${updatedAt},
-                ${payloadJson}
+                ${payloadJson},
+                ${readableSearchText(event.payload.text)}
               )
               ON CONFLICT(message_id)
               DO UPDATE SET
@@ -2616,7 +2619,8 @@ export const layer: Layer.Layer<ProjectionStoreV2, never, SqlClient.SqlClient> =
                 streaming = excluded.streaming,
                 created_at = excluded.created_at,
                 updated_at = excluded.updated_at,
-                payload_json = excluded.payload_json
+                payload_json = excluded.payload_json,
+                search_text = excluded.search_text
             `;
               break;
             }
diff --git a/apps/server/src/orchestration-v2/ThreadSearch.test.ts b/apps/server/src/orchestration-v2/ThreadSearch.test.ts
index e758280f9388..421e79f5a090 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/orchestration-v2/ThreadSearch.test.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/orchestration-v2/ThreadSearch.test.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { assert, it } from "@effect/vitest";
 import {
+  EnvironmentId,
   EventId,
   MessageId,
   ProjectId,
@@ -18,9 +19,11 @@ import * as Fiber from "effect/Fiber";
 import * as Layer from "effect/Layer";
 import * as Path from "effect/Path";
 import * as SqlClient from "effect/sql/SqlClient";
+import { serializeAssistantCitation } from "@t3tools/shared/assistantCitations";
 import { ATTACHMENT_ONLY_BOOTSTRAP_PROMPT } from "@t3tools/shared/composerContextReferences";
 
 import * as SqlitePersistence from "../persistence/Sqlite.ts";
+import { rebuildMessageSearch } from "./messageSearchIndex.ts";
 import * as ProjectionStore from "./ProjectionStore.ts";
 import * as ProjectStore from "./ProjectStore.ts";
 import * as ThreadSearch from "./ThreadSearch.ts";
@@ -150,6 +153,20 @@ const message = (
   },
 });
 
+// The prefix and suffix are hidden selection context, not text the reader sees.
+const quote = serializeAssistantCitation({
+  version: 1,
+  environmentId: EnvironmentId.make("environment:local"),
+  threadId: ThreadId.make("thread:quoted"),
+  messageId: MessageId.make("quoted-answer"),
+  text: "A lighthouse guides ships safely through the darkness.",
+  comment: "what are you talking about",
+  start: 0,
+  end: 54,
+  prefix: "beacon01",
+  suffix: "harbor",
+});
+
 it.effect.each([true, false])(
   "ThreadSearch excludes bootstrap text before the hit and candidate limits (indexed: %s)",
   (indexed) =>
@@ -349,6 +366,96 @@ it.layer(layerTest)("ThreadSearch", (it) => {
     }),
   );
 
+  it.effect("matches the readable text of quotes and their comments", () =>
+    Effect.gen(function* () {
+      const projections = yield* ProjectionStore.ProjectionStoreV2;
+      const search = yield* ThreadSearch.ThreadSearch;
+      const project = ProjectId.make("project:search-citation");
+      const threadId = ThreadId.make("thread:citation");
+      yield* createProject(project);
+      yield* Effect.forEach(
+        [
+          thread(threadId, project),
+          message(threadId, "citation", "user", `${quote} quiet silver lantern`),
+        ],
+        projections.apply,
+        { discard: true },
+      );
+      const snippets = (query: string) =>
+        Effect.map(search.search({ query }), (result) =>
+          result.matches
+            .filter((match) => match.threadId === threadId)
+            .map((match) => match.snippet),
+        );
+
+      const readable =
+        "A lighthouse guides ships safely through the darkness. Comment: what are you talking about quiet silver lantern";
+      assert.deepEqual(yield* snippets("what are you talking about"), [
+        `…${readable.slice(readable.indexOf("the darkness"))}`,
+      ]);
+      assert.deepEqual(yield* snippets("ships safely through"), [readable]);
+      assert.deepEqual(yield* snippets("beacon01"), []);
+      assert.deepEqual(yield* snippets("harbor"), []);
+
+      yield* projections.apply(message(threadId, "citation", "user", "quiet silver lantern"));
+      assert.deepEqual(yield* snippets("what are you talking about"), []);
+      assert.deepEqual(yield* snippets("lantern"), ["quiet silver lantern"]);
+    }),
+  );
+
+  it.effect("finds accented, CJK, and apostrophe words of a quote through the index", () =>
+    Effect.gen(function* () {
+      const sql = yield* SqlClient.SqlClient;
+      const projections = yield* ProjectionStore.ProjectionStoreV2;
+      const search = yield* ThreadSearch.ThreadSearch;
+      const project = ProjectId.make("project:search-citation-index");
+      const threadId = ThreadId.make("thread:citation-index");
+      // The stored link percent-encodes these words; the index must hold them as they read.
+      const encodedQuote = serializeAssistantCitation({
+        version: 1,
+        environmentId: EnvironmentId.make("environment:local"),
+        threadId: ThreadId.make("thread:quoted"),
+        messageId: MessageId.make("quoted-answer"),
+        text: "The kittiwake's résumé mentions 灯台の光 twice.",
+        comment: "naïve question в логах",
+        start: 0,
+        end: 44,
+        prefix: "",
+        suffix: "",
+      });
+      yield* createProject(project);
+      yield* Effect.forEach(
+        [thread(threadId, project), message(threadId, "citation-index", "user", encodedQuote)],
+        projections.apply,
+        { discard: true },
+      );
+      const index = yield* sql`
+        SELECT 1 FROM sqlite_master WHERE name = 'orchestration_v2_message_search'
+      `;
+      assert.lengthOf(index, 1);
+      const threadIds = (query: string) =>
+        search.search({ query }).pipe(Effect.map(({ matches }) => matches.map((m) => m.threadId)));
+
+      for (const query of [
+        "kittiwake's",
+        "kittiwake’s",
+        "résumé",
+        "灯台の光",
+        "naïve",
+        "логах в",
+      ]) {
+        assert.deepEqual(yield* threadIds(query), [threadId], query);
+      }
+      // `t3 doctor` rebuilds the index after VACUUM; quotes must still read.
+      yield* rebuildMessageSearch(sql);
+      assert.deepEqual(yield* threadIds("résumé"), [threadId]);
+
+      yield* projections.apply(message(threadId, "citation-index", "user", "plain words"));
+      assert.deepEqual(yield* threadIds("résumé"), []);
+      assert.deepEqual(yield* threadIds("plain"), [threadId]);
+    }),
+  );
+
   it.effect("indexes a message when it finishes streaming and follows later edits", () =>
     Effect.gen(function* () {
       const projections = yield* ProjectionStore.ProjectionStoreV2;
diff --git a/apps/server/src/orchestration-v2/ThreadSearch.ts b/apps/server/src/orchestration-v2/ThreadSearch.ts
index 04f68ef64c34..d3c96a40ce2b 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/orchestration-v2/ThreadSearch.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/orchestration-v2/ThreadSearch.ts
@@ -33,7 +33,11 @@ import {
   type ThreadSearchSubject,
 } from "@t3tools/shared/paletteSearch";
 import { threadSearchPullRequests } from "@t3tools/shared/threadPullRequests";
-import { indexedMessageCondition, nonPlaceholderMessageCondition } from "./messageSearchIndex.ts";
+import {
+  indexedMessageCondition,
+  messageSearchText,
+  nonPlaceholderMessageCondition,
+} from "./messageSearchIndex.ts";
 import { loadOlderSettledThreadsPage } from "./ShellStream.ts";
 
 // When the user last wrote in the thread aliased `threads`, as the clients
@@ -203,7 +207,7 @@ export const messageHitsQuery = (
             messages.thread_id AS "threadId",
             eligible.project_id AS "projectId",
             messages.role AS source,
-            json_extract(messages.payload_json, '$.text') AS text,
+            ${messageSearchText(sql)} AS text,
             messages.created_at AS "messageCreatedAt"
           FROM orchestration_v2_projection_messages AS messages
           INNER JOIN eligible ON eligible.thread_id = messages.thread_id
@@ -220,7 +224,7 @@ export const messageHitsQuery = (
             messages.thread_id AS "threadId",
             eligible.project_id AS "projectId",
             messages.role AS source,
-            json_extract(messages.payload_json, '$.text') AS text,
+            ${messageSearchText(sql)} AS text,
             messages.created_at AS "messageCreatedAt"
           FROM orchestration_v2_message_search
           INNER JOIN orchestration_v2_projection_messages AS messages
@@ -241,13 +245,13 @@ export const messageHitsQuery = (
       AND messages.message_id NOT LIKE 'async-answer:%'
       AND NOT EXISTS (
         SELECT 1 FROM json_each(${substrings}) AS token
-        WHERE instr(lower(json_extract(messages.payload_json, '$.text')), token.value) = 0
+        WHERE instr(lower(${messageSearchText(sql)}), token.value) = 0
       )
       AND NOT EXISTS (
         SELECT 1 FROM json_each(${shortSpellings}) AS token
         WHERE NOT EXISTS (
           SELECT 1 FROM json_each(token.value) AS spelling
-          WHERE instr(json_extract(messages.payload_json, '$.text'), spelling.value) > 0
+          WHERE instr(${messageSearchText(sql)}, spelling.value) > 0
         )
       )
     -- The index's own rowid, so FTS5 returns hits newest first and stops at
diff --git a/apps/server/src/orchestration-v2/messageSearchIndex.ts b/apps/server/src/orchestration-v2/messageSearchIndex.ts
index dbd3545e5906..87d7256b6809 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/orchestration-v2/messageSearchIndex.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/orchestration-v2/messageSearchIndex.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { assistantCitationsToPlainText } from "@t3tools/shared/assistantCitations";
 import { ATTACHMENT_ONLY_BOOTSTRAP_PROMPT } from "@t3tools/shared/composerContextReferences";
 import * as Effect from "effect/Effect";
 import type * as SqlClient from "effect/sql/SqlClient";
@@ -40,46 +41,83 @@ export const indexedMessageCondition = (sql: SqlClient.SqlClient, row = "message
   AND ${nonPlaceholderMessageCondition(sql, row)}
 `;
 
+// Curly apostrophes straight, as search folds a query, since iOS keyboards
+// type "’" and others type "'".
+const foldApostrophes = (text: string) => `replace(replace(${text}, '’', ''''), '‘', '''')`;
+
+const readableText = (row: string) =>
+  `COALESCE(${row}.search_text, json_extract(${row}.payload_json, '$.text'))`;
+
+/**
+ * What search_text holds for a message: its text as it reads, a quote's
+ * percent-encoded link replaced by its words and comment. NULL when that is
+ * the stored text, so most messages store nothing extra.
+ */
+export const readableSearchText = (text: string) => {
+  const readable = assistantCitationsToPlainText(text);
+  return readable === text ? null : readable;
+};
+
+/** A message's text as it reads, for thread search. */
+export const messageSearchText = (sql: SqlClient.SqlClient) =>
+  sql.literal(readableText("messages"));
+
 /**
- * What the index stores for a message: its text with curly apostrophes
- * straight, as search folds a query, since iOS keyboards type "’" and others
- * type "'". Migration 69's triggers use it too. `payload` is the message's
+ * A message's stored text with apostrophes folded, what the index held before
+ * migration 81. Migration 69's backfill uses it. `payload` is the message's
  * JSON column.
  */
 export const indexedMessageText = (sql: SqlClient.SqlClient, payload: string) =>
-  sql.literal(`replace(replace(json_extract(${payload}, '$.text'), '’', ''''), '‘', '''')`);
+  sql.literal(foldApostrophes(`json_extract(${payload}, '$.text')`));
+
+// What the index stores: a message's readable text with apostrophes folded.
+// Migrations 69 and 74 create the triggers before migration 81 adds
+// search_text, and `t3 doctor` can rebuild a database that has not migrated,
+// so those fall back to the stored text.
+const indexedText = Effect.fn("MessageSearchIndex.indexedText")(function* (
+  sql: SqlClient.SqlClient,
+) {
+  const column = yield* sql`
+    SELECT 1 FROM pragma_table_info('orchestration_v2_projection_messages')
+    WHERE name = 'search_text'
+  `;
+  return column.length > 0
+    ? (row: string) => sql.literal(foldApostrophes(readableText(row)))
+    : (row: string) => indexedMessageText(sql, `${row}.payload_json`);
+});
 
 export const createMessageSearchTriggers = Effect.fn("MessageSearchIndex.createTriggers")(
   function* (sql: SqlClient.SqlClient) {
+    const text = yield* indexedText(sql);
     yield* sql`
       CREATE TRIGGER orchestration_v2_message_search_insert
       AFTER INSERT ON orchestration_v2_projection_messages
       WHEN ${indexedMessageCondition(sql, "new")}
       BEGIN
         INSERT INTO orchestration_v2_message_search (rowid, text)
-        SELECT new.rowid, ${indexedMessageText(sql, "new.payload_json")}
+        SELECT new.rowid, ${text("new")}
         WHERE json_extract(new.payload_json, '$.text') IS NOT NULL;
       END
     `;
     // Streaming deltas rewrite the row many times a second; skip them until the
-    // message settles. Upserts rewrite every column, so a finished message
-    // re-indexes only when what the index reads changed. Deleting a rowid the
-    // index never held is a no-op.
+    // message settles. Upserts rewrite every column, so re-index only when what
+    // the index stores changed; migration 81's backfill writes only search_text.
+    // Deleting a rowid the index never held is a no-op.
     yield* sql`
       CREATE TRIGGER orchestration_v2_message_search_update
-      AFTER UPDATE OF payload_json, streaming, role ON orchestration_v2_projection_messages
+      AFTER UPDATE ON orchestration_v2_projection_messages
       WHEN (old.streaming = 0 OR new.streaming = 0)
         AND (
           old.streaming IS NOT new.streaming
           OR old.role IS NOT new.role
-          OR json_extract(old.payload_json, '$.text') IS NOT json_extract(new.payload_json, '$.text')
+          OR ${text("old")} IS NOT ${text("new")}
           OR json_extract(old.payload_json, '$.createdBy')
             IS NOT json_extract(new.payload_json, '$.createdBy')
         )
       BEGIN
         DELETE FROM orchestration_v2_message_search WHERE rowid = old.rowid AND old.streaming = 0;
         INSERT INTO orchestration_v2_message_search (rowid, text)
-        SELECT new.rowid, ${indexedMessageText(sql, "new.payload_json")}
+        SELECT new.rowid, ${text("new")}
         WHERE ${indexedMessageCondition(sql, "new")}
           AND json_extract(new.payload_json, '$.text') IS NOT NULL;
       END
@@ -95,6 +133,20 @@ export const createMessageSearchTriggers = Effect.fn("MessageSearchIndex.createT
   },
 );
 
+/** Replaces the search triggers with their current definition, where the index exists. */
+export const recreateMessageSearchTriggers = Effect.fn("MessageSearchIndex.recreateTriggers")(
+  function* (sql: SqlClient.SqlClient) {
+    const index = yield* sql`
+      SELECT 1 FROM sqlite_master WHERE name = 'orchestration_v2_message_search'
+    `;
+    if (index.length === 0) return;
+    yield* sql`DROP TRIGGER orchestration_v2_message_search_insert`;
+    yield* sql`DROP TRIGGER orchestration_v2_message_search_update`;
+    yield* sql`DROP TRIGGER orchestration_v2_message_search_delete`;
+    yield* createMessageSearchTriggers(sql);
+  },
+);
+
 /**
  * Refills the search index from the messages table. The index is keyed by
  * message rowid, so anything that may renumber or copy rows (VACUUM, a dev
@@ -108,6 +160,7 @@ export const rebuildMessageSearch = Effect.fn("MessageSearchIndex.rebuild")(func
     SELECT 1 FROM sqlite_master WHERE name = 'orchestration_v2_message_search'
   `;
   if (index.length === 0) return;
+  const text = yield* indexedText(sql);
   // One transaction: an interrupt between clear and refill would leave an
   // empty index that nothing repairs, since search only checks the table exists.
   yield* sql.withTransaction(
@@ -118,7 +171,7 @@ export const rebuildMessageSearch = Effect.fn("MessageSearchIndex.rebuild")(func
       `;
       yield* sql`
         INSERT INTO orchestration_v2_message_search (rowid, text)
-        SELECT messages.rowid, ${indexedMessageText(sql, "messages.payload_json")}
+        SELECT messages.rowid, ${text("messages")}
         FROM orchestration_v2_projection_messages AS messages
         WHERE ${indexedMessageCondition(sql)}
           AND json_extract(messages.payload_json, '$.text') IS NOT NULL
diff --git a/apps/server/src/persistence/Migrations.ts b/apps/server/src/persistence/Migrations.ts
index 6a9c57e18cc4..500e986aef44 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/persistence/Migrations.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/persistence/Migrations.ts
@@ -83,6 +83,7 @@ import Migration0077 from "./Migrations/077_RepairBooleanSettledOverride.ts";
 import Migration0078 from "./Migrations/078_DropOrchestrationEventCorrelationIndex.ts";
 import Migration0079 from "./Migrations/079_DelegatedRecoveryIndexes.ts";
 import Migration0080 from "./Migrations/080_ScheduledTaskThreadMode.ts";
+import Migration0081 from "./Migrations/081_ProjectionMessageSearchText.ts";
 
 const migrationEntries = [
   [1, "OrchestrationEvents", Migration0001],
@@ -166,6 +167,7 @@ const migrationEntries = [
   [78, "DropOrchestrationEventCorrelationIndex", Migration0078],
   [79, "DelegatedRecoveryIndexes", Migration0079],
   [80, "ScheduledTaskThreadMode", Migration0080],
+  [81, "ProjectionMessageSearchText", Migration0081],
 ] as const;
 
 export const migrationManifest = migrationEntries.map(([id, name]) => [id, name] as const);
diff --git a/apps/server/src/persistence/Migrations/081_ProjectionMessageSearchText.test.ts b/apps/server/src/persistence/Migrations/081_ProjectionMessageSearchText.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..84ca7f9de23a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/server/src/persistence/Migrations/081_ProjectionMessageSearchText.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,96 @@
+import { assert, it } from "@effect/vitest";
+import { EnvironmentId, MessageId, ThreadId } from "@t3tools/contracts";
+import { serializeAssistantCitation } from "@t3tools/shared/assistantCitations";
+import * as NodeSqliteClient from "@t3tools/shared/nodeSqliteClient";
+import * as Effect from "effect/Effect";
+import * as SqlClient from "effect/sql/SqlClient";
+
+import { runMigrations } from "../Migrations.ts";
+
+const createdAt = "2026-10-01T00:00:00.000Z";
+const quote = serializeAssistantCitation({
+  version: 1,
+  environmentId: EnvironmentId.make("environment:local"),
+  threadId: ThreadId.make("thread:quoted"),
+  messageId: MessageId.make("quoted-answer"),
+  text: "A lighthouse guides ships safely through the darkness.",
+  comment: "what are you talking about",
+  start: 0,
+  end: 54,
+  prefix: "beacon01",
+  suffix: "harbor",
+});
+const readable =
+  "A lighthouse guides ships safely through the darkness.\nComment: what are you talking about";
+const indexed = (sql: SqlClient.SqlClient, phrase: string) =>
+  sql<{ readonly message_id: string }>`
+    SELECT messages.message_id
+    FROM orchestration_v2_message_search AS search
+    INNER JOIN orchestration_v2_projection_messages AS messages
+      ON messages.rowid = search.rowid
+    WHERE orchestration_v2_message_search MATCH ${phrase}
+  `.pipe(Effect.map((rows) => rows.map((row) => row.message_id)));
+
+it.layer(NodeSqliteClient.layer({ filename: ":memory:" }))(
+  "081_ProjectionMessageSearchText",
+  (it) => {
+    it.effect("backfills readable text only for messages whose citations read differently", () =>
+      Effect.gen(function* () {
+        const sql = yield* SqlClient.SqlClient;
+        yield* runMigrations({ toMigrationInclusive: 80 });
+        const insertMessage = (messageId: string, text: unknown) => sql`
+          INSERT INTO orchestration_v2_projection_messages (
+            message_id, thread_id, role, streaming, created_at, updated_at, payload_json
+          ) VALUES (
+            ${messageId}, 'thread:quote', 'user', 0, ${createdAt}, ${createdAt},
+            ${JSON.stringify({ text })}
+          )
+        `;
+        yield* insertMessage("quoted", `${quote} quiet silver lantern`);
+        yield* insertMessage("plain", "quiet silver lantern");
+        yield* insertMessage("invalid", "[Assistant quote](t3-citation://v1/not-a-citation)");
+        yield* insertMessage("unreadable", 20261001);
+        yield* insertMessage(
+          "accented",
+          serializeAssistantCitation({
+            version: 1,
+            environmentId: EnvironmentId.make("environment:local"),
+            threadId: ThreadId.make("thread:quoted"),
+            messageId: MessageId.make("quoted-answer"),
+            text: "The kittiwake's résumé",
+            start: 0,
+            end: 22,
+            prefix: "",
+            suffix: "",
+          }),
+        );
+        yield* Effect.forEach(
+          Array.from({ length: 501 }, (_, index) => `page-${String(index).padStart(3, "0")}`),
+          (messageId) => insertMessage(messageId, quote),
+          { discard: true },
+        );
+
+        assert.deepEqual(yield* runMigrations({ toMigrationInclusive: 81 }), [
+          [81, "ProjectionMessageSearchText"],
+        ]);
+        const rows = yield* sql<{
+          readonly message_id: string;
+          readonly search_text: string | null;
+        }>`SELECT message_id, search_text FROM orchestration_v2_projection_messages`;
+        const searchText = new Map(rows.map((row) => [row.message_id, row.search_text]));
+        assert.equal(searchText.get("quoted"), `${readable} quiet silver lantern`);
+        assert.isNull(searchText.get("plain"));
+        assert.isNull(searchText.get("invalid"));
+        assert.isNull(searchText.get("unreadable"));
+        assert.equal(searchText.get("page-000"), readable);
+        assert.equal(searchText.get("page-500"), readable);
+
+        // Messages indexed as stored are indexed again as they read.
+        assert.deepEqual(yield* indexed(sql, '"résumé"'), ["accented"]);
+        assert.deepEqual(yield* indexed(sql, `"kittiwake's"`), ["accented"]);
+        assert.deepEqual(yield* indexed(sql, '"beacon01"'), []);
+        assert.lengthOf(yield* indexed(sql, '"what are you talking about"'), 502);
+      }),
+    );
+  },
+);
diff --git a/apps/server/src/persistence/Migrations/081_ProjectionMessageSearchText.ts b/apps/server/src/persistence/Migrations/081_ProjectionMessageSearchText.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..4bbcec4d6182
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/server/src/persistence/Migrations/081_ProjectionMessageSearchText.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+import * as Effect from "effect/Effect";
+import * as SqlClient from "effect/sql/SqlClient";
+
+import {
+  readableSearchText,
+  recreateMessageSearchTriggers,
+} from "../../orchestration-v2/messageSearchIndex.ts";
+
+export default Effect.gen(function* () {
+  const sql = yield* SqlClient.SqlClient;
+  yield* sql`ALTER TABLE orchestration_v2_projection_messages ADD COLUMN search_text TEXT`;
+
+  // Migration 74's triggers index the stored text, where a quote's words are
+  // percent-encoded. Recreated now that search_text exists, they index it, and
+  // the backfill below re-indexes every message that reads differently.
+  yield* recreateMessageSearchTriggers(sql);
+
+  // Only messages holding a citation link read differently. The raw check
+  // first skips parsing the JSON of every other message.
+  const pageSize = 500;
+  let afterMessageId = "";
+  while (true) {
+    const rows = yield* sql<{ readonly message_id: string; readonly text: string }>`
+      SELECT message_id, json_extract(payload_json, '$.text') AS text
+      FROM orchestration_v2_projection_messages
+      WHERE message_id > ${afterMessageId}
+        AND payload_json LIKE '%t3-citation://%'
+        AND json_type(payload_json, '$.text') = 'text'
+      ORDER BY message_id
+      LIMIT ${pageSize}
+    `;
+    for (const row of rows) {
+      const searchText = readableSearchText(row.text);
+      if (searchText === null) continue;
+      yield* sql`
+        UPDATE orchestration_v2_projection_messages
+        SET search_text = ${searchText}
+        WHERE message_id = ${row.message_id}
+      `;
+    }
+    if (rows.length < pageSize) break;
+    afterMessageId = rows.at(-1)!.message_id;
+  }
+});
diff --git a/apps/server/src/persistence/reconcileV2PreviewMigration.test.ts b/apps/server/src/persistence/reconcileV2PreviewMigration.test.ts
index 84fa4ddb44c7..8acfd0cb6b9c 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/persistence/reconcileV2PreviewMigration.test.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/persistence/reconcileV2PreviewMigration.test.ts
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ describe("V2 preview upgrade", () => {
         [78, "DropOrchestrationEventCorrelationIndex"],
         [79, "DelegatedRecoveryIndexes"],
         [80, "ScheduledTaskThreadMode"],
+        [81, "ProjectionMessageSearchText"],
       ]);
       assert.deepStrictEqual(yield* runMigrations(), []);
       assert.deepStrictEqual(yield* sql`SELECT * FROM orchestration_v2_legacy_imports`, imports);
@@ -163,6 +164,7 @@ describe("V2 preview upgrade", () => {
         [78, "DropOrchestrationEventCorrelationIndex"],
         [79, "DelegatedRecoveryIndexes"],
         [80, "ScheduledTaskThreadMode"],
+        [81, "ProjectionMessageSearchText"],
       ]);
     }).pipe(Effect.provide(NodeSqliteClient.layer({ filename: ":memory:" }))),
   );