diff --git a/crates/fmtview-core/src/viewer/file/input/search.rs b/crates/fmtview-core/src/viewer/file/input/search.rs
index 6fc3e4a..ec08c6c 100644
--- a/crates/fmtview-core/src/viewer/file/input/search.rs
+++ b/crates/fmtview-core/src/viewer/file/input/search.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 use std::collections::VecDeque;
 
 use crate::viewer::{KeyCode, KeyModifiers};
-use anyhow::Result;
+use anyhow::{Result, bail};
 
 use crate::load::ViewFile;
 
@@ -103,6 +103,29 @@ impl SearchTask {
         if start >= end {
             return;
         }
+        if self.direction == SearchDirection::Backward {
+            let boundary = self
+                .spans
+                .iter()
+                .position(|span| span.kind != SearchSpanKind::Initial)
+                .unwrap_or(self.spans.len());
+            if let Some(span) = self.spans.get_mut(boundary)
+                && span.kind == SearchSpanKind::Appended
+                && span.end == start
+            {
+                span.end = end;
+                return;
+            }
+            self.spans.insert(
+                boundary,
+                SearchSpan {
+                    start,
+                    end,
+                    kind: SearchSpanKind::Appended,
+                },
+            );
+            return;
+        }
         if self.awaiting_older {
             let priority_end = self
                 .spans
@@ -495,9 +518,12 @@ pub(in crate::viewer) fn process_search_step(
         && file.has_older_records()
         && (task.awaiting_older
             || !task.has_work()
-            || task
-                .current_span()
-                .is_some_and(|span| span.kind == SearchSpanKind::Wrapped))
+            || task.current_span().is_some_and(|span| {
+                matches!(
+                    span.kind,
+                    SearchSpanKind::Inserted | SearchSpanKind::Wrapped
+                )
+            }))
     {
         task.awaiting_older = true;
     } else if !file.has_older_records() {
@@ -640,7 +666,7 @@ pub(in crate::viewer) fn scan_search_forward(
         });
     };
     let count = span.len().min(SEARCH_CHUNK_LINES);
-    let lines = file.read_window(span.start, count)?;
+    let lines = read_search_window(file, span.start, count)?;
     for (offset, line) in lines.iter().enumerate() {
         if let Some(byte_index) = line.find(&task.query) {
             return Ok(SearchStep {
@@ -671,7 +697,7 @@ pub(in crate::viewer) fn scan_search_backward(
     };
     let count = span.len().min(SEARCH_CHUNK_LINES);
     let start = span.end.saturating_sub(count);
-    let lines = file.read_window(start, count)?;
+    let lines = read_search_window(file, start, count)?;
     for (offset, line) in lines.iter().enumerate().rev() {
         if let Some(byte_index) = line.rfind(&task.query) {
             return Ok(SearchStep {
@@ -689,3 +715,27 @@ pub(in crate::viewer) fn scan_search_backward(
         scanned: lines.len(),
     })
 }
+
+fn read_search_window(file: &dyn ViewFile, start: usize, count: usize) -> Result<Vec<String>> {
+    let mut lines = Vec::with_capacity(count);
+    while lines.len() < count {
+        let remaining = count - lines.len();
+        let Some(next_start) = start.checked_add(lines.len()) else {
+            bail!("search window start overflow");
+        };
+        let chunk = file.read_window(next_start, remaining)?;
+        if chunk.is_empty() {
+            bail!(
+                "view file returned an empty search window at line {next_start} with {remaining} lines remaining"
+            );
+        }
+        if chunk.len() > remaining {
+            bail!(
+                "view file returned {} search lines for a {remaining}-line request",
+                chunk.len()
+            );
+        }
+        lines.extend(chunk);
+    }
+    Ok(lines)
+}
diff --git a/crates/fmtview-core/src/viewer/tests/search.rs b/crates/fmtview-core/src/viewer/tests/search.rs
index a71bc68..cc4242f 100644
--- a/crates/fmtview-core/src/viewer/tests/search.rs
+++ b/crates/fmtview-core/src/viewer/tests/search.rs
@@ -410,6 +410,103 @@ fn backward_search_targets_last_match_on_matching_line() {
     );
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn backward_search_preserves_order_across_short_read_windows() {
+    struct ShortReadFile {
+        lines: Vec<String>,
+        max_window: usize,
+    }
+
+    impl ViewFile for ShortReadFile {
+        fn label(&self) -> &str {
+            "short-read"
+        }
+
+        fn line_count(&self) -> usize {
+            self.lines.len()
+        }
+
+        fn byte_len(&self) -> u64 {
+            0
+        }
+
+        fn byte_offset_for_line(&self, _line: usize) -> u64 {
+            0
+        }
+
+        fn read_window(&self, start: usize, count: usize) -> Result<Vec<String>> {
+            Ok(self
+                .lines
+                .iter()
+                .skip(start)
+                .take(count.min(self.max_window))
+                .cloned()
+                .collect())
+        }
+    }
+
+    let mut lines = (0..10)
+        .map(|line| format!("line-{line}"))
+        .collect::<Vec<_>>();
+    lines[2] = "needle-short-read-old".to_owned();
+    lines[9] = "needle-short-read-new".to_owned();
+    let file = ShortReadFile {
+        lines,
+        max_window: 3,
+    };
+    let mut state = ViewState::default();
+    start_search(
+        &mut state,
+        "needle-short-read".to_owned(),
+        SearchDirection::Backward,
+        9,
+        file.line_count(),
+    );
+
+    assert!(process_search_step(&file, &mut state).unwrap());
+    assert_eq!(state.search_cursor, Some(9));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn search_rejects_an_empty_read_inside_a_reported_window() {
+    struct EmptyReadFile;
+
+    impl ViewFile for EmptyReadFile {
+        fn label(&self) -> &str {
+            "empty-read"
+        }
+
+        fn line_count(&self) -> usize {
+            1
+        }
+
+        fn byte_len(&self) -> u64 {
+            0
+        }
+
+        fn byte_offset_for_line(&self, _line: usize) -> u64 {
+            0
+        }
+
+        fn read_window(&self, _start: usize, _count: usize) -> Result<Vec<String>> {
+            Ok(Vec::new())
+        }
+    }
+
+    let file = EmptyReadFile;
+    let mut state = ViewState::default();
+    start_search(
+        &mut state,
+        "needle".to_owned(),
+        SearchDirection::Forward,
+        0,
+        file.line_count(),
+    );
+
+    let error = process_search_step(&file, &mut state).unwrap_err();
+    assert!(error.to_string().contains("empty search window"));
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn search_reports_not_found_and_can_clear_message() {
     let file = indexed_lines(&["alpha", "beta"]);
@@ -751,6 +848,13 @@ impl MutableSearchFile {
         (start, current.len())
     }
 
+    fn insert(&self, at: usize, lines: impl IntoIterator<Item = String>) -> usize {
+        let inserted = lines.into_iter().collect::<Vec<_>>();
+        let count = inserted.len();
+        self.lines.borrow_mut().splice(at..at, inserted);
+        count
+    }
+
     fn read_counts(&self) -> Vec<usize> {
         let line_count = self.line_count();
         let mut counts = vec![0_usize; line_count];
@@ -854,6 +958,61 @@ fn backward_search_does_not_rescan_wrapped_history_before_append_delta() {
     assert_eq!(counts[original_len + 1], 1);
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn backward_search_prioritizes_a_new_append_over_a_partially_scanned_append() {
+    let original_len = 8;
+    let file = MutableSearchFile::with_len(original_len);
+    let mut state = ViewState::default();
+    start_search(
+        &mut state,
+        "needle-backward-multi-append".to_owned(),
+        SearchDirection::Backward,
+        0,
+        original_len,
+    );
+
+    assert!(!process_search_step(&file, &mut state).unwrap());
+    let first_append = std::iter::once("needle-backward-multi-append-old".to_owned())
+        .chain(
+            (0..crate::viewer::file::SEARCH_CHUNK_LINES + 9)
+                .map(|line| format!("first-append-{line}")),
+        )
+        .collect::<Vec<_>>();
+    let (first_start, first_end) = file.append(first_append);
+    state.extend_for_append(first_start, first_end);
+
+    assert!(!process_search_step(&file, &mut state).unwrap());
+    let (second_start, second_end) = file.append(["needle-backward-multi-append-new".to_owned()]);
+    state.extend_for_append(second_start, second_end);
+    assert!(process_search_step(&file, &mut state).unwrap());
+
+    assert_eq!(state.search_cursor, Some(second_end - 1));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn backward_search_visits_an_insert_at_the_current_span_end_before_that_span() {
+    let original_len = crate::viewer::file::SEARCH_CHUNK_LINES + 10;
+    let file = MutableSearchFile::with_len(original_len);
+    let mut state = ViewState::default();
+    start_search(
+        &mut state,
+        "needle-backward-boundary-insert".to_owned(),
+        SearchDirection::Backward,
+        0,
+        original_len,
+    );
+
+    assert!(!process_search_step(&file, &mut state).unwrap());
+    assert!(!process_search_step(&file, &mut state).unwrap());
+    let at = 10;
+    file.lines.borrow_mut()[at - 1] = "needle-backward-boundary-insert-old".to_owned();
+    let inserted = file.insert(at, ["needle-backward-boundary-insert-new".to_owned()]);
+    state.shift_for_insert(at, inserted);
+    assert!(process_search_step(&file, &mut state).unwrap());
+
+    assert_eq!(state.search_cursor, Some(at));
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn append_invalidates_and_recounts_an_exact_search_index() {
     let file = MutableSearchFile::with_len(3);
@@ -876,3 +1035,34 @@ fn append_invalidates_and_recounts_an_exact_search_index() {
     assert!(state.search_index.as_ref().unwrap().exact);
     assert_eq!(state.search_index.as_ref().unwrap().matches, 1);
 }
+
+#[test]
+fn insert_rebuilds_the_search_index_and_shifted_match_ordinal() {
+    let file = MutableSearchFile::with_len(3);
+    file.lines.borrow_mut()[1] = "needle-index-original".to_owned();
+    let mut state = ViewState::default();
+    start_search(
+        &mut state,
+        "needle-index".to_owned(),
+        SearchDirection::Forward,
+        0,
+        file.line_count(),
+    );
+    assert!(process_search_step(&file, &mut state).unwrap());
+    assert!(process_search_index_step(&file, &mut state).unwrap());
+    assert_eq!(state.search_match_ordinal, Some(1));
+
+    let inserted = file.insert(0, ["needle-index needle-index".to_owned()]);
+    state.shift_for_insert(0, inserted);
+    let index = state.search_index.as_ref().unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(index.counted_lines, 0);
+    assert_eq!(index.matches, 0);
+    assert!(!index.exact);
+
+    assert!(process_search_index_step(&file, &mut state).unwrap());
+    let index = state.search_index.as_ref().unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(index.matches, 3);
+    assert_eq!(index.counted_lines, 4);
+    assert!(index.exact);
+    assert_eq!(state.search_match_ordinal, Some(3));
+}
diff --git a/crates/fmtview-core/tests/record_timeline.rs b/crates/fmtview-core/tests/record_timeline.rs
index de9c256..0d49ac9 100644
--- a/crates/fmtview-core/tests/record_timeline.rs
+++ b/crates/fmtview-core/tests/record_timeline.rs
@@ -995,6 +995,41 @@ fn wrapped_forward_search_waits_for_the_true_prefix_before_choosing_a_match() {
     assert!(!wrapped.contains("needle-newer-prefix-batch"), "{wrapped}");
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn forward_search_from_loaded_start_waits_for_true_prefix_after_a_huge_tail_record() {
+    let huge_tail = format!(
+        "{{\"items\":[{}]}}\n",
+        std::iter::repeat_n("0", 5_000)
+            .collect::<Vec<_>>()
+            .join(",")
+    )
+    .into_bytes();
+    let (_handle, timeline) = fake_timeline((0..1_000).map(|index| match index {
+        0 => b"{\"message\":\"needle-oldest\"}\n".to_vec(),
+        950 => b"{\"message\":\"needle-newer-prefix-batch\"}\n".to_vec(),
+        999 => huge_tail.clone(),
+        _ => record(index),
+    }));
+    let file = RecordTimelineViewFile::with_initial_limit(
+        Box::new(timeline),
+        JSONL,
+        RecordLoadLimit::new(2, 64 * 1024),
+    )
+    .unwrap();
+    let mut viewer = FileViewer::new(Box::new(file), FormatKind::Jsonl, None);
+    let size = Size::new(60, 10);
+    viewer.render(size, None).unwrap();
+    viewer.handle_event(key(KeyCode::Home), FileViewer::page_for_size(size));
+    viewer.render(size, None).unwrap();
+
+    enter_search(&mut viewer, size, "needle");
+    advance_until_idle(&mut viewer);
+    let found = frame_text(viewer.render(size, None).unwrap());
+
+    assert!(found.contains("needle-oldest"), "{found}");
+    assert!(!found.contains("needle-newer-prefix-batch"), "{found}");
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn active_forward_search_includes_newer_records_arriving_at_the_boundary() {
     let (handle, timeline) = fake_timeline([record(0), record(1)]);
@@ -1079,6 +1114,38 @@ fn active_search_crosses_a_reset_tail_and_lazily_inserted_older_records() {
     assert!(text.contains("needle-in-reset-prefix"), "{footer}");
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn backward_search_orders_a_reset_tail_before_its_lazily_inserted_prefix() {
+    let (handle, timeline) = fake_timeline((0..20).map(record));
+    let file = RecordTimelineViewFile::with_initial_limit(
+        Box::new(timeline),
+        JSONL,
+        RecordLoadLimit::new(32, 64 * 1024),
+    )
+    .unwrap();
+    let mut viewer = FileViewer::new(Box::new(file), FormatKind::Jsonl, None);
+    let size = Size::new(60, 8);
+    viewer.render(size, None).unwrap();
+    viewer.handle_event(key(KeyCode::Home), FileViewer::page_for_size(size));
+    enter_search(&mut viewer, size, "needle-reset-backward");
+    viewer.handle_event(key(KeyCode::Char('N')), FileViewer::page_for_size(size));
+
+    handle.replace((0..140).map(|index| match index {
+        0 => b"{\"message\":\"needle-reset-backward-prefix\"}\n".to_vec(),
+        139 => b"{\"message\":\"needle-reset-backward-tail\"}\n".to_vec(),
+        _ => format!("{{\"message\":\"replacement-{index}\"}}\n").into_bytes(),
+    }));
+    viewer.preload().unwrap();
+    advance_until_idle(&mut viewer);
+    let tail = frame_text(viewer.render(size, None).unwrap());
+    assert!(tail.contains("needle-reset-backward-tail"), "{tail}");
+
+    viewer.handle_event(key(KeyCode::Char('N')), FileViewer::page_for_size(size));
+    advance_until_idle(&mut viewer);
+    let prefix = frame_text(viewer.render(size, None).unwrap());
+    assert!(prefix.contains("needle-reset-backward-prefix"), "{prefix}");
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn repeated_search_finds_appended_match_after_complete_miss_in_each_follow_state() {
     for (mode, expected_follow) in [