feat(search-backend-selection): Search backend dropdown in Settings

- New features/search-settings: pure view-model (options = available backends
  ∪ 'None (search disabled)', unconfigured entries disabled with a suffix,
  unknown persisted selection prepended, network-seam normalization) + the
  SearchBackendField dropdown (save-on-change, spinner/saved/error states,
  revert-to-persisted on failure, 503 -> disabled field with a 'search not
  available' hint, loading skeleton, help text noting search-mode-only scope).
- store.svelte.ts: searchBackendConfig() / setSearchBackend() over the global
  GET/PUT /search/config routes (503 marked unavailable on the failure variant).
- SettingsPane renders the field under the chat limit; ExtensionsPane lists
  the new module manifest.
- .dispatch mirrors: wire + transport-contract deltas for the new types/routes.

8 files changed, 590 insertions, 0 deletions

diff --git a/src/app/store.svelte.ts b/src/app/store.svelte.ts
index a858927..73b19bc 100644
--- a/src/app/store.svelte.ts
+++ b/src/app/store.svelte.ts
@@ -102,6 +102,10 @@ import type {
 import { normalizeNamedAgentRecord, normalizeNamedAgents } from "../features/named-agents";
 import type { PluginsStore } from "../features/plugins";
 import { createPluginsHttp, createPluginsStore } from "../features/plugins";
+import {
+  normalizeSearchBackendConfig,
+  type SearchBackendConfigResult,
+} from "../features/search-settings";
 import type { Tab, TabsState } from "../features/tabs";
 import { createTabsStore, deriveTitle, type TabsStore } from "../features/tabs";
 import {
@@ -531,6 +535,20 @@ export interface AppStore {
    */
   concurrencyStatus(): Promise<ConcurrencyStatusResult>;
   /**
+   * Load the GLOBAL search-backend selection
+   * (`GET /search/config`): which engine backs the `web_search` tool's search
+   * mode. Not workspace-scoped — the selection is global. `unavailable: true`
+   * on the failure variant marks the 503 degrade (the backend's
+   * search-config service not loaded) so the UI can disable the field.
+   */
+  searchBackendConfig(): Promise<SearchBackendConfigResult>;
+  /**
+   * Persist a new search-backend selection
+   * (`PUT /search/config`, body `{ backend }`). `400` (unknown/unconfigured
+   * backend) and `503` (service not loaded) both surface as `ok: false`.
+   */
+  setSearchBackend(backend: string): Promise<SearchBackendConfigResult>;
+  /**
    * Fetch the per-slot release cooldown (ms) for one provider
    * (`GET /concurrency/cooldown/:providerId`). `404` (no concurrency config at
    * all) and `503` (extension not loaded) both surface as `ok: false`.
@@ -2557,6 +2575,56 @@ export function createAppStore(opts?: CreateAppStoreOptions): AppStore {
       }
     },
 
+    async searchBackendConfig(): Promise<SearchBackendConfigResult> {
+      try {
+        const res = await fetchImpl(`${httpBase}/search/config`);
+        if (!res.ok) {
+          const errBody = (await res.json().catch(() => null)) as { error?: string } | null;
+          return {
+            ok: false,
+            error: errBody?.error ?? `Search config failed (HTTP ${res.status})`,
+            // The 503 degrade = the backend's search-config service not loaded
+            // (the tool-web-search extension absent) — a distinct UI state.
+            ...(res.status === 503 ? { unavailable: true } : {}),
+          };
+        }
+        // Normalize the untyped JSON at this network seam (pure helper) so a
+        // malformed/partial response can never crash the renderer.
+        const config = normalizeSearchBackendConfig(await res.json());
+        return { ok: true, config };
+      } catch (err) {
+        return {
+          ok: false,
+          error: err instanceof Error ? err.message : "Search config request failed",
+        };
+      }
+    },
+
+    async setSearchBackend(backend: string): Promise<SearchBackendConfigResult> {
+      try {
+        const res = await fetchImpl(`${httpBase}/search/config`, {
+          method: "PUT",
+          headers: { "content-type": "application/json" },
+          body: JSON.stringify({ backend }),
+        });
+        if (!res.ok) {
+          const errBody = (await res.json().catch(() => null)) as { error?: string } | null;
+          return {
+            ok: false,
+            error: errBody?.error ?? `Set search backend failed (HTTP ${res.status})`,
+            ...(res.status === 503 ? { unavailable: true } : {}),
+          };
+        }
+        const config = normalizeSearchBackendConfig(await res.json());
+        return { ok: true, config };
+      } catch (err) {
+        return {
+          ok: false,
+          error: err instanceof Error ? err.message : "Set search backend request failed",
+        };
+      }
+    },
+
     async getConcurrencyCooldown(providerId: string): Promise<ConcurrencyCooldownResult> {
       try {
         const res = await fetchImpl(
diff --git a/src/app/views/ExtensionsPane.svelte b/src/app/views/ExtensionsPane.svelte
index 7a2343e..6afc2bf 100644
--- a/src/app/views/ExtensionsPane.svelte
+++ b/src/app/views/ExtensionsPane.svelte
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
   import { manifest as markdownManifest } from "../../features/markdown";
   import { manifest as mcpManifest } from "../../features/mcp";
   import { manifest as namedAgentsManifest } from "../../features/named-agents";
+  import { manifest as searchSettingsManifest } from "../../features/search-settings";
   import { manifest as settingsManifest } from "../../features/settings";
   import { manifest as smartScrollManifest } from "../../features/smart-scroll";
   import { SurfaceView } from "../../features/surface-host";
@@ -60,6 +61,7 @@
     concurrencyManifest,
     visionManifest,
     namedAgentsManifest,
+    searchSettingsManifest,
   ].map((m) => [m.name, m.description] as const);
 </script>
 
diff --git a/src/app/views/SettingsPane.svelte b/src/app/views/SettingsPane.svelte
index 67a88ec..f119103 100644
--- a/src/app/views/SettingsPane.svelte
+++ b/src/app/views/SettingsPane.svelte
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
    */
   import { tick } from "svelte";
   import { ChatLimitField, type ChatLimitSaveResult } from "../../features/settings";
+  import { SearchBackendField } from "../../features/search-settings";
   import type { AppViewPorts } from "../view-ports";
 
   let { ports }: { ports: AppViewPorts } = $props();
@@ -31,4 +32,8 @@
 
 <div class="flex flex-col gap-3">
   <ChatLimitField chatLimit={store.chatLimit} save={saveChatLimit} />
+  <SearchBackendField
+    load={() => store.searchBackendConfig()}
+    save={(backend) => store.setSearchBackend(backend)}
+  />
 </div>
diff --git a/src/features/search-settings/index.ts b/src/features/search-settings/index.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a6ea160
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/features/search-settings/index.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+export type {
+  LoadSearchBackendConfig,
+  SaveSearchBackend,
+  SearchBackendAvailability,
+  SearchBackendConfig,
+  SearchBackendConfigResult,
+} from "./logic/view-model";
+export {
+  buildSearchBackendOptions,
+  NONE_BACKEND_ID,
+  NONE_BACKEND_LABEL,
+  normalizeSearchBackendConfig,
+  searchBackendChanged,
+  searchBackendLabel,
+} from "./logic/view-model";
+export { default as SearchBackendField } from "./ui/SearchBackendField.svelte";
+
+/** Public module manifest — aggregated by the shell's "Loaded Modules" view. */
+export const manifest = {
+  name: "Search Settings",
+  description: "Global search backend selection for the web_search tool (GET/PUT /search/config)",
+} as const;
diff --git a/src/features/search-settings/logic/view-model.test.ts b/src/features/search-settings/logic/view-model.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7f3ceb5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/features/search-settings/logic/view-model.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,108 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import {
+  buildSearchBackendOptions,
+  NONE_BACKEND_ID,
+  NONE_BACKEND_LABEL,
+  normalizeSearchBackendConfig,
+  type SearchBackendConfig,
+  searchBackendChanged,
+  searchBackendLabel,
+} from "./view-model";
+
+const CONFIG: SearchBackendConfig = {
+  backend: "firecrawl",
+  available: [
+    { id: "firecrawl", label: "Firecrawl (self-hosted)", configured: true },
+    { id: "umans", label: "Umans (Exa)", configured: true },
+  ],
+};
+
+describe("buildSearchBackendOptions", () => {
+  it("lists the available backends in wire order plus the None off state last", () => {
+    expect(buildSearchBackendOptions(CONFIG)).toEqual([
+      { id: "firecrawl", label: "Firecrawl (self-hosted)", disabled: false },
+      { id: "umans", label: "Umans (Exa)", disabled: false },
+      { id: "none", label: NONE_BACKEND_LABEL, disabled: false },
+    ]);
+  });
+
+  it("disables unconfigured backends with a suffix (listed, never an error)", () => {
+    const config: SearchBackendConfig = {
+      backend: "firecrawl",
+      available: [
+        { id: "firecrawl", label: "Firecrawl (self-hosted)", configured: true },
+        { id: "umans", label: "Umans (Exa)", configured: false },
+      ],
+    };
+    const options = buildSearchBackendOptions(config);
+    expect(options[1]).toEqual({
+      id: "umans",
+      label: "Umans (Exa) (not configured)",
+      disabled: true,
+    });
+    expect(options[2]?.id).toBe(NONE_BACKEND_ID);
+  });
+
+  it("prepends an unknown persisted selection so the select can render it", () => {
+    const config: SearchBackendConfig = { backend: "gone", available: [] };
+    const options = buildSearchBackendOptions(config);
+    expect(options[0]).toEqual({ id: "gone", label: "gone (unknown)", disabled: false });
+    expect(options.at(-1)?.id).toBe(NONE_BACKEND_ID);
+  });
+
+  it("does not duplicate the none option when 'none' is selected", () => {
+    const config: SearchBackendConfig = { backend: NONE_BACKEND_ID, available: [] };
+    const options = buildSearchBackendOptions(config);
+    expect(options.filter((o) => o.id === NONE_BACKEND_ID)).toHaveLength(1);
+  });
+});
+
+describe("searchBackendLabel", () => {
+  it("maps a backend id to its advertised label", () => {
+    expect(searchBackendLabel(CONFIG, "umans")).toBe("Umans (Exa)");
+  });
+
+  it("maps 'none' to the off-state label", () => {
+    expect(searchBackendLabel(CONFIG, NONE_BACKEND_ID)).toBe(NONE_BACKEND_LABEL);
+  });
+
+  it("falls back to the raw id for an unknown backend", () => {
+    expect(searchBackendLabel(CONFIG, "gone")).toBe("gone");
+  });
+});
+
+describe("searchBackendChanged", () => {
+  it("detects a real change and a no-op reselect", () => {
+    expect(searchBackendChanged("umans", "firecrawl")).toBe(true);
+    expect(searchBackendChanged("firecrawl", "firecrawl")).toBe(false);
+    expect(searchBackendChanged(NONE_BACKEND_ID, NONE_BACKEND_ID)).toBe(false);
+  });
+});
+
+describe("normalizeSearchBackendConfig", () => {
+  it("normalizes a well-formed response", () => {
+    expect(
+      normalizeSearchBackendConfig({
+        backend: "umans",
+        available: [{ id: "firecrawl", label: "Firecrawl (self-hosted)", configured: true }],
+      }),
+    ).toEqual({
+      backend: "umans",
+      available: [{ id: "firecrawl", label: "Firecrawl (self-hosted)", configured: true }],
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("degrades a malformed/partial response instead of crashing the renderer", () => {
+    expect(normalizeSearchBackendConfig(null)).toEqual({ backend: NONE_BACKEND_ID, available: [] });
+    expect(normalizeSearchBackendConfig({})).toEqual({ backend: NONE_BACKEND_ID, available: [] });
+    expect(
+      normalizeSearchBackendConfig({
+        backend: "firecrawl",
+        available: [null, 42, { id: "" }, { label: "no id" }, { id: "umans" }],
+      }),
+    ).toEqual({
+      backend: "firecrawl",
+      available: [{ id: "umans", label: "umans", configured: false }],
+    });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/features/search-settings/logic/view-model.ts b/src/features/search-settings/logic/view-model.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5d172c9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/features/search-settings/logic/view-model.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,124 @@
+/**
+ * Pure core for the search-settings feature — zero DOM, zero effects, zero
+ * Svelte.
+ *
+ * The "Search backend" dropdown (Settings pane) picks the engine backing the
+ * `web_search` tool's SEARCH mode. The selection is GLOBAL and persisted on
+ * the backend (`GET/PUT /search/config`); decided entries are exactly
+ * "Firecrawl (self-hosted)" + "Umans (Exa)" plus "None (search disabled)" as
+ * the off state. Scrape/crawl always route to the self-hosted Firecrawl
+ * backend regardless of the selection; the tool's `map` mode is removed
+ * entirely (backend plan).
+ */
+
+/**
+ * One selectable backend as the backend's wire advertises it (mirrors
+ * `@dispatch/wire`'s `SearchBackendAvailability`).
+ */
+export interface SearchBackendAvailability {
+  readonly id: string;
+  readonly label: string;
+  /** The availability gate (umans: `UMANS_API_KEY` resolves; firecrawl: always). */
+  readonly configured: boolean;
+}
+
+/** The global search-backend config (`GET /search/config` response). */
+export interface SearchBackendConfig {
+  /** The selected backend id, or `"none"` (search off). */
+  readonly backend: string;
+  readonly available: readonly SearchBackendAvailability[];
+}
+
+// ── Injected ports (consumer-defines-port; the composition root adapts the
+//    store's HTTP calls to these shapes). ──────────────────────────────────────
+
+/** Outcome of `GET/PUT /search/config`. `unavailable` marks the 503 degrade
+ * (the backend's search-config service not loaded) so the UI can disable the
+ * field with a "search not available" hint instead of a generic error. */
+export type SearchBackendConfigResult =
+  | { readonly ok: true; readonly config: SearchBackendConfig }
+  | { readonly ok: false; readonly error: string; readonly unavailable?: boolean };
+
+export type LoadSearchBackendConfig = () => Promise<SearchBackendConfigResult>;
+
+export type SaveSearchBackend = (backend: string) => Promise<SearchBackendConfigResult>;
+
+/** The explicit off-state option label. */
+export const NONE_BACKEND_ID = "none";
+export const NONE_BACKEND_LABEL = "None (search disabled)";
+
+/** One rendered `<option>` of the dropdown. */
+export interface SearchBackendOption {
+  readonly id: string;
+  readonly label: string;
+  /** Unconfigured backends stay LISTED but disabled — never an error. */
+  readonly disabled: boolean;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Build the dropdown options from the config: every advertised backend in
+ * wire order (unconfigured ones disabled with a "not configured" suffix),
+ * then the "None (search disabled)" off state appended last. If the persisted
+ * selection is not among them (an unknown id from a newer/older backend), it
+ * is prepended so the select can render it truthfully.
+ */
+export function buildSearchBackendOptions(
+  config: SearchBackendConfig,
+): readonly SearchBackendOption[] {
+  const options: SearchBackendOption[] = config.available.map((b) => ({
+    id: b.id,
+    label: b.configured ? b.label : `${b.label} (not configured)`,
+    disabled: !b.configured,
+  }));
+  if (
+    config.backend !== NONE_BACKEND_ID &&
+    !config.available.some((b) => b.id === config.backend)
+  ) {
+    options.unshift({ id: config.backend, label: `${config.backend} (unknown)`, disabled: false });
+  }
+  options.push({ id: NONE_BACKEND_ID, label: NONE_BACKEND_LABEL, disabled: false });
+  return options;
+}
+
+/** The human-facing label for a backend id (the saved / error messages). */
+export function searchBackendLabel(config: SearchBackendConfig, id: string): string {
+  if (id === NONE_BACKEND_ID) {
+    return NONE_BACKEND_LABEL;
+  }
+  return config.available.find((b) => b.id === id)?.label ?? id;
+}
+
+/** Whether selecting `selected` would change the persisted backend. */
+export function searchBackendChanged(selected: string, persisted: string): boolean {
+  return selected !== persisted;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Normalize the untyped JSON at the network seam so a malformed/partial
+ * response can never crash the renderer (mirrors `normalizeHeartbeatConfig`).
+ * Unknown entries degrade to unconfigured; a missing backend falls back to
+ * `"none"` rendering (the safest default for a UI that must not lie).
+ */
+export function normalizeSearchBackendConfig(raw: unknown): SearchBackendConfig {
+  const obj = (raw ?? {}) as {
+    backend?: unknown;
+    available?: unknown;
+  };
+  const available = Array.isArray(obj.available) ? obj.available : [];
+  return {
+    backend:
+      typeof obj.backend === "string" && obj.backend.length > 0 ? obj.backend : NONE_BACKEND_ID,
+    available: available.flatMap((entry) => {
+      if (entry === null || typeof entry !== "object") return [];
+      const e = entry as { id?: unknown; label?: unknown; configured?: unknown };
+      if (typeof e.id !== "string" || e.id.length === 0) return [];
+      return [
+        {
+          id: e.id,
+          label: typeof e.label === "string" ? e.label : e.id,
+          configured: e.configured === true,
+        },
+      ];
+    }),
+  };
+}
diff --git a/src/features/search-settings/ui/SearchBackendField.svelte b/src/features/search-settings/ui/SearchBackendField.svelte
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c1ae450
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/features/search-settings/ui/SearchBackendField.svelte
@@ -0,0 +1,142 @@
+<script lang="ts">
+  /**
+   * The "Search backend" dropdown (Settings pane) — picks the engine backing
+   * the `web_search` tool's SEARCH mode. GLOBAL setting persisted on the
+   * backend (`GET/PUT /search/config`); SAVE ON CHANGE (no Set button).
+   * Unconfigured backends stay listed but disabled; "None (search disabled)"
+   * is the off state. The config affects search mode only — scrape/crawl
+   * always route to the self-hosted Firecrawl backend.
+   *
+   * Thin shell: seeds/reverts the select from the last PERSISTED value, shows
+   * saving/saved/error feedback, and degrades to a disabled field with a
+   * "search not available" hint when the backend's search-config service is
+   * not loaded (503) — matching heartbeat's degrade philosophy.
+   */
+  import { untrack } from "svelte";
+  import {
+    buildSearchBackendOptions,
+    type LoadSearchBackendConfig,
+    NONE_BACKEND_ID,
+    type SaveSearchBackend,
+    searchBackendChanged,
+    searchBackendLabel,
+    type SearchBackendConfig,
+  } from "../logic/view-model";
+
+  let {
+    load,
+    save,
+  }: {
+    /** Fetch the persisted global config (called once on mount). */
+    load: LoadSearchBackendConfig;
+    /** Persist a new backend selection (save-on-change). */
+    save: SaveSearchBackend;
+  } = $props();
+
+  let config = $state<SearchBackendConfig | null>(null);
+  let loading = $state(true);
+  let loadUnavailable = $state(false);
+  let loadError = $state<string | null>(null);
+  let selected = $state("");
+  let lastSeed = $state("");
+  let saving = $state(false);
+  let error = $state<string | null>(null);
+  let justSaved = $state<string | null>(null);
+
+  $effect(() => {
+    // Load ONCE on first mount (the setting is GLOBAL — no workspace
+    // re-seeding); guard against strict-mode double effects via the flag.
+    untrack(async () => {
+      if (config !== null || loadUnavailable) return;
+      loading = true;
+      loadError = null;
+      const result = await load();
+      loading = false;
+      if (result.ok) {
+        config = result.config;
+        selected = result.config.backend;
+        lastSeed = result.config.backend;
+      } else {
+        loadUnavailable = result.unavailable === true;
+        loadError = result.error;
+      }
+    });
+  });
+
+  const options = $derived(config === null ? [] : buildSearchBackendOptions(config));
+  const persisted = $derived(lastSeed);
+
+  async function handleChange(): Promise<void> {
+    if (saving || config === null) return;
+    const next = selected;
+    if (!searchBackendChanged(next, persisted)) return;
+    saving = true;
+    error = null;
+    justSaved = null;
+    const result = await save(next);
+    saving = false;
+    if (result.ok) {
+      config = result.config;
+      // Reflect the persisted value back (the backend is authoritative).
+      selected = result.config.backend;
+      lastSeed = result.config.backend;
+      justSaved = searchBackendLabel(result.config, result.config.backend);
+    } else {
+      error = result.error;
+      // Revert the select to the last persisted value on failure.
+      selected = persisted;
+    }
+  }
+
+  function onSelectChange(): void {
+    error = null;
+    justSaved = null;
+    void handleChange();
+  }
+</script>
+
+<div class="flex flex-col gap-1">
+  <span class="text-xs font-semibold uppercase opacity-60">Search backend</span>
+  {#if loading}
+    <div class="skeleton h-7 w-full" aria-label="Search backend loading"></div>
+  {:else if config === null}
+    <select
+      class="select select-bordered select-sm w-full text-xs"
+      disabled
+      aria-label="Search backend"
+    >
+      <option>{loadUnavailable ? "Search not available" : (loadError ?? "Unavailable")}</option>
+    </select>
+    {#if loadError && !loadUnavailable}
+      <p class="text-xs text-error">{loadError}</p>
+    {/if}
+  {:else}
+    <select
+      class="select select-bordered select-sm w-full text-xs"
+      bind:value={selected}
+      disabled={saving}
+      onchange={onSelectChange}
+      aria-label="Search backend"
+    >
+      {#each options as option (option.id)}
+        <option value={option.id} disabled={option.disabled}>{option.label}</option>
+      {/each}
+    </select>
+    {#if saving}
+      <p class="text-xs opacity-60 flex items-center gap-1">
+        <span class="loading loading-spinner loading-xs"></span>
+        Saving…
+      </p>
+    {:else if error}
+      <p class="text-xs text-error">{error}</p>
+    {:else if justSaved !== null}
+      <p class="text-xs text-success">Saved: {justSaved}.</p>
+    {/if}
+  {/if}
+  {#if !loadUnavailable}
+    <p class="text-xs opacity-50">
+      Affects the web_search tool's <em>search</em> mode only — scrape and crawl always use the
+      self-hosted Firecrawl backend, and the tool's map mode has been removed.
+    </p>
+  {/if}
+</div>
diff --git a/src/features/search-settings/ui/SearchBackendField.test.ts b/src/features/search-settings/ui/SearchBackendField.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d8597ef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/features/search-settings/ui/SearchBackendField.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,119 @@
+import { render, screen, waitFor } from "@testing-library/svelte";
+import userEvent from "@testing-library/user-event";
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import type { SearchBackendConfig, SearchBackendConfigResult } from "../logic/view-model";
+import SearchBackendField from "./SearchBackendField.svelte";
+
+const CONFIG: SearchBackendConfig = {
+  backend: "firecrawl",
+  available: [
+    { id: "firecrawl", label: "Firecrawl (self-hosted)", configured: true },
+    { id: "umans", label: "Umans (Exa)", configured: false },
+  ],
+};
+
+function okLoad(backend = "firecrawl"): () => Promise<SearchBackendConfigResult> {
+  return async () => ({ ok: true, config: { ...CONFIG, backend } });
+}
+
+function okSave(backend: string): () => Promise<SearchBackendConfigResult> {
+  const saves: string[] = [];
+  const impl = async (value: string): Promise<SearchBackendConfigResult> => {
+    saves.push(value);
+    return { ok: true, config: { ...CONFIG, backend: value } };
+  };
+  // attach the recorder for assertions
+  (impl as unknown as { saves: string[] }).saves = saves;
+  void backend;
+  return impl as () => Promise<SearchBackendConfigResult>;
+}
+
+describe("SearchBackendField", () => {
+  it("renders the options from the loaded config (unconfigured disabled, None last)", async () => {
+    render(SearchBackendField, { props: { load: okLoad(), save: okSave("none") } });
+    const select = await screen.findByLabelText("Search backend");
+    await waitFor(() => expect(select).toBeEnabled());
+    const options = select.querySelectorAll("option");
+    const labels = [...options].map((o) => o.textContent);
+    expect(labels).toEqual([
+      "Firecrawl (self-hosted)",
+      "Umans (Exa) (not configured)",
+      "None (search disabled)",
+    ]);
+    expect(options[1]?.disabled).toBe(true);
+    expect((select as HTMLSelectElement).value).toBe("firecrawl");
+  });
+
+  it("saves on change and shows the saved confirmation with the new label", async () => {
+    const user = userEvent.setup();
+    const save = okSave("umans");
+    render(SearchBackendField, { props: { load: okLoad(), save } });
+
+    const select = (await screen.findByLabelText("Search backend")) as HTMLSelectElement;
+    await waitFor(() => expect(select).toBeEnabled());
+
+    // Select the umans entry (disabled here would block it, so flip configured
+    // via a custom config below); instead select "none" which is always enabled.
+    await user.selectOptions(select, "none");
+    await waitFor(() => expect(screen.getByText(/Saved/)).toBeInTheDocument());
+    expect(screen.getByText(/Saved: None \(search disabled\)\./)).toBeInTheDocument();
+    const saves = (save as unknown as { saves: string[] }).saves;
+    expect(saves).toEqual(["none"]);
+    expect(select.value).toBe("none");
+  });
+
+  it("reverts the selection to the persisted value when the save fails", async () => {
+    const user = userEvent.setup();
+    const save = async (): Promise<SearchBackendConfigResult> => ({
+      ok: false,
+      error: "Set search backend failed (HTTP 500)",
+    });
+    render(SearchBackendField, { props: { load: okLoad(), save } });
+
+    const select = (await screen.findByLabelText("Search backend")) as HTMLSelectElement;
+    await waitFor(() => expect(select).toBeEnabled());
+    await user.selectOptions(select, "none");
+
+    expect(await screen.findByText(/HTTP 500/)).toBeInTheDocument();
+    expect(select.value).toBe("firecrawl");
+  });
+
+  it("renders disabled with a 'search not available' hint on the 503 degrade", async () => {
+    const load = async (): Promise<SearchBackendConfigResult> => ({
+      ok: false,
+      error: "Search config failed (HTTP 503)",
+      unavailable: true,
+    });
+    render(SearchBackendField, { props: { load, save: okSave("none") } });
+    const select = await screen.findByLabelText("Search backend");
+    await waitFor(() => expect(select).toBeDisabled());
+    expect(screen.getByText(/Search not available/)).toBeInTheDocument();
+    // No help text in the unavailable state (nothing to explain — search is off).
+    expect(screen.queryByText(/search.*mode only/i)).not.toBeInTheDocument();
+  });
+
+  it("renders a loading skeleton while the initial GET is in flight", async () => {
+    let resolveLoad!: (r: SearchBackendConfigResult) => void;
+    const load = () =>
+      new Promise<SearchBackendConfigResult>((resolve) => {
+        resolveLoad = resolve;
+      });
+    render(SearchBackendField, { props: { load, save: okSave("none") } });
+    expect(screen.getByLabelText("Search backend loading")).toBeInTheDocument();
+    resolveLoad({ ok: true, config: CONFIG });
+    await screen.findByLabelText("Search backend");
+  });
+
+  it("prepends an unknown persisted selection as a selectable option", async () => {
+    const load = async (): Promise<SearchBackendConfigResult> => ({
+      ok: true,
+      config: { backend: "gone", available: [] },
+    });
+    render(SearchBackendField, { props: { load, save: okSave("none") } });
+    const select = (await screen.findByLabelText("Search backend")) as HTMLSelectElement;
+    await waitFor(() => expect(select).toBeEnabled());
+    expect(select.value).toBe("gone");
+    const labels = [...select.querySelectorAll("option")].map((o) => o.textContent);
+    expect(labels).toEqual(["gone (unknown)", "None (search disabled)"]);
+  });
+});