diff --git a/server/routes/objects.ts b/server/routes/objects.ts
index 998381dc..48680a9c 100644
--- a/server/routes/objects.ts
+++ b/server/routes/objects.ts
@@ -85,11 +85,12 @@ const app = new Hono<Env>()
     const parent = c.req.query('path') ?? c.req.query('parent') ?? ''
     const status = c.req.query('status') ?? 'active'
     const typeFilter = c.req.query('type')
+    const search = c.req.query('search')
     const page = Number(c.req.query('page') ?? '1')
     const pageSize = Number(c.req.query('pageSize') ?? '20')
 
     const db = c.get('platform').db
-    const result = await listMatters(db, orgId, { parent, status, typeFilter, page, pageSize })
+    const result = await listMatters(db, orgId, { parent, status, typeFilter, search, page, pageSize })
     return c.json(result)
   })
   .post('/', zValidator('json', createMatterSchema), async (c) => {
diff --git a/server/services/matter.ts b/server/services/matter.ts
index a83fd63b..6255d3e0 100644
--- a/server/services/matter.ts
+++ b/server/services/matter.ts
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ interface ListFilters {
   page: number
   pageSize: number
   typeFilter?: string
+  search?: string
 }
 
 export async function listMatters(
@@ -78,7 +79,9 @@ export async function listMatters(
   const offset = (filters.page - 1) * filters.pageSize
   const conditions = [eq(matters.orgId, orgId), eq(matters.status, filters.status)]
   const typeCond = filters.typeFilter ? typeFilterCondition(filters.typeFilter) : undefined
-  if (typeCond) {
+  if (filters.search) {
+    conditions.push(like(matters.name, `%${filters.search}%`))
+  } else if (typeCond) {
     conditions.push(typeCond)
     conditions.push(eq(matters.dirtype, DirType.FILE))
   } else {
diff --git a/src/components/files/file-manager.tsx b/src/components/files/file-manager.tsx
index 528ce933..1fe448b6 100644
--- a/src/components/files/file-manager.tsx
+++ b/src/components/files/file-manager.tsx
@@ -79,15 +79,16 @@ export function FileManager({ initialPath, filterType }: FileManagerProps) {
   const [previewFile, setPreviewFile] = useState<PreviewFile | null>(null)
   const [previewOpen, setPreviewOpen] = useState(false)
   const [searchQuery, setSearchQuery] = useState('')
+  const [debouncedSearch, setDebouncedSearch] = useState('')
 
-  const query = useFilesQuery(currentPath, filterType)
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const timer = setTimeout(() => setDebouncedSearch(searchQuery), 300)
+    return () => clearTimeout(timer)
+  }, [searchQuery])
+
+  const query = useFilesQuery(currentPath, filterType, debouncedSearch || undefined)
   const mutations = useFileMutations(currentPath)
-  const allItems = query.data?.items ?? []
-  const items = useMemo(
-    () =>
-      searchQuery ? allItems.filter((item) => item.name.toLowerCase().includes(searchQuery.toLowerCase())) : allItems,
-    [allItems, searchQuery],
-  )
+  const items = query.data?.items ?? []
 
   // biome-ignore lint/correctness/useExhaustiveDependencies: clear selection and search when path changes
   useEffect(() => {
diff --git a/src/components/files/hooks/use-files-query.ts b/src/components/files/hooks/use-files-query.ts
index f4ca5a8e..4c0b6066 100644
--- a/src/components/files/hooks/use-files-query.ts
+++ b/src/components/files/hooks/use-files-query.ts
@@ -3,9 +3,9 @@ import { listObjectsByPath } from '@/lib/api'
 
 const FILES_PAGE_SIZE = 500
 
-export function useFilesQuery(path: string, typeFilter?: string) {
+export function useFilesQuery(path: string, typeFilter?: string, search?: string) {
   return useQuery({
-    queryKey: ['objects', 'active', 'path', path, typeFilter ?? ''],
-    queryFn: () => listObjectsByPath(path, 'active', 1, FILES_PAGE_SIZE, typeFilter),
+    queryKey: ['objects', 'active', 'path', path, typeFilter ?? '', search ?? ''],
+    queryFn: () => listObjectsByPath(path, 'active', 1, FILES_PAGE_SIZE, { type: typeFilter, search }),
   })
 }
diff --git a/src/lib/api.ts b/src/lib/api.ts
index f0fc7a98..85602e10 100644
--- a/src/lib/api.ts
+++ b/src/lib/api.ts
@@ -21,9 +21,16 @@ export function listObjects(parent: string, status = 'active', page = 1, pageSiz
   )
 }
 
-export function listObjectsByPath(path: string, status = 'active', page = 1, pageSize = 500, type?: string) {
+export function listObjectsByPath(
+  path: string,
+  status = 'active',
+  page = 1,
+  pageSize = 500,
+  opts?: { type?: string; search?: string },
+) {
   const query: Record<string, string> = { path, status, page: String(page), pageSize: String(pageSize) }
-  if (type) query.type = type
+  if (opts?.type) query.type = opts.type
+  if (opts?.search) query.search = opts.search
   return unwrap<PaginatedResponse<StorageObject>>(objects.index.$get({ query }))
 }