diff --git a/convex/packages.public.test.ts b/convex/packages.public.test.ts
index 647bffc3..13d8ac36 100644
--- a/convex/packages.public.test.ts
+++ b/convex/packages.public.test.ts
@@ -683,10 +683,15 @@ function makeDigestCtx(options: {
 
   const withIndex = vi.fn((table: string, indexName: string) => {
     indexNames.push(indexName);
+    let ordered = false;
     return {
-      order: vi.fn(() => ({
-        paginate: getPaginate(table),
-      })),
+      order: vi.fn(() => {
+        if (ordered) throw new Error("query builder reused after iteration");
+        ordered = true;
+        return {
+          paginate: getPaginate(table),
+        };
+      }),
     };
   });
 
@@ -1485,6 +1490,32 @@ describe("packages public queries", () => {
     expect(result.map((entry) => entry.package.name)).toEqual(["secret-tools"]);
   });
 
+  it("uses a fresh search digest query for each fallback scan page", async () => {
+    const { ctx, paginate } = makeDigestCtx({
+      pages: [
+        {
+          page: [makeDigest("first-page-miss")],
+          isDone: false,
+          continueCursor: "next",
+        },
+        {
+          page: [makeDigest("needle-plugin")],
+          isDone: true,
+          continueCursor: "",
+        },
+      ],
+    });
+
+    const result = await searchForViewerInternalHandler(ctx, {
+      query: "needle",
+      family: "code-plugin",
+      limit: 2,
+    });
+
+    expect(result.map((entry) => entry.package.name)).toEqual(["needle-plugin"]);
+    expect(paginate).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+  });
+
   it("allows org collaborators to search their private packages", async () => {
     const { ctx } = makeDigestCtx({
       capabilityPages: [
diff --git a/convex/packages.ts b/convex/packages.ts
index 1073c9dd..346c0248 100644
--- a/convex/packages.ts
+++ b/convex/packages.ts
@@ -1821,20 +1821,21 @@ async function searchPackagesImpl(
       }));
   }
 
-  const builder = args.capabilityTag
-    ? buildPackageCapabilityDigestQuery(ctx, {
-        capabilityTag: args.capabilityTag,
-        family: args.family,
-        channel: args.channel,
-        isOfficial: args.isOfficial,
-        executesCode: args.executesCode,
-      })
-    : buildPackageDigestQuery(ctx, {
-        family: args.family,
-        channel: args.channel,
-        isOfficial: args.isOfficial,
-        executesCode: args.executesCode,
-      });
+  const buildSearchDigestQuery = () =>
+    args.capabilityTag
+      ? buildPackageCapabilityDigestQuery(ctx, {
+          capabilityTag: args.capabilityTag,
+          family: args.family,
+          channel: args.channel,
+          isOfficial: args.isOfficial,
+          executesCode: args.executesCode,
+        })
+      : buildPackageDigestQuery(ctx, {
+          family: args.family,
+          channel: args.channel,
+          isOfficial: args.isOfficial,
+          executesCode: args.executesCode,
+        });
   const matches: Array<{ score: number; package: PublicPackageListItem }> = [];
   const seen = new Set<string>();
   const directDigests = args.capabilityTag
@@ -1873,7 +1874,9 @@ async function searchPackagesImpl(
         page: PackageDigestLike[];
         isDone: boolean;
         continueCursor: string;
-      } = await builder.order("desc").paginate({ cursor, numItems: effectivePageSize });
+      } = await buildSearchDigestQuery()
+        .order("desc")
+        .paginate({ cursor, numItems: effectivePageSize });
       for (const digest of page.page) {
         if (!(await canViewPackage(digest))) continue;
         if (!digestMatchesSearchFilters(digest, args)) continue;