diff --git a/hermes_cli/curses_ui.py b/hermes_cli/curses_ui.py
index ee31183b7..a9bd4626d 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/curses_ui.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/curses_ui.py
@@ -5,11 +5,120 @@ Provides a curses multi-select with keyboard navigation, plus a
 text-based numbered fallback for terminals without curses support.
 """
 import sys
+from dataclasses import dataclass
 from typing import Callable, List, Optional, Set
 
 from hermes_cli.colors import Colors, color
 
 
+def _query_matches(label: str, query: str) -> bool:
+    """Return True when every query token is a case-insensitive subsequence."""
+    normalized = label.lower()
+    tokens = query.lower().split()
+
+    if not tokens:
+        return True
+
+    for token in tokens:
+        pos = 0
+
+        for ch in token:
+            pos = normalized.find(ch, pos)
+
+            if pos < 0:
+                return False
+
+            pos += 1
+
+    return True
+
+
+def _filter_indices(items: List[str], query: str) -> List[int]:
+    """Return original item indices matching *query*, preserving list order."""
+    q = query.strip()
+
+    if not q:
+        return list(range(len(items)))
+
+    return [i for i, label in enumerate(items) if _query_matches(label, q)]
+
+
+@dataclass
+class _SearchState:
+    """Mutable search state shared by curses picker loops."""
+
+    active: bool = False
+    query: str = ""
+
+
+def _reconcile_cursor(filtered: List[int], cursor: int) -> tuple[int, int]:
+    """Return ``(cursor, cursor_pos)`` inside the filtered index list."""
+    if not filtered:
+        return cursor, 0
+
+    if cursor not in filtered:
+        cursor = filtered[0]
+
+    return cursor, filtered.index(cursor)
+
+
+def _move_filtered_cursor(
+    filtered: List[int], cursor: int, cursor_pos: int, delta: int
+) -> int:
+    """Move through the filtered index list, wrapping like the legacy menus."""
+    if not filtered:
+        return cursor
+
+    return filtered[(cursor_pos + delta) % len(filtered)]
+
+
+def _scroll_for_cursor(
+    scroll_offset: int, cursor_pos: int, visible_rows: int, total_rows: int
+) -> int:
+    """Clamp scroll offset so the cursor remains visible."""
+    visible_rows = max(1, visible_rows)
+
+    if cursor_pos < scroll_offset:
+        scroll_offset = cursor_pos
+    elif cursor_pos >= scroll_offset + visible_rows:
+        scroll_offset = cursor_pos - visible_rows + 1
+
+    return max(0, min(scroll_offset, max(0, total_rows - visible_rows)))
+
+
+def _handle_active_search_key(
+    curses_mod, key: int, search: _SearchState
+) -> tuple[bool, bool, bool]:
+    """Handle a key while the search prompt is active.
+
+    Returns ``(handled, confirm, changed)``. Active search consumes query
+    editing keys, but leaves navigation keys for the menu loop to handle.
+    """
+    if not search.active:
+        return False, False, False
+
+    if key == 27:
+        search.active = False
+        return True, False, False
+
+    if key in (curses_mod.KEY_BACKSPACE, 127, 8):
+        search.query = search.query[:-1]
+        return True, False, True
+
+    if key == 21:  # Ctrl+U
+        search.query = ""
+        return True, False, True
+
+    if key in (curses_mod.KEY_ENTER, 10, 13):
+        return True, True, False
+
+    if 0 <= key < 256 and chr(key).isprintable():
+        search.query += chr(key)
+        return True, False, True
+
+    return False, False, False
+
+
 def flush_stdin() -> None:
     """Flush any stray bytes from the stdin input buffer.
 
diff --git a/tests/hermes_cli/test_curses_ui_search.py b/tests/hermes_cli/test_curses_ui_search.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..877240fc3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/hermes_cli/test_curses_ui_search.py
@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+from hermes_cli.curses_ui import (
+    _SearchState,
+    _filter_indices,
+    _handle_active_search_key,
+    _move_filtered_cursor,
+    _reconcile_cursor,
+)
+
+
+class _FakeCurses:
+    KEY_BACKSPACE = 263
+    KEY_DOWN = 258
+    KEY_ENTER = 343
+
+
+def test_filter_indices_keeps_all_items_for_blank_query():
+    assert _filter_indices(["Anthropic", "OpenAI"], "") == [0, 1]
+    assert _filter_indices(["Anthropic", "OpenAI"], "   ") == [0, 1]
+
+
+def test_filter_indices_matches_subsequences():
+    items = ["claude-opus-4-7", "gpt-5.4-codex", "deepseek-v4"]
+
+    assert _filter_indices(items, "co47") == [0]
+    assert _filter_indices(items, "gpt5") == [1]
+
+
+def test_filter_indices_requires_all_tokens():
+    items = ["OpenAI Codex", "OpenAI Chat Completions", "Anthropic Claude"]
+
+    assert _filter_indices(items, "open cod") == [0]
+
+
+def test_reconcile_cursor_moves_to_first_visible_match():
+    assert _reconcile_cursor([2, 4], 0) == (2, 0)
+    assert _reconcile_cursor([2, 4], 4) == (4, 1)
+
+
+def test_move_filtered_cursor_wraps_within_matches():
+    filtered = [2, 4, 7]
+
+    assert _move_filtered_cursor(filtered, 2, 0, -1) == 7
+    assert _move_filtered_cursor(filtered, 7, 2, 1) == 2
+
+
+def test_active_search_allows_navigation_keys_to_reach_menu_loop():
+    search = _SearchState(active=True, query="opus")
+
+    assert _handle_active_search_key(_FakeCurses, _FakeCurses.KEY_DOWN, search) == (
+        False,
+        False,
+        False,
+    )
+    assert search.active is True
+    assert search.query == "opus"
+
+
+def test_active_search_consumes_query_editing_and_confirm_keys():
+    search = _SearchState(active=True, query="op")
+
+    assert _handle_active_search_key(_FakeCurses, ord("u"), search) == (True, False, True)
+    assert search.query == "opu"
+
+    assert _handle_active_search_key(_FakeCurses, _FakeCurses.KEY_ENTER, search) == (
+        True,
+        True,
+        False,
+    )