diff --git a/lib/gc_index_relay/nostr/publication_search.ex b/lib/gc_index_relay/nostr/publication_search.ex
index 9e219a4..6239bb9 100644
--- a/lib/gc_index_relay/nostr/publication_search.ex
+++ b/lib/gc_index_relay/nostr/publication_search.ex
@@ -34,6 +34,31 @@ defmodule GcIndexRelay.Nostr.PublicationSearch do
   defp clamp_limit(_), do: 25
 
   defp do_search(needles, limit) do
+    tag_match = metadata_tag_match(needles)
+
+    events =
+      from(e in Event,
+        as: :event,
+        where: e.kind == ^@publication_kind,
+        where:
+          exists(
+            from(t in Tag,
+              where: t.event_id == parent_as(:event).id,
+              where: t.name in ^@search_tag_names,
+              where: not is_nil(t.value),
+              where: ^tag_match
+            )
+          ),
+        order_by: [desc: e.created_at],
+        limit: ^limit,
+        preload: [:tags]
+      )
+      |> Repo.all()
+
+    pub_events_from_db(events)
+  end
+
+  defp metadata_tag_match(needles) do
     spaced_needles = Enum.map(needles, &spaced_form/1) |> Enum.uniq()
 
     tag_match =
@@ -48,38 +73,12 @@ defmodule GcIndexRelay.Nostr.PublicationSearch do
         )
       end)
 
-    # Also match when the stored value's spaced form equals any spaced needle.
-    tag_match =
-      Enum.reduce(spaced_needles, tag_match, fn spaced, acc ->
-        dynamic(
-          [t],
-          ^acc or fragment("LOWER(TRIM(REPLACE(?, '-', ' '))) = ?", t.value, ^spaced)
-        )
-      end)
-
-    event_ids =
-      from(t in Tag,
-        inner_join: e in Event,
-        on: t.event_id == e.id,
-        where: e.kind == ^@publication_kind,
-        where: t.name in ^@search_tag_names,
-        where: ^tag_match,
-        distinct: e.id,
-        order_by: [desc: e.created_at],
-        limit: ^limit,
-        select: e.id
-      )
-      |> Repo.all()
-
-    events =
-      from(e in Event,
-        where: e.id in ^event_ids,
-        order_by: [desc: e.created_at],
-        preload: [:tags]
+    Enum.reduce(spaced_needles, tag_match, fn spaced, acc ->
+      dynamic(
+        [t],
+        ^acc or fragment("LOWER(TRIM(REPLACE(?, '-', ' '))) = ?", t.value, ^spaced)
       )
-      |> Repo.all()
-
-    pub_events_from_db(events)
+    end)
   end
 
   defp pub_events_from_db(events) do
diff --git a/priv/repo/migrations/20260608170246_add_publication_search_tag_index.exs b/priv/repo/migrations/20260608170246_add_publication_search_tag_index.exs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4f8bed6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/priv/repo/migrations/20260608170246_add_publication_search_tag_index.exs
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+defmodule GcIndexRelay.Repo.Migrations.AddPublicationSearchTagIndex do
+  use Ecto.Migration
+
+  @disable_ddl_transaction true
+  @disable_migration_lock true
+
+  def change do
+    create index(:tags, [:name, :event_id],
+             where: "name IN ('d', 'title', 'author', 'source') AND value IS NOT NULL",
+             name: :tags_publication_metadata_index,
+             concurrently: true
+           )
+  end
+end