diff --git a/backend/src/test/java/org/raddatz/familienarchiv/controller/DocumentControllerTest.java b/backend/src/test/java/org/raddatz/familienarchiv/controller/DocumentControllerTest.java
index c8383c34..eb4c6873 100644
--- a/backend/src/test/java/org/raddatz/familienarchiv/controller/DocumentControllerTest.java
+++ b/backend/src/test/java/org/raddatz/familienarchiv/controller/DocumentControllerTest.java
@@ -143,6 +143,70 @@ class DocumentControllerTest {
                         .value("Er schrieb einen langen Brief"));
     }
 
+    // ─── /api/documents/search pagination ─────────────────────────────────────
+
+    @Test
+    @WithMockUser
+    void search_responseExposesPagingFields() throws Exception {
+        when(documentService.searchDocuments(any(), any(), any(), any(), any(), any(), any(), any(), any(), any(), any(), any()))
+                .thenReturn(DocumentSearchResult.of(List.of()));
+
+        mockMvc.perform(get("/api/documents/search"))
+                .andExpect(status().isOk())
+                .andExpect(jsonPath("$.pageNumber").exists())
+                .andExpect(jsonPath("$.pageSize").exists())
+                .andExpect(jsonPath("$.totalPages").exists())
+                .andExpect(jsonPath("$.totalElements").exists());
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    @WithMockUser
+    void search_returns400_whenSizeExceedsMax() throws Exception {
+        // Locks @Validated on the controller — removing it silently reopens the
+        // DoS window where a client could request all 1500 docs + enrichment.
+        mockMvc.perform(get("/api/documents/search").param("size", "101"))
+                .andExpect(status().isBadRequest());
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    @WithMockUser
+    void search_returns400_whenSizeBelowMin() throws Exception {
+        mockMvc.perform(get("/api/documents/search").param("size", "0"))
+                .andExpect(status().isBadRequest());
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    @WithMockUser
+    void search_returns400_whenPageNegative() throws Exception {
+        mockMvc.perform(get("/api/documents/search").param("page", "-1"))
+                .andExpect(status().isBadRequest());
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    @WithMockUser
+    void search_returns400_whenPageAboveMax() throws Exception {
+        // Guards against page * size overflow into negative SQL OFFSET
+        mockMvc.perform(get("/api/documents/search").param("page", "200000"))
+                .andExpect(status().isBadRequest());
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    @WithMockUser
+    void search_passesPageRequestToService() throws Exception {
+        when(documentService.searchDocuments(any(), any(), any(), any(), any(), any(), any(), any(), any(), any(), any(), any()))
+                .thenReturn(DocumentSearchResult.of(List.of()));
+
+        mockMvc.perform(get("/api/documents/search").param("page", "2").param("size", "25"))
+                .andExpect(status().isOk());
+
+        org.mockito.ArgumentCaptor<org.springframework.data.domain.Pageable> captor =
+                org.mockito.ArgumentCaptor.forClass(org.springframework.data.domain.Pageable.class);
+        verify(documentService).searchDocuments(any(), any(), any(), any(), any(), any(), any(), any(), any(), any(), any(), captor.capture());
+        org.springframework.data.domain.Pageable pageable = captor.getValue();
+        org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.assertThat(pageable.getPageNumber()).isEqualTo(2);
+        org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.assertThat(pageable.getPageSize()).isEqualTo(25);
+    }
+
     // ─── POST /api/documents ─────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
     @Test
diff --git a/backend/src/test/java/org/raddatz/familienarchiv/service/DocumentServiceTest.java b/backend/src/test/java/org/raddatz/familienarchiv/service/DocumentServiceTest.java
index 41c0479b..aef18793 100644
--- a/backend/src/test/java/org/raddatz/familienarchiv/service/DocumentServiceTest.java
+++ b/backend/src/test/java/org/raddatz/familienarchiv/service/DocumentServiceTest.java
@@ -1323,6 +1323,104 @@ class DocumentServiceTest {
         assertThat(result).isNull();
     }
 
+    // ─── searchDocuments — pagination ────────────────────────────────────────
+
+    @Test
+    void searchDocuments_fastPath_usesFindAllWithPageable_notWithSort() {
+        when(documentRepository.findAll(any(org.springframework.data.jpa.domain.Specification.class), any(Pageable.class)))
+                .thenReturn(new PageImpl<>(List.of()));
+
+        documentService.searchDocuments(null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null,
+                org.raddatz.familienarchiv.dto.DocumentSort.DATE, "DESC", null,
+                org.springframework.data.domain.PageRequest.of(1, 50));
+
+        verify(documentRepository).findAll(any(org.springframework.data.jpa.domain.Specification.class), any(Pageable.class));
+        verify(documentRepository, never()).findAll(any(org.springframework.data.jpa.domain.Specification.class), any(Sort.class));
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    void searchDocuments_fastPath_propagatesPageableToDatabase() {
+        ArgumentCaptor<Pageable> captor = ArgumentCaptor.forClass(Pageable.class);
+        when(documentRepository.findAll(any(org.springframework.data.jpa.domain.Specification.class), any(Pageable.class)))
+                .thenReturn(new PageImpl<>(List.of()));
+
+        documentService.searchDocuments(null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null,
+                org.raddatz.familienarchiv.dto.DocumentSort.DATE, "DESC", null,
+                org.springframework.data.domain.PageRequest.of(3, 25));
+
+        verify(documentRepository).findAll(any(org.springframework.data.jpa.domain.Specification.class), captor.capture());
+        assertThat(captor.getValue().getPageNumber()).isEqualTo(3);
+        assertThat(captor.getValue().getPageSize()).isEqualTo(25);
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    void searchDocuments_fastPath_returnsPageableTotalsOnResult() {
+        // The service MUST report the full match count from Page.getTotalElements(),
+        // not the slice size — otherwise the frontend's "N Briefe gefunden" label is wrong.
+        Document d = Document.builder().id(UUID.randomUUID()).title("T").build();
+        when(documentRepository.findAll(any(org.springframework.data.jpa.domain.Specification.class), any(Pageable.class)))
+                .thenReturn(new PageImpl<>(List.of(d), org.springframework.data.domain.PageRequest.of(0, 50), 120L));
+
+        DocumentSearchResult result = documentService.searchDocuments(null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null,
+                org.raddatz.familienarchiv.dto.DocumentSort.DATE, "DESC", null,
+                org.springframework.data.domain.PageRequest.of(0, 50));
+
+        assertThat(result.totalElements()).isEqualTo(120L);
+        assertThat(result.pageNumber()).isZero();
+        assertThat(result.pageSize()).isEqualTo(50);
+        assertThat(result.totalPages()).isEqualTo(3); // ceil(120/50)
+        assertThat(result.items()).hasSize(1); // only the slice is enriched
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    void searchDocuments_senderSort_slicesInMemoryAndReportsFullTotal() {
+        // Fixture: 120 docs with senders; request page 1, size 50 → expect 50 items
+        // back with totalElements = 120.
+        List<Document> all = new java.util.ArrayList<>();
+        for (int i = 0; i < 120; i++) {
+            Person p = Person.builder()
+                    .id(UUID.randomUUID())
+                    .firstName("F" + i)
+                    .lastName(String.format("L%03d", i))
+                    .build();
+            all.add(Document.builder().id(UUID.randomUUID()).title("D" + i).sender(p).build());
+        }
+        when(documentRepository.findAll(any(org.springframework.data.jpa.domain.Specification.class)))
+                .thenReturn(all);
+
+        DocumentSearchResult result = documentService.searchDocuments(null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null,
+                org.raddatz.familienarchiv.dto.DocumentSort.SENDER, "asc", null,
+                org.springframework.data.domain.PageRequest.of(1, 50));
+
+        assertThat(result.totalElements()).isEqualTo(120L);
+        assertThat(result.pageNumber()).isEqualTo(1);
+        assertThat(result.pageSize()).isEqualTo(50);
+        assertThat(result.totalPages()).isEqualTo(3);
+        assertThat(result.items()).hasSize(50);
+        // Page 1 (offset 50) under ascending sender sort should start at L050
+        assertThat(result.items().get(0).document().getSender().getLastName()).isEqualTo("L050");
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    void searchDocuments_pageBeyondLast_returnsEmptyContentAndCorrectTotal() {
+        // Guards the JPA edge case where page * size > totalElements.
+        // Must not throw, must return empty content + correct totalElements.
+        List<Document> all = new java.util.ArrayList<>();
+        for (int i = 0; i < 30; i++) {
+            Person p = Person.builder().id(UUID.randomUUID()).lastName(String.format("L%02d", i)).build();
+            all.add(Document.builder().id(UUID.randomUUID()).title("D" + i).sender(p).build());
+        }
+        when(documentRepository.findAll(any(org.springframework.data.jpa.domain.Specification.class)))
+                .thenReturn(all);
+
+        DocumentSearchResult result = documentService.searchDocuments(null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null,
+                org.raddatz.familienarchiv.dto.DocumentSort.SENDER, "asc", null,
+                org.springframework.data.domain.PageRequest.of(10, 50));
+
+        assertThat(result.items()).isEmpty();
+        assertThat(result.totalElements()).isEqualTo(30L);
+    }
+
     // ─── searchDocuments — status filter ─────────────────────────────────────
 
     @Test