diff --git a/crates/api/src/admin_search.rs b/crates/api/src/admin_search.rs
index a232db3..2245f9c 100644
--- a/crates/api/src/admin_search.rs
+++ b/crates/api/src/admin_search.rs
@@ -79,6 +79,8 @@ pub(crate) async fn search_objects(
         }));
     }
 
+    // Search uses a tighter default/cap (20, max 50) than the shared `Pagination`
+    // (default 50, max 200): result pages are slower to scan than a raw object list.
     let offset = params.offset.unwrap_or(0).max(0) as usize;
     let limit = params.limit.unwrap_or(20).clamp(1, 50) as usize;
 
diff --git a/crates/api/tests/admin_search.rs b/crates/api/tests/admin_search.rs
index c2541e7..e552599 100644
--- a/crates/api/tests/admin_search.rs
+++ b/crates/api/tests/admin_search.rs
@@ -189,6 +189,98 @@ async fn search_returns_results_and_validates_params(pool: PgPool) {
     assert_eq!(bad.status(), StatusCode::BAD_REQUEST);
 }
 
+#[sqlx::test(migrations = "../db/migrations")]
+async fn search_visibility_filter_narrows_results(pool: PgPool) {
+    migrate_sessions(&db::Db::from_pool(pool.clone()))
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
+
+    seed_user(&pool, "ed@example.com", "pw-editor-123", Role::Editor).await;
+
+    let (url, key) = meili();
+    let search = SearchClient::connect(&url, &key, &unique_index()).unwrap();
+
+    search.ensure_index().await.unwrap();
+
+    let app = build_app(state(pool.clone(), Some(search)));
+    let cookie = login(&app, "ed@example.com", "pw-editor-123").await;
+
+    let create_internal = app
+        .clone()
+        .oneshot(
+            Request::builder()
+                .method("POST")
+                .uri("/api/admin/objects")
+                .header(header::COOKIE, &cookie)
+                .header(header::CONTENT_TYPE, "application/json")
+                .body(Body::from(
+                    r#"{"object_number":"R-2","object_name":"astrolabe-internal","number_of_objects":1,"visibility":"internal"}"#,
+                ))
+                .unwrap(),
+        )
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
+
+    assert_eq!(create_internal.status(), StatusCode::CREATED);
+
+    let create_draft = app
+        .clone()
+        .oneshot(
+            Request::builder()
+                .method("POST")
+                .uri("/api/admin/objects")
+                .header(header::COOKIE, &cookie)
+                .header(header::CONTENT_TYPE, "application/json")
+                .body(Body::from(
+                    r#"{"object_number":"R-3","object_name":"astrolabe-draft","number_of_objects":1,"visibility":"draft"}"#,
+                ))
+                .unwrap(),
+        )
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
+
+    assert_eq!(create_draft.status(), StatusCode::CREATED);
+
+    let all = app
+        .clone()
+        .oneshot(
+            Request::builder()
+                .uri("/api/admin/search?q=astrolabe")
+                .header(header::COOKIE, &cookie)
+                .body(Body::empty())
+                .unwrap(),
+        )
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
+
+    assert_eq!(all.status(), StatusCode::OK);
+
+    let all_body: serde_json::Value =
+        serde_json::from_slice(&all.into_body().collect().await.unwrap().to_bytes()).unwrap();
+
+    assert_eq!(all_body["estimated_total"], 2);
+
+    let filtered = app
+        .clone()
+        .oneshot(
+            Request::builder()
+                .uri("/api/admin/search?q=astrolabe&visibility=internal")
+                .header(header::COOKIE, &cookie)
+                .body(Body::empty())
+                .unwrap(),
+        )
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
+
+    assert_eq!(filtered.status(), StatusCode::OK);
+
+    let filtered_body: serde_json::Value =
+        serde_json::from_slice(&filtered.into_body().collect().await.unwrap().to_bytes()).unwrap();
+
+    assert_eq!(filtered_body["estimated_total"], 1);
+    assert_eq!(filtered_body["hits"][0]["visibility"], "internal");
+}
+
 #[sqlx::test(migrations = "../db/migrations")]
 async fn search_unavailable_when_not_configured(pool: PgPool) {
     migrate_sessions(&db::Db::from_pool(pool.clone()))