diff --git a/crates/search/src/lib.rs b/crates/search/src/lib.rs
index 6dc4471..c58f0ad 100644
--- a/crates/search/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/search/src/lib.rs
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 use db::Db;
 use domain::{CatalogueObject, ObjectId};
+use meilisearch_sdk::tasks::Task;
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 
 /// Errors from the search subsystem.
@@ -38,6 +39,16 @@ pub struct SearchClient {
     index_uid: String,
 }
 
+/// Turn a completed task into an error if Meilisearch rejected it.
+fn check_task(task: Task) -> Result<(), SearchError> {
+    match task {
+        Task::Failed { content } => Err(SearchError::Meili(
+            meilisearch_sdk::errors::Error::Meilisearch(content.error),
+        )),
+        _ => Ok(()),
+    }
+}
+
 impl SearchClient {
     pub fn connect(url: &str, api_key: &str, index_uid: &str) -> Result<Self, SearchError> {
         let client = meilisearch_sdk::client::Client::new(url, Some(api_key))?;
@@ -49,41 +60,61 @@ impl SearchClient {
     }
 
     pub async fn ensure_index(&self) -> Result<(), SearchError> {
-        self.client
+        let task = self
+            .client
             .create_index(&self.index_uid, Some("id"))
             .await?
             .wait_for_completion(&self.client, None, None)
             .await?;
 
-        self.client
+        // Tolerate "index already exists"; surface any other task failure.
+        if let Task::Failed { content } = &task {
+            if content.error.error_code != meilisearch_sdk::errors::ErrorCode::IndexAlreadyExists {
+                return Err(SearchError::Meili(
+                    meilisearch_sdk::errors::Error::Meilisearch(content.error.clone()),
+                ));
+            }
+        }
+
+        // set_filterable_attributes is idempotent on an existing index
+        let task = self
+            .client
             .index(&self.index_uid)
             .set_filterable_attributes(["visibility"])
             .await?
             .wait_for_completion(&self.client, None, None)
             .await?;
 
+        check_task(task)?;
+
         Ok(())
     }
 
     pub async fn index_object(&self, doc: &SearchDocument) -> Result<(), SearchError> {
-        self.client
+        let task = self
+            .client
             .index(&self.index_uid)
             .add_or_replace(std::slice::from_ref(doc), Some("id"))
             .await?
             .wait_for_completion(&self.client, None, None)
             .await?;
 
+        check_task(task)?;
+
         Ok(())
     }
 
     pub async fn remove_object(&self, id: ObjectId) -> Result<(), SearchError> {
-        self.client
+        let task = self
+            .client
             .index(&self.index_uid)
             .delete_document(id.to_string())
             .await?
             .wait_for_completion(&self.client, None, None)
             .await?;
 
+        check_task(task)?;
+
         Ok(())
     }
 
@@ -113,12 +144,14 @@ impl SearchClient {
     pub async fn reindex_all(&self, db: &Db) -> Result<(), SearchError> {
         let index = self.client.index(&self.index_uid);
 
-        index
+        let task = index
             .delete_all_documents()
             .await?
             .wait_for_completion(&self.client, None, None)
             .await?;
 
+        check_task(task)?;
+
         let objects = db::catalog::list_objects(db.pool()).await?;
 
         let mut docs = Vec::with_capacity(objects.len());
@@ -128,11 +161,13 @@ impl SearchClient {
         }
 
         if !docs.is_empty() {
-            index
+            let task = index
                 .add_or_replace(&docs, Some("id"))
                 .await?
                 .wait_for_completion(&self.client, None, None)
                 .await?;
+
+            check_task(task)?;
         }
 
         Ok(())
diff --git a/crates/search/tests/search.rs b/crates/search/tests/search.rs
index f120037..dcac090 100644
--- a/crates/search/tests/search.rs
+++ b/crates/search/tests/search.rs
@@ -50,3 +50,21 @@ async fn index_search_and_remove() {
     client.remove_object(vase).await.unwrap();
     assert!(client.search("wood").await.unwrap().is_empty());
 }
+
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn ensure_index_is_idempotent() {
+    let (url, key) = meili();
+    let index = unique_index();
+    let client = SearchClient::connect(&url, &key, &index).unwrap();
+    client.ensure_index().await.unwrap();
+    // second call against the now-existing index must succeed
+    client.ensure_index().await.unwrap();
+
+    // and the client still works
+    let id = domain::ObjectId::new();
+    client
+        .index_object(&doc(&id.to_string(), "lamp", &[]))
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(client.search("lamp").await.unwrap(), vec![id]);
+}