diff --git a/src/api/identity_api.rs b/src/api/identity_api.rs
index 6cd163a..01e2fad 100644
--- a/src/api/identity_api.rs
+++ b/src/api/identity_api.rs
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ use axum::{
     Router,
 };
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
+use sqlx::Row;
 use uuid::Uuid;
 
 use crate::core::db::ResourceRecord;
@@ -33,6 +34,9 @@ pub fn identity_routes() -> Router<crate::api::server::AppState> {
         .route("/api/v1/resource/register", post(register_resource))
         .route("/api/v1/resource/heartbeat", post(heartbeat_resource))
         .route("/api/v1/resources", get(list_resources))
+        // Experiment: identity text search (non-polluting, separate endpoint)
+        .route("/api/v1/search/identity_text", get(search_identity_text))
+        .route("/api/v1/identities/search", get(search_identities_by_text))
 }
 
 // --- Files Endpoints ---
@@ -632,3 +636,153 @@ async fn list_resources(
         data: None,
     }))
 }
+
+// ── Experiment: Identity Text Search ──────────────────────────
+// Separate endpoints — do not modify existing API behavior.
+
+#[derive(Debug, Deserialize)]
+struct IdentityTextQuery {
+    uuid: String,
+    q: String,
+    limit: Option<i64>,
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug, Serialize)]
+struct IdentityTextHit {
+    file_uuid: String,
+    chunk_id: String,
+    start_time: f64,
+    end_time: f64,
+    text_content: String,
+    identity_id: Option<i32>,
+    identity_name: Option<String>,
+    identity_source: Option<String>,
+    trace_id: Option<i32>,
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug, Serialize)]
+struct IdentityTextResponse {
+    success: bool,
+    total: i64,
+    results: Vec<IdentityTextHit>,
+}
+
+/// Path A: Search chunk text → associated identities
+async fn search_identity_text(
+    State(state): State<crate::api::server::AppState>,
+    Query(params): Query<IdentityTextQuery>,
+) -> Result<Json<IdentityTextResponse>, StatusCode> {
+    use crate::core::db::schema;
+    let chunk_table = schema::table_name("chunk");
+    let fd_table = schema::table_name("face_detections");
+    let id_table = schema::table_name("identities");
+    let like_q = format!("%{}%", params.q.replace('%', "%%"));
+    let limit = params.limit.unwrap_or(50).min(100);
+
+    let query = format!(
+        r#"SELECT c.file_uuid, c.chunk_id, c.start_time, c.end_time, c.text_content,
+                  fd.identity_id, i.name AS identity_name, i.source AS identity_source,
+                  fd.trace_id
+           FROM {} c
+           LEFT JOIN {} fd ON fd.file_uuid = c.file_uuid
+               AND fd.frame_number BETWEEN c.start_frame AND c.end_frame
+               AND fd.identity_id IS NOT NULL
+           LEFT JOIN {} i ON i.id = fd.identity_id
+           WHERE c.file_uuid = $1 AND LOWER(c.text_content) LIKE LOWER($2)
+           ORDER BY c.start_time
+           LIMIT $3"#,
+        chunk_table, fd_table, id_table
+    );
+
+    let rows = sqlx::query_as::<_, (String, String, f64, f64, String, Option<i32>, Option<String>, Option<String>, Option<i32>)>(&query)
+        .bind(&params.uuid).bind(&like_q).bind(limit)
+        .fetch_all(state.db.pool())
+        .await
+        .map_err(|_| StatusCode::INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR)?;
+
+    let results: Vec<IdentityTextHit> = rows
+        .into_iter()
+        .map(|(fu, cid, st, et, txt, iid, iname, isrc, tid)| IdentityTextHit {
+            file_uuid: fu, chunk_id: cid, start_time: st, end_time: et, text_content: txt,
+            identity_id: iid, identity_name: iname, identity_source: isrc, trace_id: tid,
+        })
+        .collect();
+
+    let total = results.len() as i64;
+    Ok(Json(IdentityTextResponse { success: true, total, results }))
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug, Deserialize)]
+struct IdentitySearchQuery {
+    q: String,
+    uuid: Option<String>,
+    limit: Option<i64>,
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug, Serialize)]
+struct IdentitySearchHit {
+    identity_id: i32,
+    name: String,
+    source: Option<String>,
+    tmdb_id: Option<i32>,
+    file_uuid: String,
+    trace_id: Option<i32>,
+    chunk_id: String,
+    start_time: f64,
+    text_content: String,
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug, Serialize)]
+struct IdentitySearchResponse {
+    success: bool,
+    total: i64,
+    results: Vec<IdentitySearchHit>,
+}
+
+/// Path B: Search identity name → associated chunk text
+async fn search_identities_by_text(
+    State(state): State<crate::api::server::AppState>,
+    Query(params): Query<IdentitySearchQuery>,
+) -> Result<Json<IdentitySearchResponse>, StatusCode> {
+    use crate::core::db::schema;
+    let id_table = schema::table_name("identities");
+    let ib_table = schema::table_name("identity_bindings");
+    let fd_table = schema::table_name("face_detections");
+    let chunk_table = schema::table_name("chunk");
+    let like_q = format!("%{}%", params.q.replace('%', "%%"));
+    let limit = params.limit.unwrap_or(50).min(100);
+
+    let query = format!(
+        r#"SELECT i.id, i.name, i.source, i.tmdb_id,
+                  fd.file_uuid, fd.trace_id,
+                  c.chunk_id, c.start_time, c.text_content
+           FROM {} i
+           JOIN {} ib ON ib.identity_id = i.id AND ib.identity_type = 'trace'
+           JOIN {} fd ON fd.trace_id = ib.identity_value::int
+           JOIN {} c ON c.file_uuid = fd.file_uuid
+               AND c.start_time <= fd.frame_number / COALESCE(c.fps, 25.0)
+               AND c.end_time >= fd.frame_number / COALESCE(c.fps, 25.0)
+           WHERE i.name ILIKE $1
+             AND ($2::text IS NULL OR fd.file_uuid = $2)
+           ORDER BY i.name, c.start_time
+           LIMIT $3"#,
+        id_table, ib_table, fd_table, chunk_table
+    );
+
+    let rows = sqlx::query_as::<_, (i32, String, Option<String>, Option<i32>, String, Option<i32>, String, f64, String)>(&query)
+        .bind(&like_q).bind(&params.uuid).bind(limit)
+        .fetch_all(state.db.pool())
+        .await
+        .map_err(|_| StatusCode::INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR)?;
+
+    let results: Vec<IdentitySearchHit> = rows
+        .into_iter()
+        .map(|(iid, name, src, tid, fu, trace_id, cid, st, txt)| IdentitySearchHit {
+            identity_id: iid, name, source: src, tmdb_id: tid,
+            file_uuid: fu, trace_id, chunk_id: cid, start_time: st, text_content: txt,
+        })
+        .collect();
+
+    let total = results.len() as i64;
+    Ok(Json(IdentitySearchResponse { success: true, total, results }))
+}