diff --git a/packages/core/src/__tests__/routes/admin-media-selector.test.ts b/packages/core/src/__tests__/routes/admin-media-selector.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..253454109
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/core/src/__tests__/routes/admin-media-selector.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,119 @@
+/**
+ * Regression test: media selector search fragment
+ *
+ * The "Select Media" picker (GET /admin/media/selector) had two defects:
+ *   1. its search input had an `id` but no `name`, while it used
+ *      `hx-include="[name='search']"` — so the typed term was never sent; and
+ *   2. the endpoint always returned the full panel (search box + grid), but the
+ *      input's `hx-target` is the inner grid — so every keystroke swapped a
+ *      whole new panel *into* the grid, nesting one panel per keystroke.
+ *
+ * The endpoint now returns the full panel only on the initial modal load and a
+ * grid-only fragment for HTMX search requests (HX-Target: media-selector-grid),
+ * and the input carries `name="search"`.
+ */
+
+import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
+import { Hono } from 'hono'
+
+vi.mock('../../middleware', () => ({
+  requireAuth: () => async (c: any, next: any) => {
+    c.set('user', { userId: 'u1', id: 'u1', email: 'admin@test.com', role: 'admin' })
+    await next()
+  },
+  requireRole: () => async (_c: any, next: any) => {
+    await next()
+  },
+}))
+
+import { adminMediaRoutes } from '../../routes/admin-media'
+
+function makeRow(i: number) {
+  return {
+    id: `m${i}`,
+    filename: `file-${i}.png`,
+    original_name: `File ${i}.png`,
+    mime_type: 'image/png',
+    size: 1234,
+    r2_key: `uploads/file-${i}.png`,
+    alt: null,
+    tags: null,
+    uploaded_at: 1_700_000_000_000,
+  }
+}
+
+function createMockEnv(rows = [makeRow(0), makeRow(1)]) {
+  const queryLog: { sql: string; params: unknown[] }[] = []
+  const db = {
+    prepare: vi.fn((sql: string) => {
+      const statement: any = {
+        bind: vi.fn((...params: unknown[]) => {
+          queryLog.push({ sql, params })
+          return statement
+        }),
+        all: vi.fn(async () => ({ results: rows })),
+      }
+      return statement
+    }),
+  }
+  return { env: { DB: db, KV: {} }, queryLog }
+}
+
+describe('GET /admin/media/selector', () => {
+  let app: Hono
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    vi.clearAllMocks()
+    app = new Hono()
+    app.route('/admin/media', adminMediaRoutes)
+  })
+
+  it('initial load returns the full panel with a NAMED search input', async () => {
+    const { env } = createMockEnv()
+    const res = await app.fetch(new Request('https://test.com/admin/media/selector'), env as any)
+    expect(res.status).toBe(200)
+    const html = await res.text()
+
+    // The input must have a name so hx-include actually sends the term.
+    expect(html).toMatch(/<input[^>]*name="search"/)
+    // Full panel includes the grid container the search targets.
+    expect(html).toContain('id="media-selector-grid"')
+    expect(html).toContain('data-media-id="m0"')
+  })
+
+  it('HTMX search request returns ONLY the grid fragment (no nested panel)', async () => {
+    const { env, queryLog } = createMockEnv()
+    const res = await app.fetch(
+      new Request('https://test.com/admin/media/selector?search=file', {
+        headers: { 'HX-Target': 'media-selector-grid' },
+      }),
+      env as any
+    )
+    expect(res.status).toBe(200)
+    const html = await res.text()
+
+    // Cards are present...
+    expect(html).toContain('data-media-id="m0"')
+    // ...but NOT a second search box or grid container (would nest on keystroke).
+    expect(html).not.toContain('<input')
+    expect(html).not.toContain('id="media-selector-grid"')
+
+    // The search term was bound into the query.
+    const listQuery = queryLog.find((q) => q.sql.includes('FROM media'))
+    expect(listQuery?.params).toEqual(['%file%', '%file%', '%file%'])
+  })
+
+  it('empty HTMX search returns the empty-state inside the grid (no input)', async () => {
+    const { env } = createMockEnv([])
+    const res = await app.fetch(
+      new Request('https://test.com/admin/media/selector?search=zzz', {
+        headers: { 'HX-Target': 'media-selector-grid' },
+      }),
+      env as any
+    )
+    const html = await res.text()
+    expect(html).toContain('No media files found')
+    expect(html).toContain('col-span-full')
+    expect(html).not.toContain('<input')
+  })
+})
diff --git a/packages/core/src/routes/admin-media.ts b/packages/core/src/routes/admin-media.ts
index 1ae8370d0..3e7a8347b 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/routes/admin-media.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/routes/admin-media.ts
@@ -209,23 +209,9 @@ adminMediaRoutes.get('/selector', async (c) => {
       isDocument: !row.mime_type.startsWith('image/') && !row.mime_type.startsWith('video/')
     }))
 
-    // Render media selector grid
-    return c.html(html`
-      <div class="mb-4">
-        <input
-          type="search"
-          id="media-selector-search"
-          placeholder="Search files..."
-          class="w-full rounded-lg bg-white dark:bg-zinc-800 px-4 py-2 text-sm text-zinc-950 dark:text-white shadow-sm ring-1 ring-inset ring-zinc-950/10 dark:ring-white/10 placeholder:text-zinc-400 dark:placeholder:text-zinc-500 focus:outline-none focus:ring-2 focus:ring-zinc-950 dark:focus:ring-white transition-shadow"
-          hx-get="/admin/media/selector"
-          hx-trigger="keyup changed delay:300ms"
-          hx-target="#media-selector-grid"
-          hx-include="[name='search']"
-        >
-      </div>
-
-      <div id="media-selector-grid" class="grid grid-cols-2 sm:grid-cols-3 md:grid-cols-4 gap-4 max-h-96 overflow-y-auto">
-        ${raw(mediaFiles.map(file => `
+    // Build the cards once; the same markup serves both the full panel (the
+    // initial modal load) and the grid-only fragment (HTMX search requests).
+    const cardsHtml = mediaFiles.map(file => `
           <div
             class="relative group cursor-pointer rounded-lg overflow-hidden bg-zinc-50 dark:bg-zinc-800 shadow-sm hover:shadow-md transition-shadow"
             data-media-id="${file.id}"
@@ -275,17 +261,45 @@ adminMediaRoutes.get('/selector', async (c) => {
               </p>
             </div>
           </div>
-        `).join(''))}
-      </div>
+        `).join('')
 
-      ${mediaFiles.length === 0 ? html`
-        <div class="text-center py-12 text-zinc-500 dark:text-zinc-400">
+    const gridInner = mediaFiles.length === 0
+      ? `
+        <div class="col-span-full text-center py-12 text-zinc-500 dark:text-zinc-400">
           <svg class="mx-auto h-12 w-12 text-zinc-400 dark:text-zinc-500" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" viewBox="0 0 24 24">
             <path stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" stroke-width="2" d="M4 16l4.586-4.586a2 2 0 012.828 0L16 16m-2-2l1.586-1.586a2 2 0 012.828 0L20 14m-6-6h.01M6 20h12a2 2 0 002-2V6a2 2 0 00-2-2H6a2 2 0 00-2 2v12a2 2 0 002 2z"></path>
           </svg>
           <p class="mt-2">No media files found</p>
-        </div>
-      ` : ''}
+        </div>`
+      : cardsHtml
+
+    // On the HTMX search request the input targets #media-selector-grid, so
+    // respond with only the inner cards. Returning the whole panel here (search
+    // box + grid) would nest a fresh panel inside the grid on every keystroke,
+    // and the search input had no `name`, so the typed term was never sent.
+    if (c.req.header('HX-Target') === 'media-selector-grid') {
+      return c.html(raw(gridInner))
+    }
+
+    // Initial modal load: full panel (search box + grid container).
+    return c.html(html`
+      <div class="mb-4">
+        <input
+          type="search"
+          id="media-selector-search"
+          name="search"
+          placeholder="Search files..."
+          class="w-full rounded-lg bg-white dark:bg-zinc-800 px-4 py-2 text-sm text-zinc-950 dark:text-white shadow-sm ring-1 ring-inset ring-zinc-950/10 dark:ring-white/10 placeholder:text-zinc-400 dark:placeholder:text-zinc-500 focus:outline-none focus:ring-2 focus:ring-zinc-950 dark:focus:ring-white transition-shadow"
+          hx-get="/admin/media/selector"
+          hx-trigger="keyup changed delay:300ms, search"
+          hx-target="#media-selector-grid"
+          hx-include="[name='search']"
+        >
+      </div>
+
+      <div id="media-selector-grid" class="grid grid-cols-2 sm:grid-cols-3 md:grid-cols-4 gap-4 max-h-96 overflow-y-auto">
+        ${raw(gridInner)}
+      </div>
     `)
   } catch (error) {
     console.error('Error loading media selector:', error)