diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 0e6c873d..741cc2e6 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -484,6 +484,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "itoa",
  "rustversion",
  "ryu",
+ "serde",
  "static_assertions",
 ]
 
diff --git a/crates/ecp-cli/src/commands/group/matching.rs b/crates/ecp-cli/src/commands/group/matching.rs
index c98ceb2a..044b3304 100644
--- a/crates/ecp-cli/src/commands/group/matching.rs
+++ b/crates/ecp-cli/src/commands/group/matching.rs
@@ -166,6 +166,26 @@ fn is_excluded(contract_id: &str, cfg: &GroupConfig) -> bool {
     false
 }
 
+/// Normalize a `contract_id` into a BM25-safe token stream for BOTH index and
+/// query sides. Beyond `:` (field-qualifier syntax), Tantivy's query parser
+/// treats `+ - && || ! ( ) { } [ ] ^ " ~ * ? \ /` as operators — so a REST
+/// path-param like `http:GET:/users/{id}` parsed verbatim raises a SyntaxError,
+/// and `bm25_search` silently returns no match for EVERY path-param contract.
+/// Mapping any non-alphanumeric (keeping `_`) to a space matches the default
+/// tokenizer's word splitting and keeps the two sides symmetric.
+fn normalize_for_bm25(contract_id: &str) -> String {
+    contract_id
+        .chars()
+        .map(|c| {
+            if c.is_alphanumeric() || c == '_' {
+                c
+            } else {
+                ' '
+            }
+        })
+        .collect()
+}
+
 fn build_bm25_schema() -> (Schema, tantivy::schema::Field, tantivy::schema::Field) {
     let mut builder = Schema::builder();
     // `contract_id` is queried, never retrieved from the doc store (results read
@@ -196,9 +216,7 @@ fn build_bm25_index(index_dir: &Path, kept: &[&StoredContract]) -> Result<(), St
         .map_err(|e| format!("acquire contracts writer: {e}"))?;
 
     for c in kept {
-        // Escape `:` → space so Tantivy's query parser doesn't treat
-        // `http:GET:/users` as field-qualified sub-queries.
-        let escaped = c.inner.contract_id.replace(':', " ");
+        let escaped = normalize_for_bm25(&c.inner.contract_id);
         let mut doc = tantivy::TantivyDocument::default();
         doc.add_text(contract_id_field, &escaped);
         doc.add_text(uid_field, &c.inner.symbol_uid);
@@ -247,8 +265,8 @@ fn bm25_search(
     contract_id: &str,
     limit: usize,
 ) -> Vec<(String, f32)> {
-    // Escape `:` same way as at index time.
-    let escaped = contract_id.replace(':', " ");
+    // Normalize the same way as at index time.
+    let escaped = normalize_for_bm25(contract_id);
     let Ok(query) = parser.parse_query(&escaped) else {
         return Vec::new();
     };
@@ -274,3 +292,90 @@ fn bm25_search(
     }
     results
 }
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::normalize_for_bm25;
+    use tantivy::query::QueryParser;
+    use tantivy::schema::{Schema, TEXT};
+    use tantivy::Index;
+
+    fn parses(raw: &str) -> bool {
+        let mut b = Schema::builder();
+        let f = b.add_text_field("contract_id", TEXT);
+        let index = Index::create_in_ram(b.build());
+        let parser = QueryParser::for_index(&index, vec![f]);
+        parser.parse_query(&normalize_for_bm25(raw)).is_ok()
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn normalize_for_bm25_path_param_contract_parses() {
+        // Regression: `{id}` is Tantivy query syntax; verbatim parse raised a
+        // SyntaxError so every REST path-param contract silently matched nothing.
+        assert!(parses("http:GET:/users/{id}"));
+        assert!(parses(
+            "http:DELETE:/api/v2/orders/{orderId}/items/{itemId}"
+        ));
+        assert!(parses("grpc:UserService:GetUser"));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn normalize_for_bm25_strips_query_operators_to_spaces() {
+        // All Tantivy operator chars map to spaces; alphanumerics and `_` survive.
+        let n = normalize_for_bm25("http:GET:/users/{id}?a=1&b=2");
+        assert_eq!(n, "http GET  users  id  a 1 b 2");
+        assert!(!n.contains('{') && !n.contains('}') && !n.contains(':') && !n.contains('/'));
+    }
+
+    /// End-to-end: a path-param consumer must BM25-match its same-id provider in
+    /// another repo. Before the normalize fix the `{id}` raised a parse error and
+    /// this returned no match — so this exercises the real index→query pipeline,
+    /// which is what "index/query symmetry" actually has to guarantee.
+    #[test]
+    fn bm25_matches_path_param_contract_across_repos() {
+        use super::{build_bm25_index, open_bm25_searcher};
+        use crate::commands::group::types::{
+            ContractRole, ContractType, ExtractedContract, StoredContract, SymbolRef,
+        };
+
+        fn contract(repo: &str, role: ContractRole, uid: &str) -> StoredContract {
+            StoredContract {
+                repo: repo.to_string(),
+                inner: ExtractedContract {
+                    contract_id: "http:GET:/users/{id}".to_string(),
+                    contract_type: ContractType::Http,
+                    role,
+                    symbol_uid: uid.to_string(),
+                    symbol_ref: SymbolRef {
+                        file_path: format!("{repo}/api.rs"),
+                        name: "handler".to_string(),
+                    },
+                    confidence: 1.0,
+                    service: None,
+                    meta: vec![],
+                },
+            }
+        }
+
+        let provider = contract("svc-a", ContractRole::Provider, "uid-provider");
+        let consumer = contract("svc-b", ContractRole::Consumer, "uid-consumer");
+        let kept = [&provider, &consumer];
+
+        let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+        let index_dir = dir.path().join("contracts_index");
+        build_bm25_index(&index_dir, &kept).unwrap();
+        let (searcher, parser, uid_field) = open_bm25_searcher(&index_dir).unwrap();
+
+        let hits = super::bm25_search(
+            &searcher,
+            &parser,
+            uid_field,
+            &consumer.inner.contract_id,
+            16,
+        );
+        assert!(
+            hits.iter().any(|(uid, _)| uid == "uid-provider"),
+            "path-param consumer should BM25-match the provider; got {hits:?}"
+        );
+    }
+}
diff --git a/crates/ecp-core/Cargo.toml b/crates/ecp-core/Cargo.toml
index d87cbfdc..6a7ce2a7 100644
--- a/crates/ecp-core/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/ecp-core/Cargo.toml
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ phf = { version = "0.14", features = ["macros"] }
 xxhash-rust = { version = "0.8", features = ["xxh3"] }
 memmap2 = "0.9.10"
 smallvec = "1.13"
-compact_str = "0.9"
+compact_str = { version = "0.9", features = ["serde"] }
 
 [target.'cfg(unix)'.dependencies]
 nix = { version = "0.31", features = ["process", "signal"] }
diff --git a/crates/ecp-core/src/cypher/executor.rs b/crates/ecp-core/src/cypher/executor.rs
index 80e1f2ca..ee040a87 100644
--- a/crates/ecp-core/src/cypher/executor.rs
+++ b/crates/ecp-core/src/cypher/executor.rs
@@ -701,7 +701,7 @@ fn eval_return_expr(
                 Ok(v.clone())
             } else if let Some(&idx) = b.node_vars.get(var) {
                 Ok(match graph.mnode(idx) {
-                    Some(m) => Value::Str(m.name(&graph).to_string()),
+                    Some(m) => Value::Str(m.name(&graph).into()),
                     None => Value::Null,
                 })
             } else {
@@ -744,8 +744,8 @@ fn eval_return_item_rich(
                 };
                 return Value::NodeRef {
                     idx,
-                    name: m.name(&graph).to_string(),
-                    kind: m.kind().as_str().to_string(),
+                    name: m.name(&graph).into(),
+                    kind: m.kind().as_str().into(),
                     file_path: m.file_path(&graph).unwrap_or("").to_string(),
                 };
             }
@@ -949,10 +949,10 @@ fn eval_scalar_funcall(name: &str, args: &[Expr], b: &Binding, graph: Gv<'_>) ->
                 return Value::Null;
             };
             if let Some(e) = graph.overlay_edge(eidx) {
-                return Value::Str(e.rel_type.as_str().to_string());
+                return Value::Str(e.rel_type.as_str().into());
             }
             let e = &graph.edges[eidx as usize];
-            Value::Str(RelType::from(&e.rel_type).as_str().to_string())
+            Value::Str(RelType::from(&e.rel_type).as_str().into())
         }
         "ID" => {
             // id(n) — args[0] must be a Var bound to a node.
@@ -973,7 +973,7 @@ fn eval_scalar_funcall(name: &str, args: &[Expr], b: &Binding, graph: Gv<'_>) ->
                 return Value::Null;
             };
             match graph.mnode(idx) {
-                Some(m) => Value::List(vec![Value::Str(m.kind().as_str().to_string())]),
+                Some(m) => Value::List(vec![Value::Str(m.kind().as_str().into())]),
                 None => Value::Null,
             }
         }
@@ -1448,9 +1448,9 @@ fn node_prop_no_cache(node_idx: u32, prop: &str, graph: Gv<'_>) -> Value {
     // symbol has no metas yet and takes the sparse defaults.
     let fm = m.fm_idx(node_idx);
     match prop {
-        "filePath" => Value::Str(m.file_path(&graph).unwrap_or("").to_string()),
+        "filePath" => Value::Str(m.file_path(&graph).unwrap_or("").into()),
         "ownerClass" => match m.owner_class(&graph) {
-            Some(oc) => Value::Str(oc.to_string()),
+            Some(oc) => Value::Str(oc.into()),
             None => Value::Null,
         },
         "line" | "startLine" => Value::Int(m.start_line() as i64),
@@ -1610,7 +1610,7 @@ fn eval_expr(
             }
             if let Some(&idx) = b.node_vars.get(var) {
                 return Ok(match graph.mnode(idx) {
-                    Some(m) => Value::Str(m.name(&graph).to_string()),
+                    Some(m) => Value::Str(m.name(&graph).into()),
                     None => Value::Null,
                 });
             }
@@ -2047,7 +2047,7 @@ fn lit_to_value(l: &Literal) -> Value {
         Literal::Bool(b) => Value::Bool(*b),
         Literal::Int(i) => Value::Int(*i),
         Literal::Float(f) => Value::Float(*f),
-        Literal::Str(s) => Value::Str(s.clone()),
+        Literal::Str(s) => Value::Str(s.as_str().into()),
         Literal::List(xs) => Value::List(xs.iter().map(lit_to_value).collect()),
     }
 }
@@ -2108,8 +2108,8 @@ fn prop_value(
                 reason,
             } => match prop {
                 "confidence" => Value::Float(*confidence as f64),
-                "reason" => Value::Str(reason.clone()),
-                "rel_type" => Value::Str(format!("{rel_type:?}")),
+                "reason" => Value::Str(reason.as_str().into()),
+                "rel_type" => Value::Str(format!("{rel_type:?}").into()),
                 _ => Value::Null,
             },
             // Scalar: only bare var reference makes sense; <var>.<prop> returns Null.
@@ -2129,16 +2129,16 @@ fn prop_value(
         if let Some(e) = graph.overlay_edge(edge_idx) {
             return match prop {
                 "confidence" => Value::Float(e.confidence as f64),
-                "reason" => Value::Str("l1-overlay".to_string()),
-                "rel_type" => Value::Str(e.rel_type.as_str().to_string()),
+                "reason" => Value::Str("l1-overlay".into()),
+                "rel_type" => Value::Str(e.rel_type.as_str().into()),
                 _ => Value::Null,
             };
         }
         let e = &graph.edges[edge_idx as usize];
         return match prop {
             "confidence" => Value::Float(e.confidence.to_native() as f64),
-            "reason" => Value::Str(e.reason.resolve(&graph.string_pool).to_string()),
-            "rel_type" => Value::Str(RelType::from(&e.rel_type).as_str().to_string()),
+            "reason" => Value::Str(e.reason.resolve(&graph.string_pool).into()),
+            "rel_type" => Value::Str(RelType::from(&e.rel_type).as_str().into()),
             _ => Value::Null,
         };
     }
@@ -2159,19 +2159,19 @@ fn node_prop_value(node_idx: u32, prop: &str, graph: Gv<'_>, cache: &mut Content
     };
     let fm = m.fm_idx(node_idx);
     match prop {
-        "name" => Value::Str(m.name(&graph).to_string()),
+        "name" => Value::Str(m.name(&graph).into()),
         // u64 uid stored as i64 bits — no allocation per row.
         "uid" => Value::Int(m.uid() as i64),
         "ownerClass" => match m.owner_class(&graph) {
-            Some(oc) => Value::Str(oc.to_string()),
+            Some(oc) => Value::Str(oc.into()),
             None => Value::Null,
         },
-        "kind" => Value::Str(m.kind().as_str().to_string()),
+        "kind" => Value::Str(m.kind().as_str().into()),
         // 1-based, matching impact/find/inspect output (see Node::start_line).
         // `span.0` is the raw 0-based tree-sitter row; never expose it as `line`.
         "line" | "startLine" => Value::Int(m.start_line() as i64),
         "endLine" => Value::Int(m.end_line() as i64),
-        "filePath" => Value::Str(m.file_path(&graph).unwrap_or("").to_string()),
+        "filePath" => Value::Str(m.file_path(&graph).unwrap_or("").into()),
         "content" => {
             let slice = match &m {
                 MNode::Base(n) => {
@@ -2206,7 +2206,7 @@ fn node_prop_value(node_idx: u32, prop: &str, graph: Gv<'_>, cache: &mut Content
                         .unwrap_or_default()
                 }
             };
-            Value::Str(slice)
+            Value::Str(slice.into())
         }
         // ── FunctionMeta flag properties ────────────────────────────────────
         // FunctionMeta is sparse (only Function/Method/Constructor nodes).
@@ -2293,7 +2293,7 @@ fn archived_fm_decorators(graph: Gv<'_>, node_idx: u32) -> Value {
             .map(|d| {
                 let s = d.resolve(&graph.string_pool);
                 let normalized = s.strip_prefix('@').unwrap_or(s);
-                Value::Str(normalized.to_string())
+                Value::Str(normalized.into())
             })
             .collect(),
         Err(_) => vec![],
@@ -3778,7 +3778,7 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(result.columns, vec!["a.content"]);
         assert_eq!(result.rows.len(), 1);
         let content = match &result.rows[0][0] {
-            Value::Str(s) => s.clone(),
+            Value::Str(s) => s.to_string(),
             other => panic!("expected Str, got {other:?}"),
         };
         // span (0,0,2,1) covers "function hello() {\n  return 42;\n}"
@@ -3971,7 +3971,7 @@ mod tests {
                 .rows
                 .iter()
                 .map(|row| match &row[0] {
-                    Value::Str(s) => s.clone(),
+                    Value::Str(s) => s.to_string(),
                     other => panic!("expected Str, got {other:?}"),
                 })
                 .collect();
@@ -3995,7 +3995,7 @@ mod tests {
                 .rows
                 .iter()
                 .map(|row| match &row[0] {
-                    Value::Str(s) => s.clone(),
+                    Value::Str(s) => s.to_string(),
                     other => panic!("expected Str, got {other:?}"),
                 })
                 .collect();
diff --git a/crates/ecp-core/src/cypher/value.rs b/crates/ecp-core/src/cypher/value.rs
index 82895f99..8b31ab64 100644
--- a/crates/ecp-core/src/cypher/value.rs
+++ b/crates/ecp-core/src/cypher/value.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 use crate::graph::RelType;
+use compact_str::CompactString;
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq)]
 pub enum Value {
@@ -6,14 +7,20 @@ pub enum Value {
     Bool(bool),
     Int(i64),
     Float(f64),
-    Str(String),
+    /// `CompactString` inlines values ≤24 bytes with no heap allocation. The
+    /// dominant result strings — symbol `kind` ("Function", "Class"…) and
+    /// `rel_type` ("Calls", "Implements"…) — always fit, so a query returning
+    /// N edges drops N heap allocs for those columns.
+    Str(CompactString),
     List(Vec<Value>),
     /// Reference to a graph node. CLI side resolves `.name`/`.kind`/`.filePath`
-    /// for human-readable serialization.
+    /// for human-readable serialization. `name`/`kind` inline as `CompactString`
+    /// (kind always; realistic symbol names usually); `file_path` stays `String`
+    /// since paths routinely exceed the inline budget.
     NodeRef {
         idx: u32,
-        name: String,
-        kind: String,
+        name: CompactString,
+        kind: CompactString,
         file_path: String,
     },
     EdgeRef {
diff --git a/crates/ecp-core/tests/cypher_where_label_test.rs b/crates/ecp-core/tests/cypher_where_label_test.rs
index f1b259f3..ccfe23bc 100644
--- a/crates/ecp-core/tests/cypher_where_label_test.rs
+++ b/crates/ecp-core/tests/cypher_where_label_test.rs
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ fn names_returned(cypher_query: &str) -> Vec<String> {
         .rows
         .iter()
         .map(|r| match &r[0] {
-            cypher::Value::Str(s) => s.clone(),
+            cypher::Value::Str(s) => s.to_string(),
             v => panic!("expected Str, got {v:?}"),
         })
         .collect()