fix(cli): tolerate fts errors in search

src/vouch/cli.py

@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 import io
 import json
 import os
+import sqlite3
 import sys
 from collections.abc import Iterator
 from contextlib import contextmanager, suppress
@@ -2312,14 +2313,20 @@ def search(
         )
         used = "embedding" if hits else used
     if not hits and backend in ("auto", "fts5"):
-        hits = index_db.search(store.kb_dir, q, limit=fetch_limit)
-        used = "fts5" if hits else used
+        try:
+            hits = index_db.search(store.kb_dir, q, limit=fetch_limit)
+            used = "fts5" if hits else used
+        except sqlite3.Error:
+            hits = []
     if not hits and backend in ("auto", "substring"):
         hits = store.search_substring(q, limit=fetch_limit)
         used = "substring"
     if backend == "hybrid":
         emb = index_db.search_semantic(store.kb_dir, q, limit=fetch_limit * 2)
-        fts = index_db.search(store.kb_dir, q, limit=fetch_limit * 2)
+        try:
+            fts = index_db.search(store.kb_dir, q, limit=fetch_limit * 2)
+        except sqlite3.Error:
+            fts = []
         hits = rrf_fuse(emb, fts, limit=fetch_limit)
         used = "hybrid"
 

tests/test_cli.py

@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 
 import json
 import os
+import sqlite3
 import subprocess
 import sys
 from pathlib import Path
@@ -294,6 +295,59 @@ def test_search_substring_backend_label(store: KBStore, monkeypatch: pytest.Monk
     assert "(substring)" in result.output
 
 
+def test_search_auto_falls_back_when_fts_raises(
+    store: KBStore,
+    monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch,
+) -> None:
+    """Auto search should mirror context/server resilience on FTS errors."""
+    from vouch import index_db
+    from vouch.proposals import approve as do_approve
+    from vouch.proposals import propose_claim
+
+    src = store.put_source(b"e")
+    pr = propose_claim(store, text="findable token", evidence=[src.id], proposed_by="agent")
+    do_approve(store, pr.id, approved_by="reviewer")
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        index_db,
+        "search",
+        lambda *a, **k: (_ for _ in ()).throw(sqlite3.Error("fts unavailable")),
+    )
+    monkeypatch.setattr(index_db, "search_semantic", lambda *a, **k: [])
+
+    result = CliRunner().invoke(cli, ["search", "findable"])
+
+    assert result.exit_code == 0, result.output
+    assert "(substring)" in result.output
+
+
+def test_search_hybrid_keeps_semantic_hits_when_fts_raises(
+    store: KBStore,
+    monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch,
+) -> None:
+    """Hybrid search should degrade to semantic-only when FTS5 is unavailable."""
+    from vouch import index_db
+    from vouch.models import Claim
+
+    src = store.put_source(b"e")
+    store.put_claim(Claim(id="c1", text="semantic token", evidence=[src.id]))
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        index_db,
+        "search_semantic",
+        lambda *a, **k: [("claim", "c1", "semantic token", 0.9)],
+    )
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        index_db,
+        "search",
+        lambda *a, **k: (_ for _ in ()).throw(sqlite3.Error("fts unavailable")),
+    )
+
+    result = CliRunner().invoke(cli, ["search", "semantic", "--backend", "hybrid"])
+
+    assert result.exit_code == 0, result.output
+    assert "claim/c1" in result.output
+    assert "(hybrid)" in result.output
+
+
 def test_crystallize_cli_all_failures_exits_1(store: KBStore) -> None:
     with patch.object(KBStore, "_embed_and_store"):
         src = store.put_source(b"e")