diff --git a/services/search/pkg/mapping/deserialize.go b/services/search/pkg/mapping/deserialize.go
index f8c2f844a1..a247de659e 100644
--- a/services/search/pkg/mapping/deserialize.go
+++ b/services/search/pkg/mapping/deserialize.go
@@ -87,6 +87,14 @@ func fillStruct[V any](v reflect.Value, fields map[string]V, prefix string, setL
 			}
 		}
 
+		// Value nested struct (e.g. a tagged embedded struct): recurse under key.
+		if fv.Kind() == reflect.Struct && fv.Type() != timeType && fv.Type() != timestampType {
+			if fillStruct(fv, fields, key, setLeaf) {
+				touched = true
+			}
+			continue
+		}
+
 		if raw, ok := fields[key]; ok && setLeaf(fv, raw) == nil {
 			touched = true
 		}
diff --git a/services/search/pkg/mapping/deserialize_test.go b/services/search/pkg/mapping/deserialize_test.go
index 55824aeaa5..11c6110d5b 100644
--- a/services/search/pkg/mapping/deserialize_test.go
+++ b/services/search/pkg/mapping/deserialize_test.go
@@ -32,6 +32,13 @@ type embedded struct {
 	Photo *photo `json:"photo,omitempty"`
 }
 
+// taggedEmbedded embeds Leaf with a json tag, so encoding/json nests it under
+// "leaf" rather than flattening it onto the parent.
+type taggedEmbedded struct {
+	Leaf `json:"leaf"`
+	Top  string `json:"top"`
+}
+
 var _ = Describe("Deserialize", func() {
 	It("panics for a non-struct type at a prefix", func() {
 		Expect(func() {
@@ -115,4 +122,18 @@ var _ = Describe("Deserialize", func() {
 		Expect(r.Year).ToNot(BeNil())
 		Expect(*r.Year).To(Equal(int32(2024)))
 	})
+
+	It("nests a tagged embedded struct instead of flattening it", func() {
+		// matches encoding/json: a tagged embedded struct is read under its tag.
+		r := Deserialize[taggedEmbedded](map[string]any{
+			"leaf.Name": "n",
+			"top":       "t",
+		})
+		Expect(r.Leaf.Name).To(Equal("n"))
+		Expect(r.Top).To(Equal("t"))
+
+		// the flattened top-level key must NOT populate the nested field.
+		flat := Deserialize[taggedEmbedded](map[string]any{"Name": "flat"})
+		Expect(flat.Leaf.Name).To(BeEmpty())
+	})
 })
diff --git a/services/search/pkg/mapping/fieldindex_test.go b/services/search/pkg/mapping/fieldindex_test.go
index d0e47dcb2e..56e6b0119b 100644
--- a/services/search/pkg/mapping/fieldindex_test.go
+++ b/services/search/pkg/mapping/fieldindex_test.go
@@ -77,3 +77,22 @@ func TestFieldNameIndex_CoversAllTopLevelFields(t *testing.T) {
 		require.Equalf(t, want, resolve(idx, in), "derived should cover %q", in)
 	}
 }
+
+// NestInner is embedded with a json tag below, so it must nest, not flatten.
+type NestInner struct {
+	A string `json:"A"`
+}
+
+type taggedOuter struct {
+	NestInner `json:"inner"`
+	Top       string `json:"top"`
+}
+
+// A json-tagged embedded struct nests under its tag in the derived index too
+// (walkFields must match encoding/json), so its fields are "inner.A", not "A".
+func TestFieldNameIndex_TaggedEmbeddedNests(t *testing.T) {
+	idx := mapping.FieldNameIndex(reflect.TypeFor[taggedOuter](), nil)
+	require.Equal(t, "inner.A", resolve(idx, "inner.a")) // nested under the tag
+	require.Equal(t, "top", resolve(idx, "top"))
+	require.Equal(t, "a", resolve(idx, "a")) // not flattened: bare "a" is not a key
+}
diff --git a/services/search/pkg/mapping/infer.go b/services/search/pkg/mapping/infer.go
index 76a49bd669..5524703f8d 100644
--- a/services/search/pkg/mapping/infer.go
+++ b/services/search/pkg/mapping/infer.go
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ func resolveField(sf reflect.StructField) fieldInfo {
 		return fieldInfo{Skip: true}
 	}
 	name := sf.Name
+	named := false
 	tag := sf.Tag.Get("json")
 	if tag != "" {
 		first, _, _ := strings.Cut(tag, ",")
@@ -66,12 +67,16 @@ func resolveField(sf reflect.StructField) fieldInfo {
 		}
 		if first != "" {
 			name = first
+			named = true
 		}
 	}
 	return fieldInfo{
-		Name:     name,
-		GoField:  sf,
-		Embedded: sf.Anonymous,
+		Name:    name,
+		GoField: sf,
+		// An anonymous field is embedded (flattened onto the parent) only when it
+		// has no json tag name, matching encoding/json: a tag name nests it as a
+		// regular field instead.
+		Embedded: sf.Anonymous && !named,
 	}
 }