diff --git a/tests/tools/test_file_operations.py b/tests/tools/test_file_operations.py
index b427826e5..0db3fb43b 100644
--- a/tests/tools/test_file_operations.py
+++ b/tests/tools/test_file_operations.py
@@ -259,6 +259,70 @@ class TestShellFileOpsHelpers:
         assert ops.cwd == "/"
 
 
+class TestSearchPathValidation:
+    """Test that search() returns an error for non-existent paths."""
+
+    def test_search_nonexistent_path_returns_error(self, mock_env):
+        """search() should return an error when the path doesn't exist."""
+        def side_effect(command, **kwargs):
+            if "test -e" in command:
+                return {"output": "not_found", "returncode": 1}
+            if "command -v" in command:
+                return {"output": "yes", "returncode": 0}
+            return {"output": "", "returncode": 0}
+        mock_env.execute.side_effect = side_effect
+        ops = ShellFileOperations(mock_env)
+        result = ops.search("pattern", path="/nonexistent/path")
+        assert result.error is not None
+        assert "not found" in result.error.lower() or "Path not found" in result.error
+
+    def test_search_nonexistent_path_files_mode(self, mock_env):
+        """search(target='files') should also return error for bad paths."""
+        def side_effect(command, **kwargs):
+            if "test -e" in command:
+                return {"output": "not_found", "returncode": 1}
+            if "command -v" in command:
+                return {"output": "yes", "returncode": 0}
+            return {"output": "", "returncode": 0}
+        mock_env.execute.side_effect = side_effect
+        ops = ShellFileOperations(mock_env)
+        result = ops.search("*.py", path="/nonexistent/path", target="files")
+        assert result.error is not None
+        assert "not found" in result.error.lower() or "Path not found" in result.error
+
+    def test_search_existing_path_proceeds(self, mock_env):
+        """search() should proceed normally when the path exists."""
+        def side_effect(command, **kwargs):
+            if "test -e" in command:
+                return {"output": "exists", "returncode": 0}
+            if "command -v" in command:
+                return {"output": "yes", "returncode": 0}
+            # rg returns exit 1 (no matches) with empty output
+            return {"output": "", "returncode": 1}
+        mock_env.execute.side_effect = side_effect
+        ops = ShellFileOperations(mock_env)
+        result = ops.search("pattern", path="/existing/path")
+        assert result.error is None
+        assert result.total_count == 0  # No matches but no error
+
+    def test_search_rg_error_exit_code(self, mock_env):
+        """search() should report error when rg returns exit code 2."""
+        call_count = {"n": 0}
+        def side_effect(command, **kwargs):
+            call_count["n"] += 1
+            if "test -e" in command:
+                return {"output": "exists", "returncode": 0}
+            if "command -v" in command:
+                return {"output": "yes", "returncode": 0}
+            # rg returns exit 2 (error) with empty output
+            return {"output": "", "returncode": 2}
+        mock_env.execute.side_effect = side_effect
+        ops = ShellFileOperations(mock_env)
+        result = ops.search("pattern", path="/some/path")
+        assert result.error is not None
+        assert "search failed" in result.error.lower() or "Search error" in result.error
+
+
 class TestShellFileOpsWriteDenied:
     def test_write_file_denied_path(self, file_ops):
         result = file_ops.write_file("~/.ssh/authorized_keys", "evil key")
diff --git a/tools/file_operations.py b/tools/file_operations.py
index 182d35f5f..3f72c5fdb 100644
--- a/tools/file_operations.py
+++ b/tools/file_operations.py
@@ -819,6 +819,14 @@ class ShellFileOperations(FileOperations):
         # Expand ~ and other shell paths
         path = self._expand_path(path)
         
+        # Validate that the path exists before searching
+        check = self._exec(f"test -e {self._escape_shell_arg(path)} && echo exists || echo not_found")
+        if "not_found" in check.stdout:
+            return SearchResult(
+                error=f"Path not found: {path}. Verify the path exists (use 'terminal' to check).",
+                total_count=0
+            )
+        
         if target == "files":
             return self._search_files(pattern, path, limit, offset)
         else:
@@ -919,6 +927,11 @@ class ShellFileOperations(FileOperations):
         cmd = " ".join(cmd_parts)
         result = self._exec(cmd, timeout=60)
         
+        # rg exit codes: 0=matches found, 1=no matches, 2=error
+        if result.exit_code == 2 and not result.stdout.strip():
+            error_msg = result.stderr.strip() if hasattr(result, 'stderr') and result.stderr else "Search error"
+            return SearchResult(error=f"Search failed: {error_msg}", total_count=0)
+        
         # Parse results based on output mode
         if output_mode == "files_only":
             all_files = [f for f in result.stdout.strip().split('\n') if f]
@@ -1013,6 +1026,11 @@ class ShellFileOperations(FileOperations):
         cmd = " ".join(cmd_parts)
         result = self._exec(cmd, timeout=60)
         
+        # grep exit codes: 0=matches found, 1=no matches, 2=error
+        if result.exit_code == 2 and not result.stdout.strip():
+            error_msg = result.stderr.strip() if hasattr(result, 'stderr') and result.stderr else "Search error"
+            return SearchResult(error=f"Search failed: {error_msg}", total_count=0)
+        
         if output_mode == "files_only":
             all_files = [f for f in result.stdout.strip().split('\n') if f]
             total = len(all_files)