diff --git a/plugin-tests/github-mcp/mcp_tool_gh.bats b/plugin-tests/github-mcp/mcp_tool_gh.bats
index b3a4e7a..3f899b8 100644
--- a/plugin-tests/github-mcp/mcp_tool_gh.bats
+++ b/plugin-tests/github-mcp/mcp_tool_gh.bats
@@ -922,6 +922,119 @@ bats_test_function --description "pr_checks: fails without repo outside git"  --
     assert_output --partial "sort must be"
 }
 
+# =============================================================================
+# search terms: search, search_repos, search_commits
+# =============================================================================
+
+# Print the terms _gh_split_search_terms produced, one per line.
+split_search_terms() {
+    _gh_split_search_terms "$1" "search" required || return 1
+    printf '%s\n' "${_GH_SEARCH_TERMS[@]}"
+}
+
+@test "search terms: words split on any whitespace, a qualifier stays one term" {
+    run split_search_terms $'is:open  timeout\thang\n'
+    assert_success
+    assert_output $'is:open\ntimeout\nhang'
+}
+
+@test "search terms: a quoted phrase becomes one term without its quotes" {
+    run split_search_terms '"exact phrase" crash'
+    assert_success
+    assert_output $'exact phrase\ncrash'
+}
+
+@test "search terms: a quoted qualifier value stays attached to its qualifier" {
+    run split_search_terms 'label:"good first issue" crash'
+    assert_success
+    assert_output $'label:good first issue\ncrash'
+}
+
+@test "search terms: whitespace inside a quoted phrase collapses to single spaces" {
+    run split_search_terms $'"out\tof   memory" crash'
+    assert_success
+    assert_output $'out of memory\ncrash'
+}
+
+@test "search terms: an expression containing a unit separator is rejected" {
+    run split_search_terms $'out\x1fof memory'
+    assert_failure
+    assert_output --partial "unit separator"
+}
+
+@test "search terms: an expression with no terms is rejected" {
+    run split_search_terms ' "" '
+    assert_failure
+    assert_output --partial "no search terms"
+}
+
+# Assert the exact argv a search tool hands gh, one argument per line.
+# Usage: assert_search_argv <tool_fn> <args_json> <expected_argv>
+assert_search_argv() {
+    local fn="$1" args="$2" expected="$3"
+    gh() {
+        printf '%s\n' "$@" > "${BATS_TEST_TMPDIR}/gh_args"
+        echo '[]'
+    }
+    run "${fn}" "${args}"
+    assert_success
+    run cat "${BATS_TEST_TMPDIR}/gh_args"
+    assert_output "${expected}"
+}
+
+_test_argv_search() {
+    assert_search_argv tool_search '{"search":"is:open timeout -label:bug"}' \
+        $'search\nprs\n--repo\nshopware/shopware\n--limit\n20\n--\nis:open\ntimeout\n-label:bug'
+}
+_test_argv_search_repos() {
+    assert_search_argv tool_search_repos '{"search":"stars:>10 plugin -topic:php","owner":"shopware"}' \
+        $'search\nrepos\n--owner\nshopware\n--limit\n20\n--json\nfullName,description,stargazersCount,language,updatedAt,url\n--\nstars:>10\nplugin\n-topic:php'
+}
+_test_argv_search_commits() {
+    assert_search_argv tool_search_commits '{"search":"author:mitelg fix cart -committer:bot"}' \
+        $'search\ncommits\n--repo\nshopware/shopware\n--limit\n20\n--json\nsha,commit\n--\nauthor:mitelg\nfix\ncart\n-committer:bot'
+}
+
+bats_test_function --description "search: each word is its own argument after --, a negated qualifier included" \
+    -- _test_argv_search
+bats_test_function --description "search_repos: each word is its own argument after --, a negated qualifier included" \
+    -- _test_argv_search_repos
+bats_test_function --description "search_commits: each word is its own argument after --, a negated qualifier included" \
+    -- _test_argv_search_commits
+
+@test "search: type=issues passes each word to gh search issues" {
+    assert_search_argv tool_search '{"search":"timeout hang","type":"issues"}' \
+        $'search\nissues\n--repo\nshopware/shopware\n--limit\n20\n--\ntimeout\nhang'
+}
+
+@test "search_repos: a whitespace-only search runs the filter-only search" {
+    assert_search_argv tool_search_repos '{"search":"  ","owner":"shopware"}' \
+        $'search\nrepos\n--owner\nshopware\n--limit\n20\n--json\nfullName,description,stargazersCount,language,updatedAt,url'
+}
+
+@test "search_code: the whole search is one argument after --" {
+    assert_search_argv tool_search_code '{"search":"->getId( foo","repo":"shopware/shopware"}' \
+        $'search\ncode\n--repo\nshopware/shopware\n--limit\n30\n--json\nrepository,path,textMatches\n--\n->getId( foo'
+}
+
+# Assert a search tool rejects an unbalanced double quote before calling gh.
+# Usage: assert_unbalanced_quote_rejected <tool_fn>
+assert_unbalanced_quote_rejected() {
+    local fn="$1"
+    gh() { touch "${BATS_TEST_TMPDIR}/gh_called"; echo '[]'; }
+    run "${fn}" '{"search":"label:\"good first issue"}'
+    assert_failure
+    assert_output --partial "unbalanced double quote"
+    assert [ ! -e "${BATS_TEST_TMPDIR}/gh_called" ]
+}
+
+bats_test_function --description "search: an unbalanced double quote is rejected before gh runs" \
+    -- assert_unbalanced_quote_rejected tool_search
+bats_test_function --description "search_repos: an unbalanced double quote is rejected before gh runs" \
+    -- assert_unbalanced_quote_rejected tool_search_repos
+bats_test_function --description "search_commits: an unbalanced double quote is rejected before gh runs" \
+    -- assert_unbalanced_quote_rejected tool_search_commits
+
 # =============================================================================
 # search_discussions
 # =============================================================================
@@ -2113,21 +2226,6 @@ diff --git a/src/Third.php b/src/Third.php
     assert_output --partial "type must be"
 }
 
-@test "search: type=issues uses gh search issues" {
-    gh() {
-        echo "$*" > "${BATS_TEST_TMPDIR}/captured_cmd"
-        echo '[]'
-    }
-    run tool_search '{"search":"bug","type":"issues"}'
-    assert_success
-    local captured_cmd
-    captured_cmd=$(cat "${BATS_TEST_TMPDIR}/captured_cmd")
-    [[ "${captured_cmd}" == *"search issues bug"* ]] || {
-        echo "Expected 'search issues bug' in command: ${captured_cmd}"
-        return 1
-    }
-}
-
 @test "search: repo filter passed to gh" {
     gh() {
         echo "$*" > "${BATS_TEST_TMPDIR}/captured_cmd"
diff --git a/plugins/github-mcp/CHANGELOG.md b/plugins/github-mcp/CHANGELOG.md
index 760a71e..47da62d 100644
--- a/plugins/github-mcp/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/plugins/github-mcp/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -9,6 +9,18 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ### Fixed
 
+- `search`, `search_repos`, and `search_commits` now pass each word of `search` to `gh` as its own
+  keyword. Before, the whole expression went to `gh` as one argument, and `gh` turns an argument
+  with whitespace into one quoted phrase, reading any text before its first `:` as a qualifier name:
+  `timeout hang` searched for the phrase `"timeout hang"`, and `is:open timeout hang` became
+  `is:"open timeout hang"`. A double-quoted span such as `"exact phrase"` or
+  `label:"good first issue"` stays one term, with tabs and newlines inside it turned into spaces. A
+  `search` with an unbalanced double quote fails before `gh` runs, and so does a `search` without
+  words for `search` and `search_commits`; `search_repos` then searches by its filters alone.
+  `REFERENCE.md` lists the forms `gh` cannot pass through, such as a negated phrase.
+- `search`, `search_repos`, `search_commits`, and `search_code` now put the search after `--`, so a
+  search that starts with `-`, such as `-label:bug crash` or the code `->getId(`, is no longer read
+  as a `gh` flag. `search_code` still sends the whole search as one exact-text phrase.
 - In pi, `tool_search` now ranks the requested gh-tooling tool first for most exact-name queries,
   such as `issue_view` (before: 5th). Names that share terms with another tool can still rank 2nd to
   5th: `search`, `repo_file`, and with the write server `pr_comments`, `pr_reviews`, and
diff --git a/plugins/github-mcp/REFERENCE.md b/plugins/github-mcp/REFERENCE.md
index cb29ca5..940ab64 100644
--- a/plugins/github-mcp/REFERENCE.md
+++ b/plugins/github-mcp/REFERENCE.md
@@ -327,8 +327,11 @@ Search for issues or pull requests.
 Use gh-tooling search with search "NEXT-3412" and type "prs"
 Use gh-tooling search with search "custom field translation" and type "issues" and limit 20
 Use gh-tooling search with search "attribute entity" and state "closed"
+Use gh-tooling search with search "\"custom field\" label:\"good first issue\"" and type "issues"
 ```
 
+**Search expressions** (`search`, `search_repos`, `search_commits`): each word is its own keyword, so a result has to match all of them, in any order. Double quotes keep a phrase together (`"custom field"`), also as a qualifier value (`label:"good first issue"`). A `search` with an unmatched `"` fails before `gh` runs. `gh` cannot pass three forms through: a negated phrase (`-"exact phrase"` becomes a phrase that starts with `-`; use `NOT "exact phrase"`), a quoted single word (`"OR"` becomes the operator), and a phrase containing `:`.
+
 ### `search_code`
 
 Search for code across GitHub repositories. Uses the legacy code search engine (no regex, no symbol search, no path globs). Rate limit: 10 requests/minute.
@@ -341,7 +344,7 @@ Use gh-tooling search_code with search "addClass" and repo "shopware/shopware" a
 ```
 
 **Parameters:**
-- `search` (string, required): Code search expression (exact text match, no regex).
+- `search` (string, required): Code search expression, matched as exact text (no regex). Unlike the other search tools, the whole value is one phrase.
 - `owner` (string, optional): Limit to repositories owned by this user/org.
 - `repo` (string, optional): Limit to this repository in `owner/repo` format.
 - `language` (string, optional): Filter by language (e.g. `php`, `typescript`).
@@ -363,7 +366,7 @@ Use gh-tooling search_repos with topic "shopware" and limit 10
 ```
 
 **Parameters:**
-- `search` (string, optional): Search text.
+- `search` (string, optional): Search expression; see [Search expressions](#search). A value with no words searches by the filters alone.
 - `owner` (string, optional): Filter by owner.
 - `topic` (string, optional): Filter by topic tag.
 - `language` (string, optional): Filter by language.
@@ -382,7 +385,7 @@ Use gh-tooling search_commits with search "fix cart" and author "mitelg" and aut
 ```
 
 **Parameters:**
-- `search` (string, required): Commit message search text.
+- `search` (string, required): Commit message search expression; see [Search expressions](#search).
 - `repo` (string, optional): Limit to this repository in `owner/repo` format.
 - `owner` (string, optional): Limit to repositories owned by this user/org.
 - `author` (string, optional): Filter by commit author username.
diff --git a/plugins/github-mcp/mcp-server-gh/lib/search.sh b/plugins/github-mcp/mcp-server-gh/lib/search.sh
index 227308f..495062f 100644
--- a/plugins/github-mcp/mcp-server-gh/lib/search.sh
+++ b/plugins/github-mcp/mcp-server-gh/lib/search.sh
@@ -2,9 +2,85 @@
 # Search tools for gh-tooling MCP server
 # Tools: search, search_code, search_repos, search_commits, search_discussions
 
+#######################################
+# Split a search expression into the keyword arguments gh search expects.
+# gh quotes each argument that contains whitespace, so the whole expression
+# passed as one argument would become a single phrase. Splits on spaces, tabs,
+# and newlines; a double-quoted span stays in the term it belongs to, with its
+# quotes removed and its whitespace collapsed to single spaces, so gh quotes it
+# again: '"exact phrase"' -> 'exact phrase', 'label:"good first issue"' ->
+# 'label:good first issue'.
+# gh re-quotes only a term that contains whitespace, and reads the text before a
+# term's first ':' as a qualifier name. So '-"exact phrase"' becomes the phrase
+# '-exact phrase' rather than its negation, '"OR"' becomes the operator OR, and
+# '"error: timeout"' does not reach GitHub as that phrase; gh has no argument
+# form for any of them.
+# Callers pass the terms after "--", so a term starting with '-' (-label:bug)
+# is not read as a gh flag.
+# Built on read's field splitting rather than a per-character loop, which takes
+# quadratic time in bash.
+# Globals:
+#   _GH_SEARCH_TERMS (set)
+# Arguments:
+#   $1 search expression,
+#   $2 tool name, for error messages,
+#   $3 "required" to fail when no term remains, "optional" to allow none.
+# Outputs:
+#   An error message on stdout on failure.
+# Returns:
+#   0 on success, 1 on an unbalanced double quote, a unit separator (U+001F)
+#   in the expression, or no term in required mode.
+#######################################
+_gh_split_search_terms() {
+    local search="$1" tool_name="$2" mode="$3"
+    local ws=$' \t\n' us=$'\x1f'
+    _GH_SEARCH_TERMS=()
+
+    if [[ "${mode}" != "required" && "${mode}" != "optional" ]]; then
+        echo "Error: _gh_split_search_terms mode must be 'required' or 'optional', got: '${mode}'"
+        return 1
+    fi
+    if [[ "${search}" == *"${us}"* ]]; then
+        echo "Error: search for ${tool_name} contains a unit separator (U+001F): '${search}'"
+        return 1
+    fi
+
+    # Fields at odd indexes were inside quotes. The appended quote terminates the
+    # last field; the field after it holds only the here-string's newline.
+    local -a parts words
+    IFS='"' read -r -d '' -a parts <<< "${search}\"" || true
+    unset 'parts[${#parts[@]}-1]'
+    if (( ${#parts[@]} % 2 == 0 )); then
+        echo "Error: search for ${tool_name} has an unbalanced double quote: '${search}'"
+        return 1
+    fi
+
+    # A quoted span's words are joined with the unit separator, so the split
+    # below keeps the span in one term; the separator becomes a space after.
+    local flat="" phrase i
+    for (( i = 0; i < ${#parts[@]}; i++ )); do
+        if (( i % 2 == 0 )); then
+            flat+="${parts[i]}"
+            continue
+        fi
+        IFS="${ws}" read -r -d '' -a words <<< "${parts[i]}" || true
+        if (( ${#words[@]} > 0 )); then
+            printf -v phrase "%s${us}" "${words[@]}"
+            flat+="${phrase%"${us}"}"
+        fi
+    done
+
+    IFS="${ws}" read -r -d '' -a _GH_SEARCH_TERMS <<< "${flat}" || true
+    if (( ${#_GH_SEARCH_TERMS[@]} > 0 )); then
+        _GH_SEARCH_TERMS=("${_GH_SEARCH_TERMS[@]//"${us}"/ }")
+    elif [[ "${mode}" == "required" ]]; then
+        echo "Error: search for ${tool_name} has no search terms: '${search}'"
+        return 1
+    fi
+}
+
 # Search for GitHub issues or pull requests using a search expression.
-# Maps to: gh search issues|prs <search> [--repo] [--state] [--limit] [--json]
-# Also supports the low-level: gh api search/issues -X GET -f q="..." -f per_page=N
+# Maps to: gh search issues|prs [--repo] [--state] [--limit] [--json] -- <terms...>
 tool_search() {
     local args="$1"
 
@@ -39,8 +115,9 @@ tool_search() {
     effective_repo=$(_gh_resolve_repo "${repo}")
 
     _gh_validate_number "${limit}" "limit" || return 1
+    _gh_split_search_terms "${search}" "search" required || return 1
 
-    local -a cmd=("gh" "search" "${type}" "${search}")
+    local -a cmd=("gh" "search" "${type}")
 
     if [[ -n "${effective_repo}" ]]; then
         _gh_validate_repo "${effective_repo}" || return 1
@@ -50,6 +127,7 @@ tool_search() {
     [[ -n "${state}" ]] && cmd+=("--state" "${state}")
     cmd+=("--limit" "${limit}")
     [[ -n "${fields}" ]] && cmd+=("--json" "${fields}")
+    cmd+=("--" "${_GH_SEARCH_TERMS[@]}")
 
     log "INFO" "search: ${cmd[*]}"
     local __raw __exit=0
@@ -68,7 +146,7 @@ tool_search() {
 # Search for code across GitHub repositories.
 # Uses the legacy code search engine (no regex, no symbol search, no path globs).
 # Rate limit: 10 requests/minute (separate bucket from other search endpoints).
-# Maps to: gh search code <search> [--repo] [--language] [--extension] [--filename] [--match] [--limit] [--json]
+# Maps to: gh search code [--repo] [--owner] [--language] [--extension] [--filename] [--match] [--limit] [--json] -- <search>
 tool_search_code() {
     local args="$1"
 
@@ -110,7 +188,7 @@ tool_search_code() {
     _gh_validate_grep_pattern "${grep_pattern}" || return 1
     _gh_validate_number "${limit}" "limit" || return 1
 
-    local -a cmd=("gh" "search" "code" "${search}")
+    local -a cmd=("gh" "search" "code")
 
     # Resolve repo: explicit param > GH_DEFAULT_REPO (consistent with tool_search)
     local effective_repo
@@ -135,6 +213,9 @@ tool_search_code() {
 
     local default_fields="repository,path,textMatches"
     [[ -n "${fields}" ]] && cmd+=("--json" "${fields}") || cmd+=("--json" "${default_fields}")
+    # One argument, so gh quotes it as the exact text match the tool promises;
+    # "--" keeps a search such as "->getId(" from being read as a flag.
+    cmd+=("--" "${search}")
 
     log "INFO" "search_code: ${cmd[*]}"
     local __raw __exit=0
@@ -177,7 +258,7 @@ tool_search_code() {
 
 # Search for GitHub repositories.
 # Query is optional — filters alone (owner, topic, language, stars) suffice.
-# Maps to: gh search repos [search] [--owner] [--topic] [--language] [--license] [--stars] [--sort] [--limit] [--json]
+# Maps to: gh search repos [--owner] [--topic] [--language] [--license] [--stars] [--sort] [--limit] [--json] [-- <terms...>]
 tool_search_repos() {
     local args="$1"
 
@@ -209,9 +290,9 @@ tool_search_repos() {
 
     _gh_validate_jq_filter "${jq_filter}" || return 1
     _gh_validate_number "${limit}" "limit" || return 1
+    _gh_split_search_terms "${search}" "search_repos" optional || return 1
 
     local -a cmd=("gh" "search" "repos")
-    [[ -n "${search}" ]]   && cmd+=("${search}")
     [[ -n "${owner}" ]]    && cmd+=("--owner" "${owner}")
     [[ -n "${topic}" ]]    && cmd+=("--topic" "${topic}")
     [[ -n "${language}" ]] && cmd+=("--language" "${language}")
@@ -222,6 +303,7 @@ tool_search_repos() {
 
     local default_fields="fullName,description,stargazersCount,language,updatedAt,url"
     [[ -n "${fields}" ]] && cmd+=("--json" "${fields}") || cmd+=("--json" "${default_fields}")
+    [[ ${#_GH_SEARCH_TERMS[@]} -gt 0 ]] && cmd+=("--" "${_GH_SEARCH_TERMS[@]}")
 
     log "INFO" "search_repos: ${cmd[*]}"
     local __raw __exit=0
@@ -238,7 +320,7 @@ tool_search_repos() {
 }
 
 # Search for GitHub commits.
-# Maps to: gh search commits <search> [--repo] [--owner] [--author] [--committer] [--author-date] [--committer-date] [--hash] [--merge] [--sort] [--limit] [--json]
+# Maps to: gh search commits [--repo] [--owner] [--author] [--committer] [--author-date] [--committer-date] [--hash] [--merge] [--sort] [--limit] [--json] -- <terms...>
 tool_search_commits() {
     local args="$1"
 
@@ -277,8 +359,9 @@ tool_search_commits() {
 
     _gh_validate_jq_filter "${jq_filter}" || return 1
     _gh_validate_number "${limit}" "limit" || return 1
+    _gh_split_search_terms "${search}" "search_commits" required || return 1
 
-    local -a cmd=("gh" "search" "commits" "${search}")
+    local -a cmd=("gh" "search" "commits")
 
     # Resolve repo: explicit param > GH_DEFAULT_REPO (consistent with tool_search)
     local effective_repo
@@ -307,6 +390,7 @@ tool_search_commits() {
 
     local default_fields="sha,commit"
     [[ -n "${fields}" ]] && cmd+=("--json" "${fields}") || cmd+=("--json" "${default_fields}")
+    cmd+=("--" "${_GH_SEARCH_TERMS[@]}")
 
     log "INFO" "search_commits: ${cmd[*]}"
     local __raw __exit=0
diff --git a/plugins/github-mcp/mcp-server-gh/tools-read.json b/plugins/github-mcp/mcp-server-gh/tools-read.json
index 6127089..a15f8ad 100644
--- a/plugins/github-mcp/mcp-server-gh/tools-read.json
+++ b/plugins/github-mcp/mcp-server-gh/tools-read.json
@@ -1091,7 +1091,7 @@
           },
           "search": {
             "type": "string",
-            "description": "Search expression (e.g. 'NEXT-3412', 'attribute entity', 'custom field translated')."
+            "description": "Search expression. Each word is its own keyword; double quotes keep a phrase together (e.g. 'NEXT-3412', 'attribute entity', '\"custom field\" translated', 'label:\"good first issue\"'). An unmatched double quote fails the call."
           }
         },
         "additionalProperties": false
@@ -1198,7 +1198,7 @@
           },
           "search": {
             "type": "string",
-            "description": "Code search expression (exact text match, no regex). Example: 'addClass', 'extends AbstractController'."
+            "description": "Code search expression, matched as exact text including spaces (no regex). Example: 'addClass', 'extends AbstractController'."
           }
         },
         "additionalProperties": false
@@ -1269,7 +1269,7 @@
           },
           "search": {
             "type": "string",
-            "description": "Search expression (optional when using filters). Example: 'shopware plugin', 'ecommerce'."
+            "description": "Search expression (optional when using filters). Each word is its own keyword; double quotes keep a phrase together. Example: 'shopware plugin', '\"headless commerce\"'. An unmatched double quote fails the call."
           }
         },
         "additionalProperties": false
@@ -1348,7 +1348,7 @@
           },
           "search": {
             "type": "string",
-            "description": "Commit message search text (e.g. 'NEXT-1234', 'fix cart calculation')."
+            "description": "Commit message search expression. Each word is its own keyword; double quotes keep a phrase together (e.g. 'NEXT-1234', 'fix cart', '\"fix cart calculation\"'). An unmatched double quote fails the call."
           }
         },
         "additionalProperties": false