diff --git a/classifier/js/tree.js b/classifier/js/tree.js
index 561174d..3141075 100644
--- a/classifier/js/tree.js
+++ b/classifier/js/tree.js
@@ -93,30 +93,42 @@
     var visible = null;   // { folders, files } while filtering, else null
     function computeVisible() {
         var c = window.app.modules.classify;
-        var folders = Object.create(null), files = Object.create(null);
+        var folders = Object.create(null), files = Object.create(null), open = Object.create(null);
         var nf = filterActive();
         function walk(folder, ancMatched) {
-            var matched = ancMatched || (nf && nameHit(folder.path || folder.name));
-            var show = false, hasFile = false;
+            var selfMatch = nf && nameHit(folder.path || folder.name);
+            var matched = ancMatched || selfMatch;
+            var show = false, hasFile = false, descMatch = false;
             (folder.children || []).forEach(function (ch) {
                 var r = walk(ch, matched);
                 if (r.show) show = true;
                 if (r.hasFile) hasFile = true;
+                if (r.subtreeMatch) descMatch = true;   // a child leads to a match
             });
             (folder.files || []).forEach(function (f) {
                 hasFile = true;
                 if (!classifyAllows(f)) return;
-                if (!nf || matched || nameHit(c.srcKeyForFile(f))) { files[c.srcKeyForFile(f)] = true; show = true; }
+                var fileMatch = nf && nameHit(c.srcKeyForFile(f));
+                if (!nf || matched || fileMatch) { files[c.srcKeyForFile(f)] = true; show = true; }
+                if (fileMatch) descMatch = true;         // a match sits directly in this folder
             });
             if (matched) show = true;
             // "Show Empty" off → hide folders whose whole subtree holds no files.
             if (!hasFile && !showEmpty && !matched) show = false;
             if (show) folders[folder.path] = true;
-            return { show: show, hasFile: hasFile };
+            // Auto-open ONLY the connector folders on the path down to a match —
+            // never the matched node itself. Terminal matches and everything
+            // off-path keep their real collapse state; the root's expand-all
+            // covers the rest. (Search reveals where hits are; it doesn't reshape
+            // the tree.)
+            if (nf && descMatch) open[folder.path] = true;
+            return { show: show, hasFile: hasFile, subtreeMatch: descMatch || selfMatch };
         }
         (window.app.folderTree || []).forEach(function (root) { walk(root, false); });
-        return { folders: folders, files: files };
+        return { folders: folders, files: files, open: open };
     }
+    // True only for folders the search needs opened to expose a hit beneath them.
+    function autoOpen(folder) { return !!(visible && visible.open && visible.open[folder.path]); }
     function folderShown(folder) { return !visible || !!visible.folders[folder.path]; }
     function fileShown(file) {
         if (!classifyAllows(file)) return false;
@@ -272,7 +284,7 @@
             // expandable so its files can be revealed and dragged.
             || (classifyOn() && folder.files && folder.files.length > 0);
         if (mightHaveChildren) {
-            toggle.textContent = (folder.expanded || filterActive()) ? '▼' : '▶';
+            toggle.textContent = (folder.expanded || autoOpen(folder)) ? '▼' : '▶';
             toggle.addEventListener('click', (e) => {
                 e.stopPropagation();
                 const recursive = e.ctrlKey || e.metaKey;
@@ -350,9 +362,9 @@
 
         div.appendChild(item);
 
-        // Children — when expanded, or auto-expanded to reveal a NAME-search
-        // match. The Show toggles only hide/show; they never force-expand.
-        if ((folder.expanded || filterActive()) && folder.children && folder.children.length > 0) {
+        // Children — when expanded, or opened on the path to a search hit below.
+        // The Show toggles never force-expand; search opens only connector folders.
+        if ((folder.expanded || autoOpen(folder)) && folder.children && folder.children.length > 0) {
             const childrenDiv = document.createElement('div');
             childrenDiv.className = 'folder-children';
             folder.children.forEach(child => {
@@ -364,8 +376,8 @@
         }
 
         // Classify mode: list this folder's own files (draggable leaves) when
-        // expanded (or auto-expanded by a name search), so they can be dropped.
-        if (classifyOn() && (folder.expanded || filterActive()) && folder.files && folder.files.length > 0) {
+        // expanded (or opened to reveal a search hit), so they can be dropped.
+        if (classifyOn() && (folder.expanded || autoOpen(folder)) && folder.files && folder.files.length > 0) {
             const filesDiv = document.createElement('div');
             filesDiv.className = 'folder-children folder-files';
             folder.files.forEach(function (file) {
diff --git a/tests/classify.spec.js b/tests/classify.spec.js
index 0a91e39..cec583c 100644
--- a/tests/classify.spec.js
+++ b/tests/classify.spec.js
@@ -786,3 +786,29 @@ test('toggling a Show filter preserves collapse state (no force-expand)', async
     expect(r.afterToggle).toEqual(['Project']);               // Show toggle leaves it collapsed
     expect(r.afterSearch).toEqual(['Project', 'Project/Sub']); // name search auto-expands to the match
 });
+
+test('search opens only the branch with a hit, leaving siblings collapsed', async ({ page }) => {
+    await page.click('#modeClassifyBtn');
+    const r = await page.evaluate(() => {
+        window.app.folderTree = [{
+            name: 'Project', path: 'Project', expanded: false, scanState: 'done', files: [], children: [
+                { name: 'Electrical', path: 'Project/Electrical', expanded: false, scanState: 'done', children: [], files: [
+                    { originalFilename: 'Switchgear Spec', extension: 'pdf', folderPath: 'Project/Electrical' },
+                ] },
+                { name: 'Civil', path: 'Project/Civil', expanded: false, scanState: 'done', children: [], files: [
+                    { originalFilename: 'Site Plan', extension: 'pdf', folderPath: 'Project/Civil' },
+                ] },
+            ],
+        }];
+        const tree = window.app.modules.tree;
+        tree.render();
+        tree.setNameFilter('switchgear');   // a file deep in the Electrical branch
+        return {
+            folders: Array.from(document.querySelectorAll('#folderTree .folder-item')).map((e) => e.dataset.path),
+            files: Array.from(document.querySelectorAll('#folderTree .file-item .file-name')).map((e) => e.textContent),
+        };
+    });
+    // Path to the hit opens; the unrelated Civil sibling is not force-opened (stays out).
+    expect(r.folders).toEqual(['Project', 'Project/Electrical']);
+    expect(r.files).toEqual(['Switchgear Spec.pdf']);
+});