diff --git a/backend/app/gateway/routers/threads.py b/backend/app/gateway/routers/threads.py
index 59f5e6ea0..84af7c488 100644
--- a/backend/app/gateway/routers/threads.py
+++ b/backend/app/gateway/routers/threads.py
@@ -332,39 +332,62 @@ async def create_thread(body: ThreadCreateRequest, request: Request) -> ThreadRe
 
 @router.post("/search", response_model=list[ThreadResponse])
 async def search_threads(body: ThreadSearchRequest, request: Request) -> list[ThreadResponse]:
-    """Search and list threads from the threads_meta table.
+    """Search and list threads.
 
-    NOTE: Migration from pre-persistence-layer deployments:
-    Threads created via LangGraph Server before this change are NOT
-    automatically indexed in threads_meta. They will not appear in
-    search results until a new run is created on them (which triggers
-    thread_meta upsert in services.py). For bulk migration, run:
-      python -m deerflow.persistence.migrate_threads_from_checkpointer
-    (migration script TBD in a follow-up PR)
+    Uses ThreadMetaRepository (SQL) when available, otherwise falls back
+    to the LangGraph Store for memory/lightweight deployments.
     """
     from app.gateway.deps import get_thread_meta_repo
 
     repo = get_thread_meta_repo(request)
-    if repo is None:
-        raise HTTPException(status_code=503, detail="Thread metadata store not available")
+    if repo is not None:
+        rows = await repo.search(
+            metadata=body.metadata or None,
+            status=body.status,
+            limit=body.limit,
+            offset=body.offset,
+        )
+        return [
+            ThreadResponse(
+                thread_id=r["thread_id"],
+                status=r.get("status", "idle"),
+                created_at=r.get("created_at", ""),
+                updated_at=r.get("updated_at", ""),
+                metadata=r.get("metadata", {}),
+                values={"title": r["display_name"]} if r.get("display_name") else {},
+                interrupts={},
+            )
+            for r in rows
+        ]
 
-    rows = await repo.search(
-        metadata=body.metadata or None,
-        status=body.status,
+    # Fallback: search the LangGraph Store (memory / no-SQL deployments)
+    store = get_store(request)
+    if store is None:
+        return []
+
+    filter_dict: dict[str, Any] = {}
+    if body.metadata:
+        filter_dict.update(body.metadata)
+    if body.status:
+        filter_dict["status"] = body.status
+
+    items = await store.asearch(
+        THREADS_NS,
+        filter=filter_dict or None,
         limit=body.limit,
         offset=body.offset,
     )
     return [
         ThreadResponse(
-            thread_id=r["thread_id"],
-            status=r.get("status", "idle"),
-            created_at=r.get("created_at", ""),
-            updated_at=r.get("updated_at", ""),
-            metadata=r.get("metadata", {}),
-            values={"title": r["display_name"]} if r.get("display_name") else {},
+            thread_id=item.key,
+            status=item.value.get("status", "idle"),
+            created_at=str(item.value.get("created_at", "")),
+            updated_at=str(item.value.get("updated_at", "")),
+            metadata=item.value.get("metadata", {}),
+            values=item.value.get("values", {}),
             interrupts={},
         )
-        for r in rows
+        for item in items
     ]