diff --git a/apps/api/src/routes/search-auth.test.js b/apps/api/src/routes/search-auth.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..bdeb5cb703e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/api/src/routes/search-auth.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+import { searchRoutes } from "./searchRoutes.js";
+
+describe("Search Endpoint Authentication (#11594)", () => {
+  it("should have authMiddleware applied to search router", () => {
+    const route = searchRoutes.stack.find((s) => s.route && s.route.path === "/");
+    expect(route).toBeDefined();
+    expect(route.route.stack.length).toBeGreaterThan(1);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/apps/api/src/routes/searchRoutes.js b/apps/api/src/routes/searchRoutes.js
index 92d1c7a9be5..5ff03b2eaf0 100644
--- a/apps/api/src/routes/searchRoutes.js
+++ b/apps/api/src/routes/searchRoutes.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { Router } from "express";
 import { search } from "../controllers/searchController.js";
+import { authMiddleware } from "../middleware/auth.js";
 
 export const searchRoutes = Router();
 
-searchRoutes.get("/", search);
+searchRoutes.get("/", authMiddleware, search);