diff --git a/mcp-server/dashboard.html b/mcp-server/dashboard.html
index 927b224..f69a0b5 100644
--- a/mcp-server/dashboard.html
+++ b/mcp-server/dashboard.html
@@ -134,15 +134,20 @@ async function doSearch() {
   const btn = document.getElementById('search-btn');
   btn.disabled = true;
   btn.textContent = 'Searching...';
-  document.getElementById('results').innerHTML = '<div class="loading">Searching ' + (mode === 'crm' ? 'by keyword' : 'with AI') + '...</div>';
+  const searchLabel = effectiveMode === 'crm' ? 'by keyword' : effectiveMode === 'hybrid' ? 'with AI + filters' : 'with AI';
+  document.getElementById('results').innerHTML = '<div class="loading">Searching ' + searchLabel + '...</div>';
 
   const t0 = Date.now();
 
+  // If ANY filter is set, always use hybrid — filters only work through SQL
+  const hasFilters = state || role || rel > 0.5;
+  const effectiveMode = (mode === 'crm') ? 'crm' : (hasFilters ? 'hybrid' : mode);
+
   try {
     let data;
 
-    if (mode === 'crm') {
-      // CRM keyword search — LIKE match
+    if (effectiveMode === 'crm') {
+      // CRM keyword search — exact LIKE match
       let where = "resume_text LIKE '%" + query.replace(/'/g, "''") + "%'";
       if (state) where += " AND state = '" + state + "'";
       if (role) where += " AND role = '" + role + "'";
@@ -154,8 +159,8 @@ async function doSearch() {
       data = await r.json();
       renderCRMResults(data, query, Date.now() - t0);
 
-    } else if (mode === 'ai') {
-      // Pure AI vector search
+    } else if (effectiveMode === 'ai') {
+      // Pure AI vector search — no filters, just meaning
       const r = await fetch(GW + '/api/vectors/hnsw/search', {
         method: 'POST', headers: {'Content-Type': 'application/json'},
         body: JSON.stringify({index_name: 'workers_500k_v1', query: query, top_k: 10})
@@ -164,7 +169,7 @@ async function doSearch() {
       renderAIResults(data, query, Date.now() - t0);
 
     } else {
-      // Hybrid — SQL filter + AI ranking
+      // Hybrid — SQL filters enforce structure, AI ranks by relevance
       let filter = "CAST(reliability AS DOUBLE) >= " + rel;
       if (state) filter += " AND state = '" + state + "'";
       if (role) filter += " AND role = '" + role + "'";