diff --git a/docker/rootfs/etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/init-search-index/run b/docker/rootfs/etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/init-search-index/run
index 2208faf67..465c91f0b 100755
--- a/docker/rootfs/etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/init-search-index/run
+++ b/docker/rootfs/etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/init-search-index/run
@@ -3,9 +3,14 @@
 
 declare -r log_prefix="[init-index]"
 
-declare -r index_version=9
+# Version 1: Tantivy backend (replaces Whoosh; resets versioning from scratch)
+declare -r index_version=1
 declare -r data_dir="${PAPERLESS_DATA_DIR:-/usr/src/paperless/data}"
 declare -r index_version_file="${data_dir}/.index_version"
+declare -r index_language_file="${data_dir}/.index_language"
+# Track the raw env var (not the resolved language) so inference changes
+# don't cause spurious reindexes — only explicit setting changes trigger one.
+declare -r search_language="${PAPERLESS_SEARCH_LANGUAGE:-}"
 
 update_index () {
 	echo "${log_prefix} Search index out of date. Updating..."
@@ -13,16 +18,24 @@ update_index () {
 	if [[ -n "${USER_IS_NON_ROOT}" ]]; then
 		python3 manage.py document_index reindex --no-progress-bar
 		echo ${index_version} | tee "${index_version_file}" > /dev/null
+		echo "${search_language}" | tee "${index_language_file}" > /dev/null
 	else
 		s6-setuidgid paperless python3 manage.py document_index reindex --no-progress-bar
 		echo ${index_version} | s6-setuidgid paperless tee "${index_version_file}" > /dev/null
+		echo "${search_language}" | s6-setuidgid paperless tee "${index_language_file}" > /dev/null
 	fi
 }
 
-if [[ (! -f "${index_version_file}") ]]; then
+if [[ ! -f "${index_version_file}" ]]; then
 	echo "${log_prefix} No index version file found"
 	update_index
-elif [[ $(<"${index_version_file}") != "$index_version" ]]; then
-	echo "${log_prefix} index version updated"
+elif [[ $(<"${index_version_file}") != "${index_version}" ]]; then
+	echo "${log_prefix} Index version updated"
+	update_index
+elif [[ ! -f "${index_language_file}" ]]; then
+	echo "${log_prefix} No language file found"
+	update_index
+elif [[ $(<"${index_language_file}") != "${search_language}" ]]; then
+	echo "${log_prefix} Search language changed"
 	update_index
 fi
diff --git a/docs/administration.md b/docs/administration.md
index 9d123cd38..8993e1031 100644
--- a/docs/administration.md
+++ b/docs/administration.md
@@ -180,6 +180,17 @@ following:
     This might not actually do anything. Not every new paperless version
     comes with new database migrations.
 
+4.  Rebuild the search index.
+
+    ```shell-session
+    cd src
+    python3 manage.py document_index reindex
+    ```
+
+    This is required when the search backend has changed (e.g. the upgrade
+    to Tantivy). It is safe to run on every upgrade — if the index is already
+    current it completes quickly.
+
 ### Database Upgrades
 
 Paperless-ngx is compatible with Django-supported versions of PostgreSQL and MariaDB and it is generally
@@ -469,9 +480,20 @@ task scheduler.
 
 !!! note
 
-    On first startup after upgrading from a previous version, paperless detects
-    that the index format has changed and automatically performs a one-time full
-    reindex. No manual migration step is required.
+    **Docker users:** On first startup after upgrading, the container automatically
+    detects the index format change and runs a full reindex before starting the
+    webserver. No manual step is required.
+
+    **Bare metal users:** After upgrading, run the following command once to rebuild
+    the search index in the new format:
+
+    ```shell-session
+    cd src
+    python3 manage.py document_index reindex
+    ```
+
+    Changing `PAPERLESS_SEARCH_LANGUAGE` also requires a manual reindex on bare
+    metal (Docker handles this automatically).
 
 ### Clearing the database read cache