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 465c91f0b..8f6feeb7f 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
@@ -3,39 +3,10 @@
 
 declare -r log_prefix="[init-index]"
 
-# 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-	echo "${log_prefix} Search index out of date. Updating..."
-	cd "${PAPERLESS_SRC_DIR}"
-	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 "${index_version_file}" ]]; then
-	echo "${log_prefix} No index version file found"
-	update_index
-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
+echo "${log_prefix} Checking search index..."
+cd "${PAPERLESS_SRC_DIR}"
+if [[ -n "${USER_IS_NON_ROOT}" ]]; then
+	python3 manage.py document_index reindex --if-needed --no-progress-bar
+else
+	s6-setuidgid paperless python3 manage.py document_index reindex --if-needed --no-progress-bar
 fi
diff --git a/docs/administration.md b/docs/administration.md
index 8993e1031..4a4a2f925 100644
--- a/docs/administration.md
+++ b/docs/administration.md
@@ -180,16 +180,15 @@ following:
     This might not actually do anything. Not every new paperless version
     comes with new database migrations.
 
-4.  Rebuild the search index.
+4.  Rebuild the search index if needed.
 
     ```shell-session
     cd src
-    python3 manage.py document_index reindex
+    python3 manage.py document_index reindex --if-needed
     ```
 
-    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.
+    This is a no-op if the index is already up to date, so it is safe to
+    run on every upgrade.
 
 ### Database Upgrades
 
@@ -480,21 +479,20 @@ task scheduler.
 
 !!! note
 
-    **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.
+    **Docker users:** On every startup, the container runs
+    `document_index reindex --if-needed` automatically. Schema changes, language
+    changes, and missing indexes are all detected and rebuilt before the webserver
+    starts. No manual step is required.
 
-    **Bare metal users:** After upgrading, run the following command once to rebuild
-    the search index in the new format:
+    **Bare metal users:** Run the following command after each upgrade (and after
+    changing `PAPERLESS_SEARCH_LANGUAGE`). It is a no-op if the index is already
+    up to date:
 
     ```shell-session
     cd src
-    python3 manage.py document_index reindex
+    python3 manage.py document_index reindex --if-needed
     ```
 
-    Changing `PAPERLESS_SEARCH_LANGUAGE` also requires a manual reindex on bare
-    metal (Docker handles this automatically).
-
 ### Clearing the database read cache
 
 If the database read cache is enabled, **you must run this command** after making any changes to the database outside the application context.
diff --git a/src/documents/management/commands/document_index.py b/src/documents/management/commands/document_index.py
index 4c70ec268..6b85e61b1 100644
--- a/src/documents/management/commands/document_index.py
+++ b/src/documents/management/commands/document_index.py
@@ -21,10 +21,26 @@ class Command(PaperlessCommand):
             default=False,
             help="Wipe and recreate the index from scratch (only used with reindex).",
         )
+        parser.add_argument(
+            "--if-needed",
+            action="store_true",
+            default=False,
+            help=(
+                "Skip reindex if the index is already up to date. "
+                "Checks schema version and search language sentinels. "
+                "Safe to run on every startup or upgrade."
+            ),
+        )
 
     def handle(self, *args, **options):
         with transaction.atomic():
             if options["command"] == "reindex":
+                if options.get("if_needed"):
+                    from documents.search._schema import _needs_rebuild
+
+                    if not _needs_rebuild(settings.INDEX_DIR):
+                        self.stdout.write("Search index is up to date.")
+                        return
                 if options.get("recreate"):
                     from documents.search import wipe_index