diff --git a/packages/app/src/utils/working-directory-suggestions.test.ts b/packages/app/src/utils/working-directory-suggestions.test.ts
index 480fc7738..4ef532227 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/utils/working-directory-suggestions.test.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/utils/working-directory-suggestions.test.ts
@@ -32,17 +32,30 @@ describe("buildWorkingDirectorySuggestions", () => {
     expect(results).toEqual(["/Users/me/projects/paseo-desktop"]);
   });
 
-  it("leaves path-query semantics to the daemon", () => {
+  it("matches recommended paths using the complete path text", () => {
     const results = buildWorkingDirectorySuggestions({
       recommendedPaths: [
         "/Users/me/archive/projects/paseo-desktop",
         "/Users/me/projects/paseo-desktop",
       ],
       serverPaths: [],
-      query: "~/projects/pso",
+      query: "projects/pso",
     });
 
-    expect(results).toEqual([]);
+    expect(results).toEqual([
+      "/Users/me/archive/projects/paseo-desktop",
+      "/Users/me/projects/paseo-desktop",
+    ]);
+  });
+
+  it("fuzzy-matches recommended paths using their full path", () => {
+    const results = buildWorkingDirectorySuggestions({
+      recommendedPaths: ["/Users/me/projects/blankpage/editor"],
+      serverPaths: [],
+      query: "blank page editor",
+    });
+
+    expect(results).toEqual(["/Users/me/projects/blankpage/editor"]);
   });
 
   it("treats '~' as an active query and includes daemon suggestions", () => {
diff --git a/packages/app/src/utils/working-directory-suggestions.ts b/packages/app/src/utils/working-directory-suggestions.ts
index 50510fd9b..6cb468a68 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/utils/working-directory-suggestions.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/utils/working-directory-suggestions.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { scoreMatch } from "@getpaseo/protocol/search/text-match";
+import { scorePathMatch } from "@getpaseo/protocol/search/text-match";
 
 export interface BuildWorkingDirectorySuggestionsInput {
   recommendedPaths: string[];
@@ -19,9 +19,8 @@ export function buildWorkingDirectorySuggestions(
     recommendedPathMatchesQuery(path, query),
   );
 
-  // The request owner correlates these results with the current query. The
-  // daemon owns filesystem query parsing, filtering, and ranking; doing it
-  // again here creates a second search implementation that can disagree.
+  // Server paths are already ranked by the daemon. Recommended paths use the
+  // same shared matcher, then keep their existing recommendation order.
   return uniquePaths([...matchingRecommended, ...input.serverPaths]);
 }
 
@@ -45,12 +44,8 @@ function recommendedPathMatchesQuery(path: string, query: string): boolean {
   if (["~", "~/"].includes(normalizedQuery)) {
     return true;
   }
-  if (normalizedQuery.includes("/") || normalizedQuery.startsWith("~")) {
-    return false;
-  }
 
-  const basename = candidate.split("/").at(-1) ?? "";
-  return candidate.includes(normalizedQuery) || scoreMatch(normalizedQuery, basename) !== null;
+  return scorePathMatch(normalizedQuery, candidate) !== null;
 }
 
 function normalizePath(value: string): string {
diff --git a/packages/protocol/src/search/text-match.test.ts b/packages/protocol/src/search/text-match.test.ts
index b7c09ee30..d3454ed29 100644
--- a/packages/protocol/src/search/text-match.test.ts
+++ b/packages/protocol/src/search/text-match.test.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import {
   fuzzyPolicyForToken,
   matchRanges,
   scoreMatch,
+  scorePathMatch,
   scoreTextFields,
 } from "./text-match.js";
 
@@ -171,6 +172,28 @@ describe("scoreMatch typo tolerance", () => {
   });
 });
 
+describe("scorePathMatch", () => {
+  it("matches a literal fragment anywhere in the complete path", () => {
+    expect(
+      scorePathMatch("skills/", "something/something-else/skills/paseo-advisor/SKILL.md"),
+    ).not.toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it("fuzzy-matches spaced text against a compact path", () => {
+    expect(scorePathMatch("blank page editor", "blankpage/editor")).toEqual({
+      tier: 0,
+      offset: 0,
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("keeps the original path offset for compact matches", () => {
+    expect(scorePathMatch("blank page editor", "projects/blankpage/editor")).toEqual({
+      tier: 4,
+      offset: 9,
+    });
+  });
+});
+
 describe("scoreTextFields", () => {
   it("requires every token to match some field", () => {
     expect(scoreTextFields("stripe billing", ["add stripe billing system"])).not.toBeNull();
diff --git a/packages/protocol/src/search/text-match.ts b/packages/protocol/src/search/text-match.ts
index 63c2a36c7..b15789ff7 100644
--- a/packages/protocol/src/search/text-match.ts
+++ b/packages/protocol/src/search/text-match.ts
@@ -201,6 +201,39 @@ export function scoreMatch(
   return fuzzy ? scoreFuzzyMatch(q, t, fuzzy) : null;
 }
 
+interface CompactText {
+  value: string;
+  offsets: number[];
+}
+
+function compactText(value: string): CompactText {
+  let compact = "";
+  const offsets: number[] = [];
+  for (let index = 0; index < value.length; index += 1) {
+    if (!/[a-z0-9]/i.test(value[index])) continue;
+    compact += value[index].toLowerCase();
+    offsets.push(index);
+  }
+  return { value: compact, offsets };
+}
+
+/** Match a query against a complete displayed path, including its separators. */
+export function scorePathMatch(query: string, path: string): MatchScore | null {
+  const direct = scoreMatch(query, path);
+  if (direct) return direct;
+
+  const compactQuery = compactText(query);
+  const compactPath = compactText(path);
+  if (!compactQuery.value || !compactPath.value) return null;
+
+  const compactScore = scoreMatch(compactQuery.value, compactPath.value);
+  if (!compactScore) return null;
+  return {
+    ...compactScore,
+    offset: compactPath.offsets[compactScore.offset] ?? compactScore.offset,
+  };
+}
+
 export interface MatchRange {
   start: number;
   length: number;
diff --git a/packages/server/src/utils/directory-suggestions.test.ts b/packages/server/src/utils/directory-suggestions.test.ts
index 0297d8ac4..8b0337928 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/utils/directory-suggestions.test.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/utils/directory-suggestions.test.ts
@@ -223,7 +223,7 @@ describe("searchDirectoryEntries", () => {
     expect(suffixRootBrowses).toEqual([rootEntries, rootEntries]);
   });
 
-  it("anchors rooted one-segment queries to their root parent", async () => {
+  it("matches rooted queries against the full path at any depth", async () => {
     mkdirSync(path.join(searchRoot, "nested", "pso-global"), { recursive: true });
     mkdirSync(path.join(searchRoot, "pso-root"), { recursive: true });
     const absoluteQuery = path.join(configuredSearchRoot, "pso");
@@ -236,7 +236,11 @@ describe("searchDirectoryEntries", () => {
       pathQueryPolicy: "rooted" as const,
       rootAliases: ["~"],
     };
-    const expected = [{ path: "pso-root", kind: "directory" }];
+    const expected = [
+      { path: "pso-root", kind: "directory" },
+      { path: "nested/pso-global", kind: "directory" },
+      { path: "projects/paseo-desktop", kind: "directory" },
+    ];
 
     await expect(searchDirectoryEntries({ ...common, query: "~/pso" })).resolves.toEqual(expected);
     await expect(searchDirectoryEntries({ ...common, query: "./pso" })).resolves.toEqual(expected);
@@ -264,7 +268,10 @@ describe("searchDirectoryEntries", () => {
         { path: "projects", kind: "directory" },
         { path: "src", kind: "directory" },
       ],
-      projectEntries: [{ path: "projects/paseo-desktop", kind: "directory" }],
+      projectEntries: [
+        { path: "projects", kind: "directory" },
+        { path: "projects/paseo-desktop", kind: "directory" },
+      ],
     });
   });
 
@@ -900,4 +907,46 @@ describe("relative typed-entry configuration", () => {
 
     expect(results).toEqual([{ path: "src/components", kind: "directory" }]);
   });
+
+  it("matches a path fragment anywhere in the full file path", async () => {
+    const targetPath = path.join(
+      workspaceDir,
+      "something",
+      "something-else",
+      "skills",
+      "paseo-advisor",
+      "SKILL.md",
+    );
+    mkdirSync(path.dirname(targetPath), { recursive: true });
+    writeFileSync(targetPath, "skill\n");
+
+    const results = await searchRelativeDirectoryEntries({
+      cwd: workspaceDir,
+      query: "skills/",
+      limit: 20,
+      includeFiles: true,
+      includeDirectories: false,
+    });
+
+    expect(results).toEqual([
+      {
+        path: "something/something-else/skills/paseo-advisor/SKILL.md",
+        kind: "file",
+      },
+    ]);
+  });
+
+  it("fuzzy-matches natural language against the full path", async () => {
+    mkdirSync(path.join(workspaceDir, "blankpage", "editor"), { recursive: true });
+
+    const results = await searchRelativeDirectoryEntries({
+      cwd: workspaceDir,
+      query: "blank page editor",
+      limit: 20,
+      includeFiles: false,
+      includeDirectories: true,
+    });
+
+    expect(results).toEqual([{ path: "blankpage/editor", kind: "directory" }]);
+  });
 });
diff --git a/packages/server/src/utils/directory-suggestions.ts b/packages/server/src/utils/directory-suggestions.ts
index 03031fbeb..aa24c4a6b 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/utils/directory-suggestions.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/utils/directory-suggestions.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import type { Dirent, Stats } from "node:fs";
 import { readdir, realpath, stat } from "node:fs/promises";
 import path from "node:path";
+import { scorePathMatch, type MatchScore } from "@getpaseo/protocol/search/text-match";
 import { isPathInsideRoot } from "./path.js";
 import { runGitCommand } from "./run-git-command.js";
 
@@ -65,6 +66,13 @@ interface RankedEntry extends DirectorySuggestionEntry {
   depth: number;
 }
 
+interface RankFields {
+  matchTier: number;
+  segmentIndex: number;
+  matchOffset: number;
+  fuzzyScore: number;
+}
+
 interface DirectoryListCacheEntry {
   expiresAt: number;
   modifiedAtMs: number;
@@ -143,10 +151,9 @@ export async function searchDirectoryEntries(
   if (exact && input.limit === 1) return [exact];
 
   const browsesRoot = input.plan.isPathQuery && !input.plan.normalizedQuery;
+  const browsesAbsoluteParent = input.plan.browseExactPath === true;
   const ranked =
-    input.plan.isPathQuery && (input.matchMode === "fuzzy" || browsesRoot)
-      ? await searchChildren(input)
-      : await searchTree(input);
+    browsesRoot || browsesAbsoluteParent ? await searchChildren(input) : await searchTree(input);
   const results = sortAndFormat(ranked, input.root, input.pathFormat).slice(0, input.limit);
   return exact
     ? [exact, ...results.filter((entry) => !sameEntry(entry, exact))].slice(0, input.limit)
@@ -264,7 +271,9 @@ async function searchTree(input: SearchInput): Promise<RankedEntry[]> {
     if (shouldSuggest(entry, input)) ranked.push(rank(entry, input));
     if (
       scanned >= input.maxEntriesScanned ||
-      (threshold && scanned >= threshold && hasConfidentResult(ranked, input.plan.searchTerm))
+      (threshold &&
+        scanned >= threshold &&
+        hasConfidentResult(ranked, input.plan.normalizedQuery || input.plan.searchTerm))
     )
       break;
   }
@@ -346,45 +355,123 @@ function shouldSuggest(entry: TraversedEntry, input: SearchInput): boolean {
   if (!input.plan.normalizedQuery) return true;
   if (input.matchMode === "suffix")
     return suffixMatches(entry.visiblePath, input.root, input.plan.normalizedQuery);
-  return !input.plan.searchTerm || rank(entry, input).matchTier !== NO_MATCH_TIER;
+  return rank(entry, input).matchTier !== NO_MATCH_TIER;
 }
 
 function rank(entry: TraversedEntry, input: SearchInput): RankedEntry {
   const relativePath = normalizeRelativePath(input.root, entry.visiblePath);
   const lowerPath = relativePath.toLowerCase();
-  const query = input.plan.searchTerm.toLowerCase();
+  const query = getRankQuery(input);
   const segments = lowerPath === "." ? [] : lowerPath.split("/");
-  const exact = findSegmentMatchIndex(segments, (segment) => segment === query);
-  const prefix = findSegmentMatchIndex(segments, (segment) => segment.startsWith(query));
-  const substring = findSegmentMatchIndex(segments, (segment) => segment.includes(query));
-  const offset = lowerPath.indexOf(query);
-  const fuzzyScore = scoreFuzzySubsequence(query, segments.at(-1) ?? "");
-  let matchTier = NO_MATCH_TIER;
-  let segmentIndex = NO_SEGMENT_INDEX;
-  if (!query) matchTier = 3;
-  else if (exact >= 0) {
-    matchTier = 0;
-    segmentIndex = exact;
-  } else if (prefix >= 0) {
-    matchTier = 1;
-    segmentIndex = prefix;
-  } else if (substring >= 0) {
-    matchTier = 2;
-    segmentIndex = substring;
-  } else if (input.pathFormat === "relative" ? lowerPath.startsWith(query) : offset >= 0)
-    matchTier = 3;
-  else if (fuzzyScore !== null) matchTier = 4;
+  const pathScore = query ? scorePathMatch(query, relativePath) : null;
+  const rankFields = input.plan.isPathQuery
+    ? rankPathMatch(pathScore)
+    : rankTextMatch({ query, lowerPath, pathFormat: input.pathFormat, pathScore, segments });
   return {
     path: entry.visiblePath,
     kind: entry.kind,
-    matchTier,
-    segmentIndex,
-    matchOffset: offset >= 0 ? offset : NO_MATCH_OFFSET,
-    fuzzyScore: fuzzyScore ?? NO_FUZZY_SCORE,
+    ...rankFields,
     depth: relativePath === "." ? 0 : segments.length,
   };
 }
 
+function getRankQuery(input: SearchInput): string {
+  return (
+    input.plan.isPathQuery ? input.plan.normalizedQuery : input.plan.searchTerm
+  ).toLowerCase();
+}
+
+function rankPathMatch(pathScore: MatchScore | null): RankFields {
+  return {
+    matchTier: pathScore ? Math.min(pathScore.tier, 4) : NO_MATCH_TIER,
+    segmentIndex: NO_SEGMENT_INDEX,
+    matchOffset: pathScore?.offset ?? NO_MATCH_OFFSET,
+    fuzzyScore: pathScore?.spread ?? NO_FUZZY_SCORE,
+  };
+}
+
+function rankTextMatch(input: {
+  query: string;
+  lowerPath: string;
+  pathFormat: DirectorySuggestionPathFormat;
+  pathScore: MatchScore | null;
+  segments: string[];
+}): RankFields {
+  const { query, lowerPath, pathFormat, pathScore, segments } = input;
+  const offset = lowerPath.indexOf(query);
+  const fuzzyScore = scoreFuzzySubsequence(query, segments.at(-1) ?? "");
+  if (!query) {
+    return {
+      matchTier: 3,
+      segmentIndex: NO_SEGMENT_INDEX,
+      matchOffset: NO_MATCH_OFFSET,
+      fuzzyScore: NO_FUZZY_SCORE,
+    };
+  }
+  const segmentRank = rankSegmentMatch({ query, segments, offset, fuzzyScore });
+  if (segmentRank) return segmentRank;
+  if (pathFormat === "relative" ? lowerPath.startsWith(query) : offset >= 0) {
+    return {
+      matchTier: 3,
+      segmentIndex: NO_SEGMENT_INDEX,
+      matchOffset: offset,
+      fuzzyScore: fuzzyScore ?? NO_FUZZY_SCORE,
+    };
+  }
+  if (fuzzyScore !== null) {
+    return {
+      matchTier: 4,
+      segmentIndex: NO_SEGMENT_INDEX,
+      matchOffset: offset >= 0 ? offset : NO_MATCH_OFFSET,
+      fuzzyScore,
+    };
+  }
+  return {
+    matchTier: pathScore ? Math.min(pathScore.tier, 4) : NO_MATCH_TIER,
+    segmentIndex: NO_SEGMENT_INDEX,
+    matchOffset: pathScore?.offset ?? NO_MATCH_OFFSET,
+    fuzzyScore: pathScore?.spread ?? NO_FUZZY_SCORE,
+  };
+}
+
+function rankSegmentMatch(input: {
+  query: string;
+  segments: string[];
+  offset: number;
+  fuzzyScore: number | null;
+}): RankFields | null {
+  const { query, segments, offset, fuzzyScore } = input;
+  const matchOffset = offset >= 0 ? offset : NO_MATCH_OFFSET;
+  const exact = findSegmentMatchIndex(segments, (segment) => segment === query);
+  if (exact >= 0) {
+    return {
+      matchTier: 0,
+      segmentIndex: exact,
+      matchOffset,
+      fuzzyScore: fuzzyScore ?? NO_FUZZY_SCORE,
+    };
+  }
+  const prefix = findSegmentMatchIndex(segments, (segment) => segment.startsWith(query));
+  if (prefix >= 0) {
+    return {
+      matchTier: 1,
+      segmentIndex: prefix,
+      matchOffset,
+      fuzzyScore: fuzzyScore ?? NO_FUZZY_SCORE,
+    };
+  }
+  const substring = findSegmentMatchIndex(segments, (segment) => segment.includes(query));
+  if (substring >= 0) {
+    return {
+      matchTier: 2,
+      segmentIndex: substring,
+      matchOffset,
+      fuzzyScore: fuzzyScore ?? NO_FUZZY_SCORE,
+    };
+  }
+  return null;
+}
+
 function sortAndFormat(
   entries: RankedEntry[],
   root: string,