diff --git a/web/core/views_user_features.py b/web/core/views_user_features.py
index 825fecf..49a14ee 100644
--- a/web/core/views_user_features.py
+++ b/web/core/views_user_features.py
@@ -33,23 +33,28 @@ def api_get_prefs(request):
 # ---------- Search history ----------
 # We use Beacon here, so CSRF headers aren’t available -> mark this one csrf_exempt
 @login_required
-@csrf_exempt
+@csrf_exempt         # keep this since you use sendBeacon
 @require_POST
 def api_log_search(request):
     q = (request.POST.get("q") or "").strip()
-    # Expect JSON-like dict from the client for fields, but we’ll accept a flat form too
+
+    # Collect selected fields from form-style keys: sel[subject]=on
     selected = {}
     for k in request.POST:
-        if k.startswith("sel[") and k.endswith("]"):  # sel[subject]=on
+        if k.startswith("sel[") and k.endswith("]"):
             name = k[4:-1]
             selected[name] = request.POST.get(k) in ("1", "true", "on", "yes")
 
-    # consecutive de-duplication
+    # De-dupe consecutive identical searches; if identical, bump timestamp
     last = SearchHistory.objects.filter(user=request.user).order_by("-created_at").first()
-    if not last or last.q != q or last.selected != selected:
+    if last and last.q == q and last.selected == selected:
+        # bump to "most recent"
+        last.created_at = timezone.now()
+        last.save(update_fields=["created_at"])
+    else:
         SearchHistory.objects.create(user=request.user, q=q, selected=selected)
 
-    # trim to last 10
+    # Trim to last 10
     ids = list(
         SearchHistory.objects.filter(user=request.user)
         .order_by("-created_at")
@@ -61,15 +66,21 @@ def api_log_search(request):
 
 @login_required
 @require_GET
+@never_cache
 def api_get_search_history(request):
-    items = (
+    items_qs = (
         SearchHistory.objects.filter(user=request.user)
         .order_by("-created_at")
         .values("q", "selected", "created_at")
     )
-    # JSON-safe
-    data = [{"q": i["q"], "selected": i["selected"], "ts": i["created_at"].isoformat()} for i in items]
-    return JsonResponse({"ok": True, "items": data})
+    data = [
+        {"q": i["q"], "selected": i["selected"], "ts": i["created_at"].isoformat()}
+        for i in items_qs
+    ]
+    resp = JsonResponse({"ok": True, "items": data})
+    resp["Cache-Control"] = "no-store"
+    return resp
+
 
 
 # ---------- Recently viewed ----------
@@ -83,7 +94,7 @@ def api_log_view(request, entry_id):
 
     ViewedIllustration.objects.create(user=request.user, entry=e)
 
-    # trim to 50
+    # Keep only the 50 most recent
     ids = list(
         ViewedIllustration.objects.filter(user=request.user)
         .order_by("-viewed_at")
@@ -95,18 +106,31 @@ def api_log_view(request, entry_id):
 
 @login_required
 @require_GET
+@never_cache
 def api_get_recent_views(request):
     rows = (
         ViewedIllustration.objects.filter(user=request.user)
         .select_related("entry")
-        .order_by("-viewed_at")[:10]  # show 10 (we store 50)
+        .order_by("-viewed_at")[:10]
     )
+
+    def first_words(text, n=20):
+        import re as _re
+        clean = _re.sub(r"\s+", " ", (text or "")).strip()
+        if not clean:
+            return ""
+        words = clean.split(" ")
+        return clean if len(words) <= n else " ".join(words[:n]) + "…"
+
     data = [
         {
             "entry_id": r.entry_id,
             "viewed_at": r.viewed_at.isoformat(),
-            "subject": (r.entry.subject or ""),
+            "illustration": r.entry.illustration or "",   # <-- what the UI expects
+            "snippet": first_words(r.entry.illustration or "", 20),
         }
         for r in rows
     ]
-    return JsonResponse({"ok": True, "items": data})
\ No newline at end of file
+    resp = JsonResponse({"ok": True, "items": data})
+    resp["Cache-Control"] = "no-store"
+    return resp
\ No newline at end of file