diff --git a/web/templates/entry_view.html b/web/templates/entry_view.html
index 7a105c2..88951be 100644
--- a/web/templates/entry_view.html
+++ b/web/templates/entry_view.html
@@ -467,6 +467,7 @@ function showToast(message, duration = 3000) {
 }
 </script>
 
+<!-- Highlighter: only runs when user pref is enabled and when a last search exists -->
 <!-- Highlighter: only runs when user pref is enabled and when a last search exists -->
 <script>
 document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", async () => {
@@ -480,16 +481,27 @@ document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", async () => {
   } catch (e) { /* default true */ }
   if (!enabled) return;
 
-  const dataEl = document.getElementById("last-search-data");
-  if (!dataEl) return;
+  // Prefer the JS-literal fallback first (always valid for our Django output)
+  let q = (window.__lastSearchQ || "").trim();
+  let fields = Array.isArray(window.__lastSearchFields) ? window.__lastSearchFields : [];
 
-  let payload = {};
-  try { payload = JSON.parse(dataEl.textContent || "{}"); } catch (_) { return; }
+  // If not present, fall back to parsing the JSON <script> (for completeness)
+  if ((!q || !fields.length)) {
+    const dataEl = document.getElementById("last-search-data");
+    if (dataEl) {
+      try {
+        const payload = JSON.parse(dataEl.textContent || "{}");
+        q = (payload.q || "").trim();
+        fields = Array.isArray(payload.fields) ? payload.fields : [];
+      } catch (_) {
+        /* ignore */
+      }
+    }
+  }
 
-  const q = (payload.q || "").trim();
-  const fields = Array.isArray(payload.fields) ? payload.fields : [];
   if (!q || !fields.length) return;
 
+
   // Map search field names -> selectors on this page
   const fieldToSelector = {
     subject: "#subject-list",