diff --git a/api/migrations/0054_rebuild_long_text_search_indexes.py b/api/migrations/0054_rebuild_long_text_search_indexes.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c2627ec
--- /dev/null
+++ b/api/migrations/0054_rebuild_long_text_search_indexes.py
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+"""One-time rebuild of search indexes that still have a single-token text copy.
+
+Long text fields (use case and collaborative summaries, descriptions, bios) had
+a ``raw`` sub-field with the ``keyword`` analyzer, which turns the whole value
+into one token. Elasticsearch refuses tokens over 32,766 bytes, so a long
+summary failed to index: saving a published item returned an error (#266) and
+every deploy failed at ``search_index --populate``. The documents no longer
+define those sub-fields, but an existing index keeps its old mapping.
+
+For each search index whose live mapping still has such a sub-field, drop it
+and create it again empty with the current mapping. The deploy's release step
+runs migrations first and then populates every index from the database, so
+search is refilled right after. Nothing in the database changes.
+
+Does nothing when an index is missing or already clean, and never fails the
+migration: problems are only logged.
+"""
+
+import structlog
+from django.conf import settings
+from django.db import migrations
+
+logger = structlog.get_logger(__name__)
+
+
+def _has_single_token_text(properties):
+    for field in properties.values():
+        for sub in field.get("fields", {}).values():
+            if sub.get("type") == "text" and sub.get("analyzer") == "keyword":
+                return True
+        if _has_single_token_text(field.get("properties", {})):
+            return True
+    return False
+
+
+def rebuild_long_text_indexes(apps, schema_editor):
+    try:
+        from django_elasticsearch_dsl.registries import registry
+        from elasticsearch_dsl.connections import connections
+
+        es = connections.get_connection().options(request_timeout=30)
+        indices = {index._name: index for index in registry.get_indices()}
+        for name in set(settings.ELASTICSEARCH_INDEX_NAMES.values()):
+            if not es.indices.exists(index=name):
+                continue
+            mappings = es.indices.get_mapping(index=name)
+            if not any(
+                _has_single_token_text(body.get("mappings", {}).get("properties", {}))
+                for body in mappings.values()
+            ):
+                continue
+            for concrete in mappings:
+                es.indices.delete(index=concrete)
+            # Create it again at once so a write from the running server cannot
+            # make Elasticsearch create it with guessed field types.
+            if name in indices:
+                indices[name].create()
+            logger.info("long_text_search_index_rebuilt", index=name)
+    except Exception as exc:  # never block a deploy on search problems
+        logger.error("long_text_search_index_rebuild_failed", error=str(exc))
+
+
+class Migration(migrations.Migration):
+
+    dependencies = [
+        ("api", "0053_alter_collaborative_summary"),
+    ]
+
+    operations = [
+        migrations.RunPython(rebuild_long_text_indexes, migrations.RunPython.noop),
+    ]
diff --git a/api/migrations/0065_merge_search_hotfix.py b/api/migrations/0065_merge_search_hotfix.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8d27ddc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/api/migrations/0065_merge_search_hotfix.py
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+"""Joins the main hotfix migration 0054_rebuild_long_text_search_indexes with dev.
+
+The hotfix went to main on its own (main was at 0053), so both branches have a
+migration after their own parent. This merge keeps one migration leaf. Both
+rebuild migrations do the same thing and do nothing once indexes are clean.
+"""
+
+from django.db import migrations
+
+
+class Migration(migrations.Migration):
+
+    dependencies = [
+        ("api", "0064_rebuild_long_text_search_indexes"),
+        ("api", "0054_rebuild_long_text_search_indexes"),
+    ]
+
+    operations = []