diff --git a/crates/buzz-db/src/migration.rs b/crates/buzz-db/src/migration.rs
index 1188bd917..b6cf923ee 100644
--- a/crates/buzz-db/src/migration.rs
+++ b/crates/buzz-db/src/migration.rs
@@ -164,12 +164,15 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(migrations[3].version, 4);
         assert_eq!(&*migrations[3].description, "search fts");
         assert!(
-            migrations[3].sql.as_str().contains("content_tsv tsvector")
+            migrations[3]
+                .sql
+                .as_str()
+                .contains("idx_events_content_fts")
                 && migrations[3]
                     .sql
                     .as_str()
-                    .contains("idx_events_content_tsv"),
-            "fourth migration should add the generated tsvector column and GIN index"
+                    .contains("to_tsvector('simple', content)"),
+            "fourth migration should add the expression GIN index for FTS"
         );
     }
 
@@ -204,23 +207,21 @@ mod tests {
     }
 
     /// Returns `schema/schema.sql` with the NIP-ER reminder DDL and the
-    /// search-FTS DDL removed, so it models a pre-stack deployment whose
-    /// `events` table lacks the reminder columns and the generated tsvector
-    /// column. The strip is asserted: if the snapshot text drifts so these
+    /// search-FTS index removed, so it models a pre-stack deployment whose
+    /// `events` table lacks the reminder columns and the FTS expression
+    /// index. The strip is asserted: if the snapshot text drifts so these
     /// fragments no longer match, the test fails loudly rather than silently
-    /// loading a snapshot that already carries the columns (which would make
+    /// loading a snapshot that already carries them (which would make
     /// migration 0003 or 0004 collide on re-add).
     fn pre_reminder_schema_snapshot() -> String {
         const REMINDER_COLUMNS: &str = "    not_before  BIGINT,\n    delivered_at BIGINT,\n";
         const REMINDER_INDEX: &str = "CREATE INDEX idx_events_not_before ON events (not_before)\n    WHERE not_before IS NOT NULL AND deleted_at IS NULL AND delivered_at IS NULL;\n";
-        const FTS_COLUMN: &str = "    content_tsv tsvector\n        GENERATED ALWAYS AS (to_tsvector('simple', content)) STORED,\n";
         const FTS_INDEX: &str =
-            "CREATE INDEX idx_events_content_tsv ON events USING GIN (content_tsv);\n";
+            "CREATE INDEX idx_events_content_fts ON events USING GIN (to_tsvector('simple', content));\n";
 
         assert!(
             SCHEMA_SQL.contains(REMINDER_COLUMNS)
                 && SCHEMA_SQL.contains(REMINDER_INDEX)
-                && SCHEMA_SQL.contains(FTS_COLUMN)
                 && SCHEMA_SQL.contains(FTS_INDEX),
             "schema.sql reminder/FTS DDL drifted; update pre_reminder_schema_snapshot to match"
         );
@@ -228,7 +229,6 @@ mod tests {
         SCHEMA_SQL
             .replace(REMINDER_COLUMNS, "")
             .replace(REMINDER_INDEX, "")
-            .replace(FTS_COLUMN, "")
             .replace(FTS_INDEX, "")
     }
 
diff --git a/crates/buzz-relay/src/main.rs b/crates/buzz-relay/src/main.rs
index 5638fc4a5..278a321a3 100644
--- a/crates/buzz-relay/src/main.rs
+++ b/crates/buzz-relay/src/main.rs
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ async fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
             service
         }
         SearchBackend::Postgres => {
-            info!("Search backend: postgres (content_tsv generated column)");
+            info!("Search backend: postgres (expression GIN index idx_events_content_fts)");
             SearchService::with_postgres(db.pool())
         }
         SearchBackend::Disabled => {
diff --git a/crates/buzz-search/src/lib.rs b/crates/buzz-search/src/lib.rs
index 22d31647b..a02b778bd 100644
--- a/crates/buzz-search/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/buzz-search/src/lib.rs
@@ -9,8 +9,9 @@
 //!   `search()` path returns event IDs that the relay then refetches from
 //!   Postgres.
 //! - [`SearchService::with_postgres`] (Postgres FTS): runs `plainto_tsquery`
-//!   against a generated `content_tsv` column on `events`. No write-path
-//!   indexing needed — the generated stored column auto-populates on INSERT.
+//!   against the `idx_events_content_fts` expression GIN index on `events`. No
+//!   write-path indexing needed — Postgres maintains the expression index on
+//!   every INSERT/UPDATE, exactly like a column index.
 //! - [`SearchService::disabled`]: returns empty results for every query and
 //!   accepts indexing calls as no-ops. Used when NIP-50 search is intentionally
 //!   off (e.g. for tenants who opted out).
@@ -39,7 +40,7 @@ use sqlx::PgPool;
 pub enum SearchBackend {
     /// Typesense (current production default).
     Typesense,
-    /// Postgres full-text search via the `content_tsv` generated column.
+    /// Postgres full-text search via the `idx_events_content_fts` expression GIN index.
     Postgres,
     /// NIP-50 search is disabled; every query returns empty.
     Disabled,
@@ -138,8 +139,8 @@ impl SearchService {
     }
 
     /// Creates a Postgres FTS `SearchService` backed by the supplied pool.
-    /// No indexing setup is required — the `content_tsv` generated column
-    /// populates on every INSERT.
+    /// No indexing setup is required — the `idx_events_content_fts` expression
+    /// index is maintained by Postgres on every INSERT/UPDATE.
     pub fn with_postgres(pool: PgPool) -> Self {
         Self::Postgres(pool)
     }
@@ -174,8 +175,8 @@ impl SearchService {
     /// Indexes a single event (upsert semantics).
     ///
     /// - **Typesense**: writes a document to the collection.
-    /// - **Postgres**: no-op — the `content_tsv` generated stored column is
-    ///   populated automatically on the original INSERT.
+    /// - **Postgres**: no-op — the `idx_events_content_fts` expression index is
+    ///   maintained automatically on the original INSERT.
     /// - **Disabled**: no-op.
     pub async fn index_event(&self, event: &StoredEvent) -> Result<(), SearchError> {
         match self {
@@ -236,9 +237,9 @@ impl SearchService {
     /// Removes an event from the search index by its event ID hex string.
     ///
     /// - **Typesense**: deletes the document.
-    /// - **Postgres**: no-op — `content_tsv` is tied to the event row;
-    ///   removing the row removes the index entry, and the relay's event
-    ///   deletion path already handles that.
+    /// - **Postgres**: no-op — the `idx_events_content_fts` entry is tied to the
+    ///   event row; removing the row removes the index entry, and the relay's
+    ///   event deletion path already handles that.
     /// - **Disabled**: no-op.
     pub async fn delete_event(&self, event_id: &str) -> Result<(), SearchError> {
         match self {
diff --git a/crates/buzz-search/src/postgres.rs b/crates/buzz-search/src/postgres.rs
index 5fd73b2e9..e4e376407 100644
--- a/crates/buzz-search/src/postgres.rs
+++ b/crates/buzz-search/src/postgres.rs
@@ -6,8 +6,9 @@
 //! `db.get_events_by_ids` → `filters_match` → auth post-filter chain in
 //! `crates/buzz-relay/src/handlers/req.rs` is unchanged.
 //!
-//! Matching uses `plainto_tsquery('simple', $q)` against the `content_tsv`
-//! generated column added in migration `0004_search_fts.sql`. Pushdowns:
+//! Matching uses `plainto_tsquery('simple', $q)` against the
+//! `idx_events_content_fts` expression GIN index added in migration
+//! `0004_search_fts.sql`. Pushdowns:
 //!
 //! - `kinds`             → `kind = ANY($kinds)`
 //! - `authors`           → `pubkey = ANY($authors)`         (hex-decoded)
@@ -69,8 +70,9 @@ pub async fn search(pool: &PgPool, query: &SearchQuery) -> Result<SearchResult,
     // hand-rolling a query with a stable parameter ordering is more readable
     // and easier to audit.
     //
-    // `simple` matches the tokenizer used by the `content_tsv` generated
-    // column in migration 0004. plainto_tsquery treats the input as a plain
+    // `simple` matches the tokenizer used by the `idx_events_content_fts`
+    // expression index in migration 0004 (`to_tsvector('simple', content)`),
+    // so this query is index-served. plainto_tsquery treats the input as a plain
     // string (handles spaces, ignores punctuation) — closest analogue to
     // Typesense's default `query_by=content` behavior.
     let mut binds = Binds::new();
@@ -91,13 +93,13 @@ pub async fn search(pool: &PgPool, query: &SearchQuery) -> Result<SearchResult,
         // terms cluster together — closer match to Typesense's text relevance
         // than plain `ts_rank`. Returned as `rank REAL`.
         sql.push_str(&format!(
-            ", ts_rank_cd(content_tsv, plainto_tsquery('simple', ${idx})) AS rank"
+            ", ts_rank_cd(to_tsvector('simple', content), plainto_tsquery('simple', ${idx})) AS rank"
         ));
     }
     sql.push_str(", COUNT(*) OVER () AS total FROM events WHERE deleted_at IS NULL");
     if let Some(idx) = q_idx {
         sql.push_str(&format!(
-            " AND content_tsv @@ plainto_tsquery('simple', ${idx})"
+            " AND to_tsvector('simple', content) @@ plainto_tsquery('simple', ${idx})"
         ));
     }
 
diff --git a/migrations/0004_search_fts.sql b/migrations/0004_search_fts.sql
index 277e30e8f..c966cebd5 100644
--- a/migrations/0004_search_fts.sql
+++ b/migrations/0004_search_fts.sql
@@ -1,35 +1,40 @@
--- Add a generated full-text-search column + GIN index to the events table so
--- the relay can serve NIP-50 search directly from Postgres, eliminating the
--- Typesense dependency.
+-- Add a full-text-search GIN index to the events table so the relay can serve
+-- NIP-50 search directly from Postgres, eliminating the Typesense dependency.
 --
--- `content_tsv` is `GENERATED ALWAYS AS (to_tsvector('simple', content)) STORED`
--- so every INSERT/UPDATE populates it automatically — no application-level
--- index maintenance needed (matches the pattern Typesense filled today via the
--- worker pipeline in `buzz-relay/src/state.rs`).
+-- Shape: an EXPRESSION index on `to_tsvector('simple', content)` rather than a
+-- `GENERATED ... STORED` column. Postgres maintains an expression index on every
+-- INSERT/UPDATE exactly like a column index, so the write path needs no
+-- application-level index maintenance (this replaces the Typesense worker
+-- pipeline) — and there is no stored column, so no `ALTER TABLE ... STORED` row
+-- rewrite and no `ACCESS EXCLUSIVE` backfill. The index build is therefore
+-- online-safe on a fresh/small relay (this file) and pre-buildable out of band
+-- on a large populated relay (operator runbook, below).
 --
 -- Tokenizer choice: `simple` does no stemming and preserves identifiers like
 -- agent handles, nip05 strings, and slugs. The `english` config would stem
--- ("running" → "run") but mangle handles ("alice42" tokenizes fine, but
--- something like "agents" → "agent" would break exact-handle search). Chat
--- content is heterogeneous; `simple` is the safer default for v1.
+-- ("running" -> "run") and mangle handles. Chat content is heterogeneous;
+-- `simple` is the safer default for v1. The query path in
+-- `buzz-search/src/postgres.rs` renders the identical `to_tsvector('simple', content)`
+-- expression so the planner matches this index.
 --
--- kind:0 metadata flattening: the existing Typesense pipeline appends parsed
--- display_name/name/nip05 to event content before indexing
--- (`buzz-search/src/index.rs::flatten_kind0_for_indexing`). With FTS on raw
+-- kind:0 metadata: the old Typesense pipeline appended parsed
+-- display_name/name/nip05 to event content before indexing. With FTS over raw
 -- `content`, those strings still tokenize because they live in the kind:0 JSON
--- body — `to_tsvector('simple', '{"name":"alice"}')` matches `q=alice` after
--- json-aware tokenization. Validated by the NIP-50 e2e suite.
+-- body — `to_tsvector('simple', '{"name":"alice"}')` matches `q=alice`.
+-- Validated by the NIP-50 e2e suite.
 --
--- `events` is partitioned by RANGE (created_at); ADD COLUMN on the parent
--- cascades the generated column to every partition, and CREATE INDEX on the
--- parent builds a partitioned GIN index that propagates to each partition.
--- Partition pruning on since/until queries narrows the GIN scan further than
--- Typesense's full-collection scan does today.
+-- `events` is partitioned by RANGE (created_at). `CREATE INDEX ... ON events`
+-- builds a partitioned GIN index whose per-partition child indexes propagate to
+-- existing and future partitions. Partition pruning on since/until narrows the
+-- GIN scan further than Typesense's full-collection scan does today.
+--
+-- IF NOT EXISTS makes this migration idempotent against the operator runbook:
+-- on a large relay the index is built per-child with CREATE INDEX CONCURRENTLY
+-- and ATTACHed to a parent named `idx_events_content_fts` BEFORE this code
+-- deploys, so this statement is a no-op. See
+-- GUIDES/BUZZ_POSTGRES_FTS_LIVE_RELAY_RUNBOOK.md.
 --
 -- Managed by sqlx migrations.
 
-ALTER TABLE events
-    ADD COLUMN content_tsv tsvector
-    GENERATED ALWAYS AS (to_tsvector('simple', content)) STORED;
-
-CREATE INDEX idx_events_content_tsv ON events USING GIN (content_tsv);
+CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS idx_events_content_fts
+    ON events USING GIN (to_tsvector('simple', content));
diff --git a/schema/schema.sql b/schema/schema.sql
index 6fea78b66..a351683eb 100644
--- a/schema/schema.sql
+++ b/schema/schema.sql
@@ -107,8 +107,6 @@ CREATE TABLE events (
     d_tag       TEXT,
     not_before  BIGINT,
     delivered_at BIGINT,
-    content_tsv tsvector
-        GENERATED ALWAYS AS (to_tsvector('simple', content)) STORED,
     PRIMARY KEY (created_at, id)
 ) PARTITION BY RANGE (created_at);
 
@@ -138,7 +136,7 @@ CREATE INDEX idx_events_addressable ON events (kind, pubkey, channel_id, deleted
 CREATE INDEX idx_events_parameterized ON events (kind, pubkey, d_tag, deleted_at) WHERE d_tag IS NOT NULL;
 CREATE INDEX idx_events_not_before ON events (not_before)
     WHERE not_before IS NOT NULL AND deleted_at IS NULL AND delivered_at IS NULL;
-CREATE INDEX idx_events_content_tsv ON events USING GIN (content_tsv);
+CREATE INDEX idx_events_content_fts ON events USING GIN (to_tsvector('simple', content));
 
 -- ── Event mentions ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────