diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/contacts/paged/ContactSearchAdapter.kt b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/contacts/paged/ContactSearchAdapter.kt
index c2ee072717..7780043c1f 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/contacts/paged/ContactSearchAdapter.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/contacts/paged/ContactSearchAdapter.kt
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ open class ContactSearchAdapter(
     ContactSearchModels.registerStoryItems(this, displayOptions.displayCheckBox, onClickCallbacks::onStoryClicked, storyContextMenuCallbacks, displayOptions.displayStoryRing)
     ContactSearchModels.registerKnownRecipientItems(this, fixedContacts, displayOptions, onClickCallbacks::onKnownRecipientClicked, longClickCallbacks::onKnownRecipientLongClick, callButtonClickCallbacks)
     ContactSearchModels.registerHeaders(this)
+    ContactSearchModels.registerSectionLoading(this)
     ContactSearchModels.registerExpands(this, onClickCallbacks::onExpandClicked)
     ContactSearchModels.registerChatTypeItems(this, onClickCallbacks::onChatTypeClicked)
     ContactSearchModels.registerUnknownRecipientItems(this, onClickCallbacks::onUnknownRecipientClicked, displayOptions.displayCheckBox)
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/contacts/paged/ContactSearchData.kt b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/contacts/paged/ContactSearchData.kt
index 9e6c76b44f..d4fec3ab43 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/contacts/paged/ContactSearchData.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/contacts/paged/ContactSearchData.kt
@@ -86,6 +86,12 @@ sealed class ContactSearchData(val contactSearchKey: ContactSearchKey) {
    */
   class Expand(val sectionKey: ContactSearchConfiguration.SectionKey) : ContactSearchData(ContactSearchKey.Expand(sectionKey))
 
+  /**
+   * A row indicating that the section is still being queried. Sections are queried in parallel and
+   * rendered as they finish, so this stands in for a section whose results have not arrived yet.
+   */
+  data class SectionLoading(val sectionKey: ContactSearchConfiguration.SectionKey) : ContactSearchData(ContactSearchKey.SectionLoading(sectionKey))
+
   /**
    * A row representing arbitrary data tied to a specific section.
    */
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/contacts/paged/ContactSearchKey.kt b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/contacts/paged/ContactSearchKey.kt
index bed4eec8a6..9e3eb1ecc0 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/contacts/paged/ContactSearchKey.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/contacts/paged/ContactSearchKey.kt
@@ -54,6 +54,11 @@ sealed class ContactSearchKey {
    */
   data class Expand(val sectionKey: ContactSearchConfiguration.SectionKey) : ContactSearchKey()
 
+  /**
+   * Key to the loading placeholder shown while a given section is still being queried
+   */
+  data class SectionLoading(val sectionKey: ContactSearchConfiguration.SectionKey) : ContactSearchKey()
+
   /**
    * Arbitrary takes a string type and will map to exactly one ArbitraryData object.
    *
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/contacts/paged/ContactSearchModels.kt b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/contacts/paged/ContactSearchModels.kt
index 71ae7e4d89..c5f4d4f4d0 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/contacts/paged/ContactSearchModels.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/contacts/paged/ContactSearchModels.kt
@@ -15,16 +15,22 @@ import android.widget.FrameLayout
 import android.widget.ImageView
 import android.widget.TextView
 import androidx.appcompat.widget.AppCompatImageView
+import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.Box
 import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.Column
 import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.fillMaxWidth
 import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.padding
+import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.size
+import androidx.compose.material3.CircularProgressIndicator
 import androidx.compose.material3.MaterialTheme
 import androidx.compose.material3.Text
+import androidx.compose.runtime.Composable
 import androidx.compose.runtime.getValue
 import androidx.compose.runtime.mutableStateOf
 import androidx.compose.runtime.remember
 import androidx.compose.runtime.setValue
+import androidx.compose.ui.Alignment
 import androidx.compose.ui.Modifier
+import androidx.compose.ui.platform.ComposeView
 import androidx.compose.ui.res.colorResource
 import androidx.compose.ui.res.dimensionResource
 import androidx.compose.ui.res.stringResource
@@ -51,6 +57,7 @@ import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.components.AvatarImageView
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.components.FromTextView
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.components.menu.ActionItem
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.components.menu.SignalContextMenu
+import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.components.settings.models.DSLComposePreference
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.contacts.LetterHeaderDecoration
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.database.model.DistributionListPrivacyMode
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.database.model.StoryViewState
@@ -123,6 +130,10 @@ object ContactSearchModels {
     )
   }
 
+  fun registerSectionLoading(mappingAdapter: MappingAdapter) {
+    DSLComposePreference.register<SectionLoadingModel>(mappingAdapter) { SectionLoadingViewHolder(it) }
+  }
+
   fun registerExpands(mappingAdapter: MappingAdapter, expandListener: (ContactSearchData.Expand) -> Unit) {
     mappingAdapter.registerFactory(
       ExpandModel::class.java,
@@ -214,6 +225,11 @@ object ContactSearchModels {
           R.layout.contact_search_section_header
         ).createViewHolder(FrameLayout(ctx))
       }
+      entry<SectionLoadingModel>(
+        key = { model -> "SECTION_LOADING${model.sectionLoading.sectionKey}" }
+      ) {
+        SectionLoadingRow()
+      }
       viewHolder<ExpandModel>(
         key = { model -> "EXPAND${model.expand.sectionKey}" }
       ) { ctx ->
@@ -252,6 +268,7 @@ object ContactSearchModels {
           is ContactSearchData.Story -> StoryModel(it, selection.contains(it.contactSearchKey), SignalStore.story.userHasBeenNotifiedAboutStories)
           is ContactSearchData.KnownRecipient -> RecipientModel(it, selection.contains(it.contactSearchKey), it.shortSummary)
           is ContactSearchData.Expand -> ExpandModel(it)
+          is ContactSearchData.SectionLoading -> SectionLoadingModel(it)
           is ContactSearchData.Header -> HeaderModel(it)
           is ContactSearchData.TestRow -> error("This row exists for testing only.")
           is ContactSearchData.Arbitrary -> arbitraryRepository?.getMappingModel(it) ?: error("This row must be handled manually")
@@ -788,6 +805,19 @@ object ContactSearchModels {
     }
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Mapping Model for the placeholder shown in place of a section whose query is still running.
+   */
+  class SectionLoadingModel(val sectionLoading: ContactSearchData.SectionLoading) : MappingModel<SectionLoadingModel> {
+    override fun areItemsTheSame(newItem: SectionLoadingModel): Boolean {
+      return sectionLoading.sectionKey == newItem.sectionLoading.sectionKey
+    }
+
+    override fun areContentsTheSame(newItem: SectionLoadingModel): Boolean {
+      return areItemsTheSame(newItem)
+    }
+  }
+
   /**
    * Mapping Model for messages
    */
@@ -823,6 +853,31 @@ object ContactSearchModels {
     override fun areItemsTheSame(newItem: GroupWithMembersModel): Boolean = newItem.groupWithMembers.contactSearchKey == groupWithMembers.contactSearchKey
   }
 
+  @Composable
+  private fun SectionLoadingRow() {
+    Box(
+      contentAlignment = Alignment.Center,
+      modifier = Modifier
+        .fillMaxWidth()
+        .padding(vertical = 16.dp)
+    ) {
+      CircularProgressIndicator(
+        strokeWidth = 3.dp,
+        modifier = Modifier.size(24.dp)
+      )
+    }
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * View Holder for the placeholder shown in place of a section whose query is still running.
+   */
+  private class SectionLoadingViewHolder(composeView: ComposeView) : DSLComposePreference.ViewHolder<SectionLoadingModel>(composeView) {
+    @Composable
+    override fun Content(model: SectionLoadingModel) {
+      SectionLoadingRow()
+    }
+  }
+
   /**
    * View Holder for section headers
    */
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/contacts/paged/ContactSearchPagedDataSource.kt b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/contacts/paged/ContactSearchPagedDataSource.kt
index 339778e2a5..b0df92bc9a 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/contacts/paged/ContactSearchPagedDataSource.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/contacts/paged/ContactSearchPagedDataSource.kt
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ package org.thoughtcrime.securesms.contacts.paged
 
 import android.database.Cursor
 import androidx.annotation.WorkerThread
-import org.signal.core.util.requireLong
 import org.signal.paging.PagedDataSource
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.R
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.contacts.ContactRepository
@@ -10,7 +9,6 @@ import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.contacts.paged.collections.ContactSearchCollec
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.contacts.paged.collections.ContactSearchIterator
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.contacts.paged.collections.CursorSearchIterator
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.contacts.paged.collections.StoriesSearchCollection
-import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.database.GroupTable
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.database.RecipientTable
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.database.model.DistributionListPrivacyMode
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.database.model.GroupRecord
@@ -19,6 +17,7 @@ import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.groups.GroupsInCommonSummary
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.keyvalue.StorySend
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.phonenumbers.NumberUtil
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.recipients.Recipient
+import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.recipients.RecipientId
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.search.MessageResult
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.search.MessageSearchResult
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.search.SearchRepository
@@ -33,7 +32,8 @@ class ContactSearchPagedDataSource(
   private val contactConfiguration: ContactSearchConfiguration,
   private val contactSearchPagedDataSourceRepository: ContactSearchPagedDataSourceRepository,
   private val arbitraryRepository: ArbitraryRepository? = null,
-  private val searchRepository: SearchRepository? = null
+  private val searchRepository: SearchRepository? = null,
+  private val sectionResults: ContactSearchSectionResults = ContactSearchSectionResults()
 ) : PagedDataSource<ContactSearchKey, ContactSearchData> {
 
   companion object {
@@ -130,6 +130,10 @@ class ContactSearchPagedDataSource(
   }
 
   private fun getSectionSize(section: ContactSearchConfiguration.Section, query: String?): Int {
+    if (section.sectionKey in sectionResults.pending) {
+      return getPendingSectionRows(section).size
+    }
+
     return when (section) {
       is ContactSearchConfiguration.Section.Individuals -> getNonGroupSearchIterator(section, query).getCollectionSizeAndClose(section, query, null)
       is ContactSearchConfiguration.Section.Groups -> contactSearchPagedDataSourceRepository.getGroupSearchIterator(section, query).getCollectionSizeAndClose(section, query, this::canSendToGroup)
@@ -172,6 +176,12 @@ class ContactSearchPagedDataSource(
 
   @WorkerThread
   private fun getSectionData(section: ContactSearchConfiguration.Section, query: String?, startIndex: Int, endIndex: Int): List<ContactSearchData> {
+    if (section.sectionKey in sectionResults.pending) {
+      val rows = getPendingSectionRows(section)
+      val start = startIndex.coerceIn(0, rows.size)
+      return rows.subList(start, endIndex.coerceIn(start, rows.size))
+    }
+
     return when (section) {
       is ContactSearchConfiguration.Section.Groups -> getGroupContactsData(section, query, startIndex, endIndex)
       is ContactSearchConfiguration.Section.Individuals -> getNonGroupContactsData(section, query, startIndex, endIndex)
@@ -190,6 +200,20 @@ class ContactSearchPagedDataSource(
     }
   }
 
+  /**
+   * The rows a section occupies while its query is still running: its header, so the user can see
+   * which section is outstanding, plus a spinner in place of its results.
+   */
+  private fun getPendingSectionRows(section: ContactSearchConfiguration.Section): List<ContactSearchData> {
+    val loading = ContactSearchData.SectionLoading(section.sectionKey)
+
+    return if (section.includeHeader) {
+      listOf(ContactSearchData.Header(section.sectionKey, section.headerAction), loading)
+    } else {
+      listOf(loading)
+    }
+  }
+
   private fun isPossiblyPhoneNumber(query: String?): Boolean {
     if (query == null) {
       return false
@@ -276,19 +300,23 @@ class ContactSearchPagedDataSource(
     return CursorSearchIterator(contactSearchPagedDataSourceRepository.getStories(query))
   }
 
-  private fun getGroupsWithMembersIterator(query: String?): ContactSearchIterator<Cursor> {
+  private fun getGroupsWithMembersIterator(query: String?): ContactSearchIterator<GroupWithMembersRecord> {
+    sectionResults.groupsWithMembers?.let { return ListSearchIterator(it) }
+
     return if (query.isNullOrEmpty()) {
-      CursorSearchIterator(null)
+      ListSearchIterator(emptyList())
     } else {
-      CursorSearchIterator(contactSearchPagedDataSourceRepository.getGroupsWithMembers(query))
+      ListSearchIterator(contactSearchPagedDataSourceRepository.getGroupsWithMembers(query))
     }
   }
 
-  private fun getContactsWithoutThreadsIterator(query: String?): ContactSearchIterator<Cursor> {
+  private fun getContactsWithoutThreadsIterator(query: String?): ContactSearchIterator<RecipientId> {
+    sectionResults.contactsWithoutThreads?.let { return ListSearchIterator(it) }
+
     return if (query.isNullOrEmpty()) {
-      CursorSearchIterator(null)
+      ListSearchIterator(emptyList())
     } else {
-      CursorSearchIterator(contactSearchPagedDataSourceRepository.getContactsWithoutThreads(query))
+      ListSearchIterator(contactSearchPagedDataSourceRepository.getContactsWithoutThreads(query))
     }
   }
 
@@ -348,10 +376,7 @@ class ContactSearchPagedDataSource(
         section = section,
         startIndex = startIndex,
         endIndex = endIndex,
-        recordMapper = { cursor ->
-          val record = GroupTable.Reader(cursor).getCurrent()
-          ContactSearchData.GroupWithMembers(query!!, record!!, cursor.requireLong(GroupTable.THREAD_DATE))
-        }
+        recordMapper = { ContactSearchData.GroupWithMembers(query ?: "", it.groupRecord, it.threadDate) }
       )
     }
   }
@@ -395,7 +420,7 @@ class ContactSearchPagedDataSource(
         startIndex = startIndex,
         endIndex = endIndex,
         recordMapper = {
-          ContactSearchData.KnownRecipient(section.sectionKey, contactSearchPagedDataSourceRepository.getRecipientFromRecipientCursor(it))
+          ContactSearchData.KnownRecipient(section.sectionKey, contactSearchPagedDataSourceRepository.getRecipient(it))
         }
       )
     }
@@ -485,6 +510,8 @@ class ContactSearchPagedDataSource(
   }
 
   private fun getMessageData(query: String?): ContactSearchIterator<MessageResult> {
+    sectionResults.messages?.let { return ListSearchIterator(it) }
+
     check(searchRepository != null)
 
     if (searchCache.messageSearchResult == null && query != null) {
@@ -514,6 +541,8 @@ class ContactSearchPagedDataSource(
   }
 
   private fun getThreadData(query: String?, unreadOnly: Boolean): ContactSearchIterator<ThreadWithRecipient> {
+    sectionResults.threads?.let { return ListSearchIterator(it) }
+
     check(searchRepository != null)
     if (searchCache.threadSearchResult == null && query != null) {
       searchCache = searchCache.copy(threadSearchResult = searchRepository.queryThreadsSync(query, unreadOnly))
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/contacts/paged/ContactSearchPagedDataSourceRepository.kt b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/contacts/paged/ContactSearchPagedDataSourceRepository.kt
index f12cc3ff37..c8421e9f3f 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/contacts/paged/ContactSearchPagedDataSourceRepository.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/contacts/paged/ContactSearchPagedDataSourceRepository.kt
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.first
 import kotlinx.coroutines.runBlocking
 import org.signal.core.util.CursorUtil
 import org.signal.core.util.LRUCache
+import org.signal.core.util.requireLong
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.R
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.contacts.ContactRepository
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.contacts.paged.collections.ContactSearchIterator
@@ -34,6 +35,11 @@ open class ContactSearchPagedDataSourceRepository(
   selfTitle: String = context.getString(R.string.note_to_self)
 ) {
 
+  companion object {
+    /** Ceiling on the sections that are read into memory in full, rather than a page at a time. */
+    private const val MAX_PREFETCHED_ROWS = 500
+  }
+
   private val contactRepository = ContactRepository(selfTitle)
   private val context = context.applicationContext
   private val groupRecordCache = LRUCache<GroupId, GroupRecord?>(100)
@@ -82,12 +88,26 @@ open class ContactSearchPagedDataSourceRepository(
     return SignalDatabase.distributionLists.getAllListsForContactSelectionUiCursor(query, myStoryContainsQuery(query ?: ""))
   }
 
-  open fun getGroupsWithMembers(query: String): Cursor {
-    return SignalDatabase.groups.queryGroupsByMemberName(query)
+  open fun getGroupsWithMembers(query: String): List<GroupWithMembersRecord> {
+    val cursor = SignalDatabase.groups.queryGroupsByMemberName(query, MAX_PREFETCHED_ROWS)
+
+    return GroupTable.Reader(cursor).use { reader ->
+      generateSequence { reader.getNext() }
+        .map { GroupWithMembersRecord(it, cursor.requireLong(GroupTable.THREAD_DATE)) }
+        .toList()
+    }
   }
 
-  open fun getContactsWithoutThreads(query: String): Cursor {
-    return SignalDatabase.recipients.getAllContactsWithoutThreads(query)
+  /**
+   * Ids rather than [Recipient]s, since resolving a recipient costs a query per row and only the
+   * rows that scroll into view need one.
+   */
+  open fun getContactsWithoutThreads(query: String): List<RecipientId> {
+    return SignalDatabase.recipients.getAllContactsWithoutThreads(query, MAX_PREFETCHED_ROWS).use { cursor ->
+      generateSequence { if (cursor.moveToNext()) cursor else null }
+        .map { RecipientId.from(it.requireLong(RecipientTable.ID)) }
+        .toList()
+    }
   }
 
   open fun getRecipientFromDistributionListCursor(cursor: Cursor): Recipient {
@@ -106,8 +126,8 @@ open class ContactSearchPagedDataSourceRepository(
     return Recipient.resolved(RecipientId.from(CursorUtil.requireLong(cursor, ContactRepository.ID_COLUMN)))
   }
 
-  open fun getRecipientFromRecipientCursor(cursor: Cursor): Recipient {
-    return Recipient.resolved(RecipientId.from(CursorUtil.requireLong(cursor, RecipientTable.ID)))
+  open fun getRecipient(recipientId: RecipientId): Recipient {
+    return Recipient.resolved(recipientId)
   }
 
   @WorkerThread
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/contacts/paged/ContactSearchSectionResults.kt b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/contacts/paged/ContactSearchSectionResults.kt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..11ffd0eba3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/contacts/paged/ContactSearchSectionResults.kt
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2026 Signal Messenger, LLC
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-only
+ */
+
+package org.thoughtcrime.securesms.contacts.paged
+
+import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.contacts.paged.ContactSearchConfiguration.SectionKey
+import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.database.model.ThreadWithRecipient
+import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.recipients.RecipientId
+import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.search.MessageResult
+
+/**
+ * The results of the search sections that [ContactSearchViewModel] queries in parallel, folded in
+ * as each one lands so that finished sections can render while the rest are still running.
+ *
+ * A section listed in [pending] has not finished yet, and renders as a loading placeholder rather
+ * than as an empty section.
+ */
+data class ContactSearchSectionResults(
+  val pending: Set<SectionKey> = emptySet(),
+  val threads: List<ThreadWithRecipient>? = null,
+  val messages: List<MessageResult>? = null,
+  val groupsWithMembers: List<GroupWithMembersRecord>? = null,
+  val contactsWithoutThreads: List<RecipientId>? = null
+) {
+  fun withSection(result: ContactSearchSectionResult): ContactSearchSectionResults {
+    val remaining = pending - result.sectionKey
+
+    return when (result) {
+      is ContactSearchSectionResult.Chats -> copy(pending = remaining, threads = result.threads)
+      is ContactSearchSectionResult.Messages -> copy(pending = remaining, messages = result.messages)
+      is ContactSearchSectionResult.GroupsWithMembers -> copy(pending = remaining, groupsWithMembers = result.groups)
+      is ContactSearchSectionResult.ContactsWithoutThreads -> copy(pending = remaining, contactsWithoutThreads = result.recipientIds)
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * The result of querying a single section. Rows are held in whatever form is cheapest to produce in
+ * bulk -- ids where resolving the full model costs a query per row -- and are turned into
+ * [ContactSearchData] lazily, as they scroll into view.
+ */
+sealed interface ContactSearchSectionResult {
+  val sectionKey: SectionKey
+
+  data class Chats(val threads: List<ThreadWithRecipient>) : ContactSearchSectionResult {
+    override val sectionKey: SectionKey = SectionKey.CHATS
+  }
+
+  data class Messages(val messages: List<MessageResult>) : ContactSearchSectionResult {
+    override val sectionKey: SectionKey = SectionKey.MESSAGES
+  }
+
+  data class GroupsWithMembers(val groups: List<GroupWithMembersRecord>) : ContactSearchSectionResult {
+    override val sectionKey: SectionKey = SectionKey.GROUPS_WITH_MEMBERS
+  }
+
+  data class ContactsWithoutThreads(val recipientIds: List<RecipientId>) : ContactSearchSectionResult {
+    override val sectionKey: SectionKey = SectionKey.CONTACTS_WITHOUT_THREADS
+  }
+}
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/contacts/paged/ContactSearchViewModel.kt b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/contacts/paged/ContactSearchViewModel.kt
index 8810b5d78a..bafbb3f6c4 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/contacts/paged/ContactSearchViewModel.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/contacts/paged/ContactSearchViewModel.kt
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 package org.thoughtcrime.securesms.contacts.paged
 
+import androidx.annotation.WorkerThread
 import androidx.compose.runtime.Stable
 import androidx.lifecycle.AbstractSavedStateViewModelFactory
 import androidx.lifecycle.Lifecycle
@@ -14,11 +15,14 @@ import io.reactivex.rxjava3.disposables.CompositeDisposable
 import io.reactivex.rxjava3.kotlin.plusAssign
 import io.reactivex.rxjava3.subjects.PublishSubject
 import kotlinx.coroutines.Dispatchers
+import kotlinx.coroutines.channels.Channel
+import kotlinx.coroutines.coroutineScope
 import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.MutableSharedFlow
 import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.MutableStateFlow
 import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.SharedFlow
 import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.SharingStarted
 import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.StateFlow
+import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.collectLatest
 import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.combine
 import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.debounce
 import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.drop
@@ -97,7 +101,11 @@ class ContactSearchViewModel(
   val isDisplayingContextMenu: StateFlow<Boolean> = internalDisplayingContextMenu
   val scrollRequests: SharedFlow<ScrollRequest> = internalScrollRequests
 
-  /** True while a [setConfiguration] call is fetching results off the main thread. Suitable for driving a loading indicator. */
+  /**
+   * True while a [setConfiguration] call has yet to publish anything for the current configuration. Suitable for driving a
+   * whole-list loading indicator. Goes false as soon as the first results are published, even if slower sections are still
+   * running -- those render their own placeholder.
+   */
   val searchInProgress: StateFlow<Boolean> = internalSearchInProgress
 
   val query: StateFlow<String?> = rawQuery
@@ -154,25 +162,104 @@ class ContactSearchViewModel(
     internalScrollRequests.tryEmit(ScrollRequest(position))
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Builds the results for [contactSearchConfiguration] and publishes them to [pagedData].
+   *
+   * Each query-driven section runs its own database query, and how long those take varies wildly --
+   * a message search can take an order of magnitude longer than a contact search. So rather than
+   * hold every section back until the slowest one finishes, they are queried concurrently and
+   * published as they land. A section that hasn't reported yet renders as a loading placeholder, so
+   * an outstanding section can't be mistaken for an empty one.
+   *
+   * Nothing is published until the topmost section finishes, even if a lower one is ready sooner.
+   * Publishing earlier would put a placeholder above the results and then shove them down when it
+   * resolves, which on a device where the whole search takes a few milliseconds reads as a flicker.
+   * Until then [searchInProgress] covers the gap, and sections that finish together are published
+   * together for the same reason.
+   */
   suspend fun setConfiguration(contactSearchConfiguration: ContactSearchConfiguration) {
     internalSearchInProgress.value = true
     try {
-      val (pagedDataSource, size) = withContext(Dispatchers.Default) {
-        val source = ContactSearchPagedDataSource(
-          contactSearchConfiguration,
-          arbitraryRepository = arbitraryRepository,
-          searchRepository = searchRepository,
-          contactSearchPagedDataSourceRepository = contactSearchPagedDataSourceRepository
-        )
-        source to source.size()
+      val query = contactSearchConfiguration.query?.takeIf { it.isNotEmpty() }
+      val parallelSections = if (query == null) emptyList() else contactSearchConfiguration.sections.filter { it.isQueriedInParallel() }
+
+      if (query == null || parallelSections.isEmpty()) {
+        publish(contactSearchConfiguration, ContactSearchSectionResults())
+        return
+      }
+
+      coroutineScope {
+        val completedSections = Channel<ContactSearchSectionResult>(capacity = parallelSections.size)
+
+        parallelSections.forEach { section ->
+          launch(Dispatchers.Default) {
+            completedSections.send(querySection(section, query, contactSearchConfiguration.searchFilter))
+          }
+        }
+
+        val topSection = parallelSections.first().sectionKey
+        var results = ContactSearchSectionResults(pending = parallelSections.mapTo(mutableSetOf()) { it.sectionKey })
+
+        while (results.pending.isNotEmpty()) {
+          results = results.withSection(completedSections.receive())
+
+          generateSequence { completedSections.tryReceive().getOrNull() }
+            .forEach { results = results.withSection(it) }
+
+          if (topSection !in results.pending) {
+            publish(contactSearchConfiguration, results)
+            internalSearchInProgress.value = false
+          }
+        }
       }
-      internalTotalCount.value = size
-      pagedData.value = PagedData.createForStateFlow(pagedDataSource, pagingConfig, data.value)
     } finally {
       internalSearchInProgress.value = false
     }
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Whether [querySection] can produce this section's rows up front. The rest are left to
+   * [ContactSearchPagedDataSource], which reads them a page at a time off of a cursor -- either
+   * because they're unbounded, or because they aren't query-driven and so aren't what a search is
+   * waiting on.
+   */
+  private fun ContactSearchConfiguration.Section.isQueriedInParallel(): Boolean {
+    return when (this) {
+      is ContactSearchConfiguration.Section.Chats,
+      is ContactSearchConfiguration.Section.Messages,
+      is ContactSearchConfiguration.Section.GroupsWithMembers,
+      is ContactSearchConfiguration.Section.ContactsWithoutThreads -> true
+
+      else -> false
+    }
+  }
+
+  @WorkerThread
+  private fun querySection(section: ContactSearchConfiguration.Section, query: String, searchFilter: SearchFilter): ContactSearchSectionResult {
+    return when (section) {
+      is ContactSearchConfiguration.Section.Chats -> ContactSearchSectionResult.Chats(searchRepository.queryThreadsSync(query, section.isUnreadOnly).results)
+      is ContactSearchConfiguration.Section.Messages -> ContactSearchSectionResult.Messages(searchRepository.queryMessagesSync(query, searchFilter).results)
+      is ContactSearchConfiguration.Section.GroupsWithMembers -> ContactSearchSectionResult.GroupsWithMembers(contactSearchPagedDataSourceRepository.getGroupsWithMembers(query))
+      is ContactSearchConfiguration.Section.ContactsWithoutThreads -> ContactSearchSectionResult.ContactsWithoutThreads(contactSearchPagedDataSourceRepository.getContactsWithoutThreads(query))
+      else -> error("Section ${section.sectionKey} is not queried in parallel.")
+    }
+  }
+
+  private suspend fun publish(contactSearchConfiguration: ContactSearchConfiguration, sectionResults: ContactSearchSectionResults) {
+    val (pagedDataSource, size) = withContext(Dispatchers.Default) {
+      val source = ContactSearchPagedDataSource(
+        contactSearchConfiguration,
+        arbitraryRepository = arbitraryRepository,
+        searchRepository = searchRepository,
+        contactSearchPagedDataSourceRepository = contactSearchPagedDataSourceRepository,
+        sectionResults = sectionResults
+      )
+      source to source.size()
+    }
+    internalTotalCount.value = size
+    pagedData.value = PagedData.createForStateFlow(pagedDataSource, pagingConfig, data.value)
+  }
+
   fun setQuery(query: String?) {
     rawQuery.value = query
   }
@@ -322,7 +409,7 @@ fun ContactSearchViewModel.bindAdapterToLifecycle(
     lifecycleOwner.repeatOnLifecycle(Lifecycle.State.STARTED) {
       launch { mappingModels.collect { adapter.submitList(it) } }
       launch { controller.collect { it?.let { c -> adapter.setPagingController(c) } } }
-      launch { configurationState.collect { setConfiguration(mapStateToConfiguration(it)) } }
+      launch { configurationState.collectLatest { setConfiguration(mapStateToConfiguration(it)) } }
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/contacts/paged/GroupWithMembersRecord.kt b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/contacts/paged/GroupWithMembersRecord.kt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0309aeba56
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/contacts/paged/GroupWithMembersRecord.kt
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2026 Signal Messenger, LLC
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-only
+ */
+
+package org.thoughtcrime.securesms.contacts.paged
+
+import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.database.model.GroupRecord
+
+/**
+ * A group whose members matched a search query, paired with the date of its thread.
+ */
+data class GroupWithMembersRecord(
+  val groupRecord: GroupRecord,
+  val threadDate: Long
+)
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/database/GroupTable.kt b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/database/GroupTable.kt
index b0dac915c6..5f6811d7cd 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/database/GroupTable.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/database/GroupTable.kt
@@ -351,22 +351,23 @@ class GroupTable(context: Context?, databaseHelper: SignalDatabase?) :
     return noMetadata && noMembers
   }
 
-  fun queryGroupsByMemberName(inputQuery: String): Cursor {
+  fun queryGroupsByMemberName(inputQuery: String, limit: Int): Cursor {
     val subquery = recipients.getAllContactsSubquery(inputQuery, RecipientTable.IncludeSelfMode.IncludeWithoutRemap)
     val statement = """
-      SELECT 
-        DISTINCT $TABLE_NAME.*, 
+      SELECT
+        DISTINCT $TABLE_NAME.*,
         GROUP_CONCAT(${MembershipTable.TABLE_NAME}.${MembershipTable.RECIPIENT_ID}) as $MEMBER_GROUP_CONCAT,
         ${ThreadTable.TABLE_NAME}.${ThreadTable.DATE} as $THREAD_DATE
-      FROM $TABLE_NAME          
+      FROM $TABLE_NAME
       INNER JOIN ${MembershipTable.TABLE_NAME} ON ${MembershipTable.TABLE_NAME}.${MembershipTable.GROUP_ID} = $TABLE_NAME.$GROUP_ID
       INNER JOIN ${ThreadTable.TABLE_NAME} ON ${ThreadTable.TABLE_NAME}.${ThreadTable.RECIPIENT_ID} = $TABLE_NAME.$RECIPIENT_ID
       WHERE $TABLE_NAME.$IS_MEMBER = 1 AND $TABLE_NAME.$TERMINATED_BY = 0 AND ${MembershipTable.TABLE_NAME}.${MembershipTable.RECIPIENT_ID} IN (${subquery.where})
       GROUP BY ${MembershipTable.TABLE_NAME}.${MembershipTable.GROUP_ID}
       ORDER BY $TITLE COLLATE NOCASE ASC
+      LIMIT ?
     """
 
-    return databaseHelper.signalReadableDatabase.query(statement, subquery.whereArgs)
+    return databaseHelper.signalReadableDatabase.query(statement, subquery.whereArgs + limit.toString())
   }
 
   fun queryGroupsByTitle(inputQuery: String, includeInactive: Boolean, excludeV1: Boolean, excludeMms: Boolean): Reader {
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/database/RecipientTable.kt b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/database/RecipientTable.kt
index 40df849a50..0e3c3c5312 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/database/RecipientTable.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/database/RecipientTable.kt
@@ -3787,7 +3787,7 @@ open class RecipientTable(context: Context, databaseHelper: SignalDatabase) : Da
   /**
    * Queries all contacts without an active thread.
    */
-  fun getAllContactsWithoutThreads(inputQuery: String): Cursor {
+  fun getAllContactsWithoutThreads(inputQuery: String, limit: Int): Cursor {
     val query = SqlUtil.buildCaseInsensitiveGlobPattern(inputQuery)
 
     //language=sql
@@ -3795,14 +3795,15 @@ open class RecipientTable(context: Context, databaseHelper: SignalDatabase) : Da
       SELECT ${searchProjection(IncludeSelfMode.Exclude).joinToString(", ")} FROM $TABLE_NAME
       WHERE $BLOCKED = ? AND $HIDDEN = ? AND $REGISTERED != ? AND NOT EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM ${ThreadTable.TABLE_NAME} WHERE ${ThreadTable.TABLE_NAME}.${ThreadTable.ACTIVE} = 1 AND ${ThreadTable.TABLE_NAME}.${ThreadTable.RECIPIENT_ID} = $TABLE_NAME.$ID LIMIT 1)
       AND (
-          $SORT_NAME GLOB ? OR 
-          $USERNAME GLOB ? OR 
-          ${ContactSearchSelection.E164_SEARCH} OR 
+          $SORT_NAME GLOB ? OR
+          $USERNAME GLOB ? OR
+          ${ContactSearchSelection.E164_SEARCH} OR
           $EMAIL GLOB ?
       )
+      LIMIT ?
     """
 
-    return readableDatabase.query(subquery, SqlUtil.buildArgs(0, 0, RegisteredState.NOT_REGISTERED.id, query, query, query, query))
+    return readableDatabase.query(subquery, SqlUtil.buildArgs(0, 0, RegisteredState.NOT_REGISTERED.id, query, query, query, query, limit))
   }
 
   @JvmOverloads