diff --git a/graphify/cli.py b/graphify/cli.py
index aaab455a0..2f88318f2 100644
--- a/graphify/cli.py
+++ b/graphify/cli.py
@@ -207,8 +207,9 @@ def _search_hint_terms(t: dict) -> list[str]:
         return []
     for i, tok in enumerate(tokens):
         name = tok.replace("\\", "/").rsplit("/", 1)[-1].lower().removesuffix(".exe")
-        # Content searches only: find/fd match file names, which labels do not.
-        if name not in _SEARCH_COMMANDS or name in ("find", "fd"):
+        # Content searches only: find/fd match file names, which labels do not, and
+        # a search fed by a pipe filters that output, not the code.
+        if name not in _SEARCH_COMMANDS or name in ("find", "fd") or (i and tokens[i - 1] == "|"):
             continue
         rest = iter(tokens[i + 1:])
         for arg in rest:
diff --git a/tests/test_hook_guard.py b/tests/test_hook_guard.py
index 23005fb90..8f416147d 100644
--- a/tests/test_hook_guard.py
+++ b/tests/test_hook_guard.py
@@ -495,6 +495,16 @@ def test_search_nudge_ignores_path_only_matches(tool_input, tmp_path, monkeypatc
     assert _invoke_with_graph("search", {"tool_input": tool_input}, tmp_path, monkeypatch) == cli._SEARCH_NUDGE
 
 
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("command,hinted", [
+    ("git log --oneline | grep load_config", False),
+    ("rg -l save_config src | grep load_config", True),  # the code search still drives the hint
+])
+def test_piped_search_filters_output_not_code(command, hinted, tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    ctx = _ctx(_invoke_with_graph("search", {"tool_input": {"command": command}}, tmp_path, monkeypatch))
+    assert "load_config()" not in ctx
+    assert ("- save_config() (src/app.py L3)" in ctx) is hinted
+
+
 def test_search_hint_ranks_exact_label_first_and_caps_at_five(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
     nodes = [{"id": f"n{i}", "label": f"load_config_variant_{i}()", "source_file": "a.py"} for i in range(7)]
     nodes.append({"id": "x", "label": "load_config()", "source_file": "b.py"})