diff --git a/server/api/opensearch/suggestions.get.ts b/server/api/opensearch/suggestions.get.ts
index 335728405d..4c7146e581 100644
--- a/server/api/opensearch/suggestions.get.ts
+++ b/server/api/opensearch/suggestions.get.ts
@@ -1,27 +1,37 @@
-import type { NpmSearchResponse } from '#shared/types'
-import { NPM_REGISTRY } from '#shared/utils/constants'
+import * as v from 'valibot'
+import { SearchQuerySchema } from '#shared/schemas/package'
+import { CACHE_MAX_AGE_ONE_MINUTE, NPM_REGISTRY } from '#shared/utils/constants'
 
 export default defineCachedEventHandler(
   async event => {
     const query = getQuery(event)
-    const q = String(query.q || '').trim()
 
-    if (!q) {
-      return [q, []]
-    }
+    try {
+      const q = v.parse(SearchQuerySchema, query.q)
+
+      if (!q) {
+        return [q, []]
+      }
 
-    const params = new URLSearchParams({ text: q, size: '10' })
-    const response = await $fetch<NpmSearchResponse>(`${NPM_REGISTRY}/-/v1/search?${params}`)
+      const params = new URLSearchParams({ text: q, size: '10' })
+      const response = await $fetch<NpmSearchResponse>(`${NPM_REGISTRY}/-/v1/search?${params}`)
 
-    const suggestions = response.objects.map(obj => obj.package.name)
-    return [q, suggestions]
+      const suggestions = response.objects.map(obj => obj.package.name)
+      return [q, suggestions]
+    } catch (error: unknown) {
+      handleApiError(error, {
+        statusCode: 502,
+        message: ERROR_SUGGESTIONS_FETCH_FAILED,
+      })
+    }
   },
   {
-    maxAge: 60,
+    maxAge: CACHE_MAX_AGE_ONE_MINUTE,
     swr: true,
     getKey: event => {
       const query = getQuery(event)
-      return `opensearch-suggestions:${query.q || ''}`
+      const q = String(query.q || '').trim()
+      return `opensearch-suggestions:${q}`
     },
   },
 )
diff --git a/shared/schemas/package.ts b/shared/schemas/package.ts
index d4d9fc730b..386d161066 100644
--- a/shared/schemas/package.ts
+++ b/shared/schemas/package.ts
@@ -35,6 +35,15 @@ export const FilePathSchema = v.pipe(
   v.check(input => !input.startsWith('/'), 'Invalid path: must be relative to package root'),
 )
 
+/**
+ * Schema for search queries, limits length to guard against DoS attacks
+ */
+export const SearchQuerySchema = v.pipe(
+  v.string(),
+  v.trim(),
+  v.maxLength(100, 'Search query is too long'),
+)
+
 /**
  * Schema for package fetching where version is not required
  */
diff --git a/shared/utils/constants.ts b/shared/utils/constants.ts
index 5ec5f49200..e4efd422f6 100644
--- a/shared/utils/constants.ts
+++ b/shared/utils/constants.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 // Duration
+export const CACHE_MAX_AGE_ONE_MINUTE = 60
 export const CACHE_MAX_AGE_ONE_HOUR = 60 * 60
 export const CACHE_MAX_AGE_ONE_DAY = 60 * 60 * 24
 export const CACHE_MAX_AGE_ONE_YEAR = 60 * 60 * 24 * 365
@@ -14,3 +15,4 @@ export const ERROR_CALC_INSTALL_SIZE_FAILED = 'Failed to calculate install size.
 export const NPM_MISSING_README_SENTINEL = 'ERROR: No README data found!'
 export const ERROR_JSR_FETCH_FAILED = 'Failed to fetch package from JSR registry.'
 export const ERROR_NPM_FETCH_FAILED = 'Failed to fetch package from npm registry.'
+export const ERROR_SUGGESTIONS_FETCH_FAILED = 'Failed to fetch suggestions.'