diff --git a/web_server.py b/web_server.py
index 42bd09da..444746ef 100644
--- a/web_server.py
+++ b/web_server.py
@@ -1316,6 +1316,10 @@ def _register_automation_handlers():
     def _auto_clean_search_history(config):
         """Remove old searches from Soulseek."""
         automation_id = config.get('_automation_id')
+        if not config_manager.get('soulseek.auto_clear_searches', True):
+            _update_automation_progress(automation_id,
+                log_line='Auto-clear disabled in settings', log_type='skip')
+            return {'status': 'skipped'}
         try:
             success = run_async(soulseek_client.maintain_search_history_with_buffer(
                 keep_searches=50, trigger_threshold=200
@@ -1458,15 +1462,20 @@ def _register_automation_handlers():
         _update_automation_progress(automation_id,
             log_line=f'Staging: removed {s_removed} empty directories', log_type='success' if s_removed else 'info')
 
-        # --- 5. Clean search history ---
+        # --- 5. Clean search history (if enabled) ---
         _update_automation_progress(automation_id, phase='Cleaning search history...', progress=80)
         try:
-            run_async(soulseek_client.maintain_search_history_with_buffer(
-                keep_searches=50, trigger_threshold=200
-            ))
-            steps.append('Search history: cleaned')
-            _update_automation_progress(automation_id,
-                log_line='Search history: cleaned', log_type='success')
+            if not config_manager.get('soulseek.auto_clear_searches', True):
+                steps.append('Search cleanup: disabled in settings')
+                _update_automation_progress(automation_id,
+                    log_line='Search cleanup: disabled in settings', log_type='skip')
+            else:
+                run_async(soulseek_client.maintain_search_history_with_buffer(
+                    keep_searches=50, trigger_threshold=200
+                ))
+                steps.append('Search history: cleaned')
+                _update_automation_progress(automation_id,
+                    log_line='Search history: cleaned', log_type='success')
         except Exception as e:
             steps.append(f'Search history: error ({e})')
             _update_automation_progress(automation_id,
diff --git a/webui/index.html b/webui/index.html
index 8ba8c0ae..076d64d7 100644
--- a/webui/index.html
+++ b/webui/index.html
@@ -4218,6 +4218,14 @@
                                             max="60" value="10">
                                         <small class="settings-hint">Abandon stuck downloads after this many minutes</small>
                                     </div>
+                                    <div class="form-group">
+                                        <label class="checkbox-label">
+                                            <input type="checkbox" id="soulseek-auto-clear-searches" checked>
+                                            Auto-clear slskd search history
+                                        </label>
+                                        <small class="settings-hint">Automatically cleans old searches from slskd when over 200 entries.
+                                            Disable if you want to keep manual searches in slskd's queue.</small>
+                                    </div>
                                     <div class="form-actions" style="margin-top: 8px;">
                                         <button class="test-button" onclick="testConnection('soulseek')">Test Soulseek Connection</button>
                                     </div>
diff --git a/webui/static/script.js b/webui/static/script.js
index 1e8fbd49..c32382c7 100644
--- a/webui/static/script.js
+++ b/webui/static/script.js
@@ -5710,6 +5710,7 @@ async function loadSettingsData() {
         document.getElementById('soulseek-min-peer-speed').value = settings.soulseek?.min_peer_upload_speed || 0;
         document.getElementById('soulseek-max-peer-queue').value = settings.soulseek?.max_peer_queue || 0;
         document.getElementById('soulseek-download-timeout').value = Math.round((settings.soulseek?.download_timeout || 600) / 60);
+        document.getElementById('soulseek-auto-clear-searches').checked = settings.soulseek?.auto_clear_searches !== false;
 
         // Populate ListenBrainz settings
         document.getElementById('listenbrainz-base-url').value = settings.listenbrainz?.base_url || '';
@@ -6764,7 +6765,8 @@ async function saveSettings(quiet = false) {
             search_timeout_buffer: parseInt(document.getElementById('soulseek-search-timeout-buffer').value) || 15,
             min_peer_upload_speed: parseInt(document.getElementById('soulseek-min-peer-speed').value) || 0,
             max_peer_queue: parseInt(document.getElementById('soulseek-max-peer-queue').value) || 0,
-            download_timeout: (parseInt(document.getElementById('soulseek-download-timeout').value) || 10) * 60
+            download_timeout: (parseInt(document.getElementById('soulseek-download-timeout').value) || 10) * 60,
+            auto_clear_searches: document.getElementById('soulseek-auto-clear-searches').checked
         },
         listenbrainz: {
             base_url: document.getElementById('listenbrainz-base-url').value,