diff --git a/web/src/api/search.ts b/web/src/api/search.ts
index 313e46ad9..44d12b457 100644
--- a/web/src/api/search.ts
+++ b/web/src/api/search.ts
@@ -15,6 +15,21 @@ export function getSearchFields(): Promise<SearchField[]> {
   return request<SearchField[]>('/api/v1/search/fields');
 }
 
+export type SearchFieldValues = components['schemas']['SearchFieldValuesResponseModel'];
+
+// Backs the rule builder's facet-value typeahead (#434): distinct values a text field already holds
+// in the library, matching the in-progress query prefix. `.values` is non-nullable on the DTO, but we
+// still coerce defensively at the boundary (Core-DTO-nullable convention) in case a future model
+// change reintroduces nullability.
+export function getSearchFieldValues(name: string, q: string, limit = 50): Promise<string[]> {
+  const searchParams = new URLSearchParams();
+  searchParams.set('q', q);
+  searchParams.set('limit', String(limit));
+  return request<SearchFieldValues>(`/api/v1/search/fields/${encodeURIComponent(name)}/values?${searchParams.toString()}`).then(
+    (result) => result.values ?? []
+  );
+}
+
 // The ten media-item id arrays a search query resolves to, one bucket per addable kind. Wire keys
 // match AddItemsToCollectionRequest exactly, so a result pipes straight into addItemsToCollection /
 // addItemsToPlaylist via toAddItemsRequestFromSearch below.
diff --git a/web/src/builder/rules/RuleBuilder.test.tsx b/web/src/builder/rules/RuleBuilder.test.tsx
index f33ab67f4..5151b5e95 100644
--- a/web/src/builder/rules/RuleBuilder.test.tsx
+++ b/web/src/builder/rules/RuleBuilder.test.tsx
@@ -1,12 +1,20 @@
 import { useState } from 'react';
-import { cleanup, render, screen, fireEvent } from '@testing-library/react';
+import { cleanup, render, screen, fireEvent, act } from '@testing-library/react';
 import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest';
 import { RuleBuilder } from './RuleBuilder';
 import type { RuleField } from './fieldCatalog';
 import type { Group } from './types';
 
+const getSearchFieldValues = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue([]);
+vi.mock('../../api/search', () => ({
+  getSearchFieldValues: (...args: unknown[]) => getSearchFieldValues(...args)
+}));
+
 afterEach(() => {
   cleanup();
+  vi.useRealTimers();
+  getSearchFieldValues.mockReset();
+  getSearchFieldValues.mockResolvedValue([]);
 });
 
 const FIELDS: RuleField[] = [
@@ -103,6 +111,33 @@ describe('RuleBuilder', () => {
     expect(screen.queryByLabelText('Match')).not.toBeInTheDocument();
   });
 
+  it('offers facet-value suggestions for a text field and still accepts free text (#434)', async () => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers();
+    getSearchFieldValues.mockResolvedValue(['Action', 'Adventure']);
+
+    const { container } = setupControlled({ match: 'all', children: [{ field: 'genre', operator: 'is', value: '' }] });
+
+    const input = screen.getByLabelText('Value') as HTMLInputElement;
+    fireEvent.change(input, { target: { value: 'Ac' } });
+    expect(input.value).toBe('Ac');
+
+    await act(async () => {
+      await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(200);
+    });
+
+    expect(getSearchFieldValues).toHaveBeenCalledWith('genre', 'Ac');
+    const options = Array.from(container.querySelectorAll('datalist option')).map((o) => (o as HTMLOptionElement).value);
+    expect(options).toEqual(['Action', 'Adventure']);
+
+    // Selecting a suggestion (a native datalist selection fires the same input/change event a keystroke would).
+    fireEvent.change(input, { target: { value: 'Adventure' } });
+    expect(input.value).toBe('Adventure');
+
+    // A free-typed value that isn't in the suggestion list is still retained (free-text fallback).
+    fireEvent.change(input, { target: { value: 'Something else entirely' } });
+    expect(input.value).toBe('Something else entirely');
+  });
+
   it('shows an all-negative warning for the root group', () => {
     setup({
       match: 'all',
diff --git a/web/src/builder/rules/RuleBuilder.tsx b/web/src/builder/rules/RuleBuilder.tsx
index 16a1e9b16..42b9bfea0 100644
--- a/web/src/builder/rules/RuleBuilder.tsx
+++ b/web/src/builder/rules/RuleBuilder.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
+import { useEffect, useId, useRef, useState } from 'react';
 import { Plus, Trash2 } from 'lucide-react';
 import { Badge, Button, IconButton } from '../../components';
+import { getSearchFieldValues } from '../../api/search';
 import type { RuleField } from './fieldCatalog';
 import { isGroup, OPERATORS_BY_TYPE, type DateUnit, type FieldType, type Group, type Operator, type Rule } from './types';
 import { normalizeGroup, ruleError, topGroupAllNegative } from './validation';
@@ -34,6 +36,53 @@ function typeOf(fields: RuleField[], name: string): FieldType {
   return fields.find((f) => f.name === name)?.type ?? 'text';
 }
 
+// Facet-value typeahead for text-field rules (#434): backed by a `<datalist>` so free-text is always
+// accepted alongside the server-suggested values (the query preview count is the safety net for a
+// value that doesn't match anything). Debounces the lookup ~200ms after each keystroke and drops any
+// response that arrives after a newer request was issued or the field changed underneath it.
+function TextValueInput({ field, value, onChange }: { field: string; value: string; onChange: (v: string) => void }) {
+  const [suggestions, setSuggestions] = useState<string[]>([]);
+  const seqRef = useRef(0);
+  const listId = useId();
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const seq = ++seqRef.current;
+    const handle = window.setTimeout(() => {
+      getSearchFieldValues(field, value.trim())
+        .then((values) => {
+          if (seqRef.current === seq) {
+            setSuggestions(values);
+          }
+        })
+        .catch(() => {
+          if (seqRef.current === seq) {
+            setSuggestions([]);
+          }
+        });
+    }, 200);
+    return () => window.clearTimeout(handle);
+  }, [field, value]);
+
+  return (
+    <>
+      <input
+        aria-label="Value"
+        className="ctv-input"
+        value={value}
+        onChange={(e) => onChange(e.target.value)}
+        type="text"
+        list={listId}
+        autoComplete="off"
+      />
+      <datalist id={listId}>
+        {suggestions.map((s) => (
+          <option key={s} value={s} />
+        ))}
+      </datalist>
+    </>
+  );
+}
+
 function defaultRule(fields: RuleField[]): Rule {
   const field = fields[0]?.name ?? 'title';
   const type = typeOf(fields, field);
@@ -124,6 +173,8 @@ function RuleRow({
               ))}
             </select>
           </>
+        ) : type === 'text' ? (
+          <TextValueInput field={rule.field} value={rule.value} onChange={(v) => onChange({ ...rule, value: v })} />
         ) : (
           <input
             aria-label="Value"