diff --git a/packages/dashboard/src/components/CustomNode.tsx b/packages/dashboard/src/components/CustomNode.tsx
index bfbd511..19e2062 100644
--- a/packages/dashboard/src/components/CustomNode.tsx
+++ b/packages/dashboard/src/components/CustomNode.tsx
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ export interface CustomNodeData extends Record<string, unknown> {
   summary: string;
   complexity: string;
   isHighlighted: boolean;
+  searchScore?: number;
   isSelected: boolean;
 }
 
@@ -58,7 +59,14 @@ export default function CustomNode({
   if (data.isSelected) {
     ringClass = "ring-2 ring-white";
   } else if (data.isHighlighted) {
-    ringClass = "ring-2 ring-yellow-400";
+    const score = data.searchScore ?? 1;
+    if (score <= 0.1) {
+      ringClass = "ring-2 ring-yellow-300";
+    } else if (score <= 0.3) {
+      ringClass = "ring-2 ring-yellow-400";
+    } else {
+      ringClass = "ring-2 ring-yellow-500/60";
+    }
   }
 
   const truncatedName =
diff --git a/packages/dashboard/src/components/GraphView.tsx b/packages/dashboard/src/components/GraphView.tsx
index cfd6299..fab23d2 100644
--- a/packages/dashboard/src/components/GraphView.tsx
+++ b/packages/dashboard/src/components/GraphView.tsx
@@ -26,19 +26,23 @@ export default function GraphView() {
   const { initialNodes, initialEdges } = useMemo(() => {
     if (!graph) return { initialNodes: [] as CustomFlowNode[], initialEdges: [] as Edge[] };
 
-    const flowNodes: CustomFlowNode[] = graph.nodes.map((node) => ({
-      id: node.id,
-      type: "custom" as const,
-      position: { x: 0, y: 0 },
-      data: {
-        label: node.name,
-        nodeType: node.type,
-        summary: node.summary,
-        complexity: node.complexity,
-        isHighlighted: searchResults.some((r) => r.nodeId === node.id),
-        isSelected: selectedNodeId === node.id,
-      },
-    }));
+    const flowNodes: CustomFlowNode[] = graph.nodes.map((node) => {
+      const matchResult = searchResults.find((r) => r.nodeId === node.id);
+      return {
+        id: node.id,
+        type: "custom" as const,
+        position: { x: 0, y: 0 },
+        data: {
+          label: node.name,
+          nodeType: node.type,
+          summary: node.summary,
+          complexity: node.complexity,
+          isHighlighted: !!matchResult,
+          searchScore: matchResult?.score,
+          isSelected: selectedNodeId === node.id,
+        },
+      };
+    });
 
     const flowEdges: Edge[] = graph.edges.map((edge, i) => ({
       id: `e-${i}`,
diff --git a/packages/dashboard/src/components/SearchBar.tsx b/packages/dashboard/src/components/SearchBar.tsx
index 612de6b..5cad510 100644
--- a/packages/dashboard/src/components/SearchBar.tsx
+++ b/packages/dashboard/src/components/SearchBar.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { useCallback, useEffect, useRef, useState } from "react";
+import { useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useRef, useState } from "react";
 import { useDashboardStore } from "../store";
 
 const typeBadgeColors: Record<string, string> = {
@@ -21,8 +21,9 @@ export default function SearchBar() {
   const inputRef = useRef<HTMLInputElement>(null);
 
   // Build a lookup map for node details
-  const nodeMap = new Map(
-    (graph?.nodes ?? []).map((n) => [n.id, n]),
+  const nodeMap = useMemo(
+    () => new Map((graph?.nodes ?? []).map((n) => [n.id, n])),
+    [graph],
   );
 
   const topResults = searchResults.slice(0, 5);