diff --git a/src/agents/agents.controller.ts b/src/agents/agents.controller.ts
index 62236f5..c2be65f 100644
--- a/src/agents/agents.controller.ts
+++ b/src/agents/agents.controller.ts
@@ -41,10 +41,12 @@ export class AgentsController {
 
   @Get()
   @Public()
+  @UseGuards(OptionalAuthGuard)
   @ApiOperation({ summary: 'Search and list agents' })
   @ApiResponse({ status: 200, description: 'Agents retrieved successfully' })
-  async searchAgents(@Query() dto: SearchAgentsDto) {
-    return this.agentsService.searchAgents(dto);
+  async searchAgents(@Query() dto: SearchAgentsDto, @Req() req: any) {
+    const requestingUserId = req.user?.id || null;
+    return this.agentsService.searchAgents(dto, requestingUserId);
   }
 
   @Get('featured')
diff --git a/src/agents/agents.service.ts b/src/agents/agents.service.ts
index 9079b8a..8e36ddb 100644
--- a/src/agents/agents.service.ts
+++ b/src/agents/agents.service.ts
@@ -153,13 +153,14 @@ export class AgentsService {
       throw new ForbiddenException('This profile is not available');
     }
 
-    if (visibility === 'connections' && requestingUserId) {
-      const connected = await this.connectionRequestsService.isConnected(requestingUserId, profile.user.id);
-      if (!connected) {
+    if (visibility === 'connections') {
+      let isConnected = false;
+      if (requestingUserId) {
+        isConnected = await this.connectionRequestsService.isConnected(requestingUserId, profile.user.id);
+      }
+      if (!isConnected) {
         throw new ForbiddenException('This profile is only visible to connections');
       }
-    } else if (visibility === 'connections' && !requestingUserId) {
-      throw new ForbiddenException('This profile is only visible to connections');
     }
 
     // Strip privacyPreferences from response
@@ -280,7 +281,7 @@ export class AgentsService {
     }
   }
 
-  async searchAgents(dto: SearchAgentsDto) {
+  async searchAgents(dto: SearchAgentsDto, requestingUserId?: string | null) {
     const {
       search,
       location,
@@ -570,10 +571,23 @@ export class AgentsService {
       this.prisma.agentProfile.count({ where }),
     ]);
 
-    // Filter out private profiles (safe for null privacyPreferences)
+    // Get connected user IDs for filtering "connections only" profiles
+    let connectedUserIds: string[] = [];
+    if (requestingUserId) {
+      connectedUserIds = await this.connectionRequestsService.getConnectedUserIds(requestingUserId);
+    }
+
+    // Filter out private and connections-only (for non-connected users) profiles
     const visibleAgents = agents.filter((agent: any) => {
       const visibility = this.getProfileVisibility(agent.user?.privacyPreferences);
-      return visibility !== 'private';
+      if (visibility === 'private') return false;
+      if (visibility === 'connections') {
+        // Own profile always visible
+        if (requestingUserId && agent.user?.id === requestingUserId) return true;
+        // Only show if requesting user is connected
+        return requestingUserId && connectedUserIds.includes(agent.user?.id);
+      }
+      return true; // 'public' or no setting
     });
 
     // Compute match score for each agent based on search context