diff --git a/app/Http/Controllers/Api/EmojiAliasController.php b/app/Http/Controllers/Api/EmojiAliasController.php
index a0b04796d..803f88645 100644
--- a/app/Http/Controllers/Api/EmojiAliasController.php
+++ b/app/Http/Controllers/Api/EmojiAliasController.php
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 namespace App\Http\Controllers\Api;
 
 use App\Http\Controllers\Controller;
+use App\Http\Requests\Emoji\SearchEmojiAliasRequest;
 use App\Http\Requests\Emoji\StoreEmojiAliasRequest;
 use App\Http\Requests\Emoji\UpdateEmojiAliasRequest;
 use App\Http\Resources\EmojiAliasResource;
@@ -91,13 +92,8 @@ class EmojiAliasController extends Controller
     /**
      * Search aliases using Laravel Scout.
      */
-    public function search(Request $request)
+    public function search(SearchEmojiAliasRequest $request)
     {
-        $request->validate([
-            'q' => 'required|string|min:1',
-            'limit' => 'integer|min:1|max:100',
-        ]);
-
         $aliases = EmojiAlias::search($request->get('q'))
             ->take($request->get('limit', 20))
             ->get();
diff --git a/app/Http/Controllers/Api/EmojiController.php b/app/Http/Controllers/Api/EmojiController.php
index a5e24c7be..a3c07f3d5 100644
--- a/app/Http/Controllers/Api/EmojiController.php
+++ b/app/Http/Controllers/Api/EmojiController.php
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 namespace App\Http\Controllers\Api;
 
 use App\Http\Controllers\Controller;
+use App\Http\Requests\Emoji\SearchEmojiRequest;
 use App\Http\Requests\Emoji\StoreEmojiRequest;
 use App\Http\Requests\Emoji\UpdateEmojiRequest;
 use App\Http\Resources\EmojiResource;
@@ -95,24 +96,17 @@ class EmojiController extends Controller
     /**
      * Search emojis using Laravel Scout.
      */
-    public function search(Request $request)
+    public function search(SearchEmojiRequest $request)
     {
-        $request->validate([
-            'q' => 'required|string|min:1',
-            'limit' => 'integer|min:1|max:100',
-        ]);
-
         $emojis = Emoji::search($request->get('q'))
             ->take($request->get('limit', 20))
             ->get();
 
         // Load relationships if requested
-        if ($request->get('with_category')) {
-            $emojis->load('category');
-        }
-        if ($request->get('with_aliases')) {
-            $emojis->load('aliases');
-        }
+        $emojis->load(array_filter([
+            $request->get('with_category') ? 'category' : null,
+            $request->get('with_aliases') ? 'aliases' : null,
+        ]));
 
         return EmojiResource::collection($emojis);
     }
diff --git a/app/Http/Requests/Emoji/SearchEmojiAliasRequest.php b/app/Http/Requests/Emoji/SearchEmojiAliasRequest.php
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..795561e2a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/Http/Requests/Emoji/SearchEmojiAliasRequest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace App\Http\Requests\Emoji;
+
+use Illuminate\Foundation\Http\FormRequest;
+
+class SearchEmojiAliasRequest extends FormRequest
+{
+    /**
+     * Determine if the user is authorized to make this request.
+     */
+    public function authorize(): bool
+    {
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Get the validation rules that apply to the request.
+     *
+     * @return array<string, \Illuminate\Contracts\Validation\ValidationRule|array<mixed>|string>
+     */
+    public function rules(): array
+    {
+        return [
+            'q' => 'required|string|min:1',
+            'limit' => 'integer|min:1|max:100',
+        ];
+    }
+}
diff --git a/app/Http/Requests/Emoji/SearchEmojiRequest.php b/app/Http/Requests/Emoji/SearchEmojiRequest.php
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..37fdafc4f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/Http/Requests/Emoji/SearchEmojiRequest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace App\Http\Requests\Emoji;
+
+use Illuminate\Foundation\Http\FormRequest;
+
+class SearchEmojiRequest extends FormRequest
+{
+    /**
+     * Determine if the user is authorized to make this request.
+     */
+    public function authorize(): bool
+    {
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Get the validation rules that apply to the request.
+     *
+     * @return array<string, \Illuminate\Contracts\Validation\ValidationRule|array<mixed>|string>
+     */
+    public function rules(): array
+    {
+        return [
+            'q' => 'required|string|min:1',
+            'limit' => 'integer|min:1|max:100',
+        ];
+    }
+}
diff --git a/database/seeders/EmojiSeeder.php b/database/seeders/EmojiSeeder.php
index c3e276422..6ae9830d4 100644
--- a/database/seeders/EmojiSeeder.php
+++ b/database/seeders/EmojiSeeder.php
@@ -93,9 +93,9 @@ class EmojiSeeder extends Seeder
         ];
 
         // Insert emojis
-        $displayOrder = 0;
         foreach ($emojis as $categoryData) {
             $category = $categoryModels[$categoryData['category']];
+            $displayOrder = 0;
 
             foreach ($categoryData['emojis'] as $emojiData) {
                 $displayOrder++;
diff --git a/tests/Feature/Api/EmojiCategoryTest.php b/tests/Feature/Api/EmojiCategoryTest.php
index 09f35b77a..5ce649a63 100644
--- a/tests/Feature/Api/EmojiCategoryTest.php
+++ b/tests/Feature/Api/EmojiCategoryTest.php
@@ -25,8 +25,18 @@ describe('Emoji Category API Endpoints', function () {
     });
 
     test('can list categories with emoji counts', function () {
-        $category1 = EmojiCategory::factory()->create(['title' => 'Category 1']);
-        $category2 = EmojiCategory::factory()->create(['title' => 'Category 2']);
+        // Ensure we start with clean slate
+        EmojiCategory::query()->delete();
+        Emoji::query()->delete();
+
+        $category1 = EmojiCategory::factory()->create([
+            'title' => 'Category 1',
+            'display_order' => 1,
+        ]);
+        $category2 = EmojiCategory::factory()->create([
+            'title' => 'Category 2',
+            'display_order' => 2,
+        ]);
 
         Emoji::factory()->count(5)->create(['emoji_category_id' => $category1->id]);
         Emoji::factory()->count(3)->create(['emoji_category_id' => $category2->id]);