diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index cffb5a7b4..ce777c00e 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -195,6 +195,27 @@ of current runtime behavior, see [`docs/CURRENT-STATE.md`](docs/CURRENT-STATE.md
 - Existing cached refusals are now ignored immediately, including during
   stale-data fallback. Concurrent identical requests share the same last-good
   fallback when all mirrors refuse, without duplicating upstream requests.
+- A keyless place lookup no longer remembers a network failure as "no such
+  place". A blip while Photon was answering used to be memoized for the rest of
+  the session, so the query kept returning not-found from memory on a network
+  that had since recovered. A miss is now cached only when every source
+  consulted actually returned a verdict.
+
+### Added
+
+- Keyless place search. The LOCATION search box and the `fly_to_location` voice
+  tool now resolve place names through Photon (komoot, over OpenStreetMap) when
+  no Google Maps key is configured — previously the lookup threw. Google stays
+  the primary path and is unchanged when it answers; the fallback also covers a
+  key whose Geocoding API is not enabled, which Google reports as HTTP 200 with
+  `REQUEST_DENIED`, so an empty result is the detector rather than an error.
+- The same keyless fallback now covers the remaining two place lookups: map
+  annotations ("annotate the botanical garden") and the Radio layer's
+  "near \<place>" selection. Radio previously threw without a key, which
+  surfaced as a failed voice turn rather than as a station it could not place;
+  annotations silently failed to anchor. Annotation footprints match OSM on the
+  resolved feature's canonical name, so locality words in the request cannot
+  pull the outline onto a neighbouring building.
 
 - Refresh vulnerable transitive dependencies and update browser/image tooling
   to Puppeteer 25.10.0 and Sharp 0.35.4. Cesium remains on 1.138.0.
diff --git a/DATA_SOURCES.md b/DATA_SOURCES.md
index faa351dca..650d3fe6b 100644
--- a/DATA_SOURCES.md
+++ b/DATA_SOURCES.md
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ How to read this:
 | **OpenStreetMap (Overpass API)** | Road geometry for traffic | ODbL 1.0 | "© OpenStreetMap contributors" |
 | **TomTom Traffic API** (flow vector tiles) | Live congestion coloring for the traffic layer (optional, BYOK) | [TomTom for Developers terms](https://developer.tomtom.com) (proprietary, your own key; free tier currently 200K tile requests/month — see [current pricing](https://docs.tomtom.com/pricing/)) | "Traffic flow data © TomTom" — registered when live mode activates |
 | **OpenStreetMap (Overpass API)** | Viewport-bounded mapped installation context for Global Context | ODbL 1.0 | "© OpenStreetMap contributors" (incomplete mapped context) |
+| **Photon** (komoot) | Keyless place search — the fallback when no Google Maps key is configured, or when Google declines the Geocoding request | Service: free public instance, [fair use](https://photon.komoot.io) (no bulk/heavy use); underlying data: **ODbL 1.0** | "Photon (komoot)" + "© OpenStreetMap contributors" |
 | **OpenStreetMap (Nominatim)** | Reverse-geocoded place label in the cockpit Local Info page | ODbL 1.0 + Nominatim usage policy | "© OpenStreetMap contributors" |
 | **Open-Meteo** | Current weather in the cockpit Local Info page and cockpit-local dynamic atmospheric effects | [CC BY 4.0 data licence and adjacent-link attribution requirement](https://open-meteo.com/en/licence) | Linked "Weather data by Open-Meteo.com" beside the displayed local data |
 | **Google News RSS** | Primary locality-matched headlines in the cockpit Regional News page | [Google News Terms of Service](https://www.google.com/intl/en_us/terms_google_news.html) restrict use to personal, noncommercial use; linked articles remain third-party publisher content and retain publisher terms | "Google News RSS" plus each article's linked publisher/domain |
diff --git a/docs/CODE-BOUNDARIES.md b/docs/CODE-BOUNDARIES.md
index 0811dba85..19a2f0fb8 100644
--- a/docs/CODE-BOUNDARIES.md
+++ b/docs/CODE-BOUNDARIES.md
@@ -169,3 +169,16 @@ accepts an optional `annotationGuidance` paragraph. Neither factory starts
 acquisition on import. Setup retains its pre-environment-load provenance capture
 and development-only registration. Package checks enumerate every owned module
 and reject browser imports of these Node entries.
+
+## Browser place search
+
+`gods-eye-view/search` exports an explicit geocoding service and Google/Photon
+adapters. The entry owns normalization, bounded caches, deadlines and fallback
+sequencing. It imports no application state, environment configuration, rendering
+or Node server code. Google transport is supplied by its caller.
+
+`src/standalone/placeSearch.js` constructs the configured Google request and
+keyless Photon fallback. The application passes this service to location
+controls, annotation resolution and voice/radio actions. Those consumers retain
+framing, landmark recovery, footprint matching and playback decisions. Existing
+reverse geocoding and nearby/text-search routes remain separate.
diff --git a/docs/CURRENT-STATE.md b/docs/CURRENT-STATE.md
index 0789e5623..2e4371357 100644
--- a/docs/CURRENT-STATE.md
+++ b/docs/CURRENT-STATE.md
@@ -2494,6 +2494,29 @@ silently demoting every later lookup for the session.
 - Input is the live basemap label context (place/street/nearby-place labels + enabled layers) — the model is instructed not to infer from coordinates.
 - Output is sanitized to exactly five words; falls back to the deterministic telemetry summary on error/timeout (5s abort); typewriter animation on update.
 
+### Place-search providers
+
+Location search/fly-to, annotations and Radio location lookup receive one
+`placeSearch.geocode(query, { bias, signal })` service. `src/standalone` composes
+Google first when configured and Photon/OpenStreetMap as fallback, including
+Google transport failures or declined requests. The portable `./search` export
+provides the service and adapters; it reads no environment or application state.
+Existing browser/server key setup is unchanged.
+
+Providers normalize coordinates, canonical name, label, place types and optional
+bounds. Camera framing, nearby landmark recovery and footprint selection remain
+in their consumers, including the Capitol identity/containment safeguards.
+Radio keeps localized country names in labels rather than station filters.
+Reverse geocoding and nearby/text-search endpoints retain their existing behavior.
+
+Only valid answers and definitive misses enter bounded caches; malformed replies,
+HTTP refusals and outages remain retryable. Searches share a 12-second total
+deadline, with Photon requests capped at six seconds each. Caller/application
+cancellation stops retries and late cache writes. Replacing a location search
+cancels the previous lookup. Photon uses a soft proximity bias, up to five
+candidates, and an unbiased retry for name mismatches. Invalid/wrapped bounds
+are omitted rather than framing the wrong part of the globe.
+
 ### Map Stack Switcher (June 2026)
 
 - `src/mapStackController.js` switches between Google Photorealistic 3D (`photoreal`, the default when a Google or ion key is present), keyless Esri World Imagery (the zero-key default landing, with keyless terrain), Bing Aerial / Aerial-with-Labels via Cesium ion world imagery (require `CESIUM_ION_TOKEN`), and OSM tile fallback. Bing Road is **retired**: it is gone from `MAP_STACKS`, from the `set_map_stack` enum, and from the voice aliases (road phrasings now resolve to OSM, the one shipped road basemap). An old `map=bing-road` link is simply an unknown id and takes `setStack()`'s existing photoreal fallback with the Google 3D tile lit — pinned live in `scripts/qa-map-source-tray.mjs`.
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 315c4c156..f726046e3 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
   "name": "gods-eye-view",
   "private": true,
   "version": "0.1.1",
-  "description": "A real-time intelligence console for planet Earth — photorealistic 3D globe, live aircraft/ships/satellites/earthquakes/CCTV, and hands-free voice control. Runs in a browser.",
+  "description": "A real-time intelligence console for planet Earth \u2014 photorealistic 3D globe, live aircraft/ships/satellites/earthquakes/CCTV, and hands-free voice control. Runs in a browser.",
   "type": "module",
   "license": "MIT",
   "author": "Bilawal Sidhu",
@@ -117,6 +117,7 @@
     },
     "./server/standalone/key-setup": {
       "node": "./server/standalone/key-setup.js"
-    }
+    },
+    "./search": "./src/search/index.js"
   }
 }
diff --git a/scripts/format-scope.json b/scripts/format-scope.json
index be9e3a6ba..97f2fa8d3 100644
--- a/scripts/format-scope.json
+++ b/scripts/format-scope.json
@@ -114,5 +114,10 @@
   "server/providers/regional/weather-effects.js",
   "server/providers/regional/weather.js",
   "server/standalone/key-setup.js",
-  "src/tooling/localServices.test.mjs"
+  "src/tooling/localServices.test.mjs",
+  "src/search/index.js",
+  "src/search/placeSearch.js",
+  "src/search/google.js",
+  "src/keylessGeocoder.js",
+  "src/standalone/placeSearch.js"
 ]
diff --git a/scripts/package-boundaries.json b/scripts/package-boundaries.json
index 4e44a9f84..f9dd22c93 100644
--- a/scripts/package-boundaries.json
+++ b/scripts/package-boundaries.json
@@ -253,5 +253,15 @@
       "src/keySetupHardening.mjs"
     ],
     "external": []
+  },
+  "place-search": {
+    "exports": ["./search"],
+    "modules": [
+      "src/search/index.js",
+      "src/search/placeSearch.js",
+      "src/search/google.js",
+      "src/keylessGeocoder.js"
+    ],
+    "external": []
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/annotations/annotationEngine.js b/src/annotations/annotationEngine.js
index d17d6b238..3c964c402 100644
--- a/src/annotations/annotationEngine.js
+++ b/src/annotations/annotationEngine.js
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@ export function normalizeTargetKey(target) {
 }
 
 export function createAnnotationEngine({
+  placeSearch,
   viewer,
   renderer,
   outlineRetryDelaysMs = OUTLINE_RETRY_DELAYS_MS,
@@ -393,7 +394,7 @@ export function createAnnotationEngine({
       for (const pt of points) {
         const name = pt.target ?? pt.name ?? null;
         const r = await resolveTarget({
-          viewer,
+          placeSearch,          viewer,
           target: name,
           latitude: pt.latitude,
           longitude: pt.longitude,
@@ -436,7 +437,7 @@ export function createAnnotationEngine({
     }
     if (type === 'arrow') {
       const from = await resolveTarget({
-        viewer,
+          placeSearch,        viewer,
         target: spec.target,
         latitude: spec.latitude,
         longitude: spec.longitude,
@@ -446,7 +447,7 @@ export function createAnnotationEngine({
         signal,
       });
       const to = await resolveTarget({
-        viewer,
+          placeSearch,        viewer,
         target: spec.toTarget,
         latitude: spec.toLatitude,
         longitude: spec.toLongitude,
@@ -471,7 +472,7 @@ export function createAnnotationEngine({
     }
     const wantFootprint = type === 'area' ? spec.footprint !== false : Boolean(spec.footprint);
     return resolveTarget({
-      viewer,
+          placeSearch,      viewer,
       target: spec.target,
       latitude: spec.latitude,
       longitude: spec.longitude,
diff --git a/src/annotations/annotationEngine.test.mjs b/src/annotations/annotationEngine.test.mjs
index 411ad796b..92909c048 100644
--- a/src/annotations/annotationEngine.test.mjs
+++ b/src/annotations/annotationEngine.test.mjs
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { createStandalonePlaceSearch } from '../standalone/placeSearch.js';
 // Voice-annotation resilience contract tests — pure logic, no network, no browser.
 //
 // Locks the 2026-07-21 field-test fixes:
@@ -385,7 +386,7 @@ test('targetKey: empty / absent targets stay null (coord and pixel specs never p
   assert.equal(normalizeTargetKey(undefined), null);
 });
 
-test('outline upgrade updates the rendered element in place without remove/add', async (t) => {
+test('outline upgrade updates the rendered element in place without remove/add', { timeout: 5000 }, async (t) => {
   const originalRequestAnimationFrame = globalThis.requestAnimationFrame;
   const originalCancelAnimationFrame = globalThis.cancelAnimationFrame;
   const originalWindow = globalThis.window;
@@ -466,7 +467,7 @@ test('outline upgrade updates the rendered element in place without remove/add',
     sync() {},
   };
   const viewer = {};
-  const engine = createAnnotationEngine({ viewer, renderer });
+  const engine = createAnnotationEngine({ viewer, renderer, placeSearch: createStandalonePlaceSearch({ resolveApiKey: () => 'unit-test-key' }) });
   const upgraded = new Promise((resolve) => engine.onOutlineEvent(resolve));
 
   const result = await engine.annotate([{
diff --git a/src/annotations/annotationResolver.js b/src/annotations/annotationResolver.js
index fa557abcc..87b6514ae 100644
--- a/src/annotations/annotationResolver.js
+++ b/src/annotations/annotationResolver.js
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import * as Cesium from 'cesium';
 import { lookupNeighborhoodRing } from '../data/neighborhoodPolygons.js';
 import { lookupNaturalRegionOutline, findNaturalRegion } from '../data/naturalEarthRegions.js';
 import { registerDynamicCredit, NATURAL_EARTH_CREDIT } from '../data/dataCredits.js';
+import { unavailablePlaceSearch } from '../search/placeSearch.js';
 import { isPickedWorldPosition } from '../data/scenePick.js';
 
 /**
@@ -19,7 +20,6 @@ import { isPickedWorldPosition } from '../data/scenePick.js';
  * raw geometry ring instead of a bounding box, which is what an outline needs.
  */
 
-const geocodeCache = new Map();
 const footprintCache = new Map();
 const monumentCache = new Map(); // OSM monuments/memorials near a view center, keyed by rounded coord
 const enclosingAreaCache = new Map(); // smallest enclosing named non-building polygon, keyed by ~1km coord bucket
@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@ function linkAbort(controller, externalSignal) {
  * }>}
  */
 export async function resolveAnnotationTarget({
+  placeSearch = unavailablePlaceSearch,
   viewer, target, latitude, longitude, footprint = false, intent = 'the_thing',
   entityKind = null, labelHint = null, deferFootprint = false, screenX, screenY, signal,
 }) {
@@ -140,7 +141,7 @@ export async function resolveAnnotationTarget({
         }
       }
       if (source !== 'places') {
-        const geocoded = await geocodePlace(query, viewportBias(viewer), signal);
+        const geocoded = await geocodePlace(query, viewportBias(viewer), signal, placeSearch);
         if (geocoded) {
           lat = geocoded.lat;
           lon = geocoded.lon;
@@ -602,50 +603,16 @@ function ringAreaM2(ring) {
   return Math.abs(area) / 2;
 }
 
-/**
- * Forward-geocode a place name via Google Geocoding, biased to the current
- * viewport so "the marina" resolves near where the user is looking.
- */
-async function geocodePlace(query, biasRect, signal) {
-  const apiKey = window.__GOOGLE_MAPS_API_KEY__ || import.meta.env.GOOGLE_MAPS_API_KEY;
-  if (!apiKey) return null;
-
-  const cacheKey = `${query.toLowerCase()}|${biasRect || ''}`;
-  const cached = cacheRead(geocodeCache, cacheKey);
-  if (cached !== undefined) return cached;
-
-  let url = `https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/geocode/json?address=${encodeURIComponent(query)}&key=${apiKey}`;
-  if (biasRect) url += `&bounds=${biasRect}`;
-
-  try {
-    const response = await fetch(url, { signal });
-    const data = await response.json();
-    if (data.status !== 'OK' || !data.results?.length) {
-      // ZERO_RESULTS is a definitive not-found (cacheable); OVER_QUERY_LIMIT /
-      // REQUEST_DENIED / UNKNOWN_ERROR are transient → don't poison the cache.
-      negCache(geocodeCache, cacheKey, signal, data?.status === 'ZERO_RESULTS');
-      return null;
-    }
-    const result = data.results[0];
-    const place = {
-      lat: result.geometry.location.lat,
-      lon: result.geometry.location.lng,
-      label: shortLabel(result.formatted_address),
-      // The CANONICAL name of the resolved feature (e.g. "Mission District",
-      // "Texas State Capitol") — used for OSM name-matching instead of the raw
-      // utterance, so incidental tokens ("...Texas", "...Austin") can't win.
-      primaryName: extractPrimaryName(result),
-      types: result.types || [],
-      // Geocode viewport (sw/ne box framing the feature), normalized to the Places
-      // low/high shape — sizes grounds discs and flyTo framing for geocode anchors.
-      viewport: normalizeGeocodeViewport(result.geometry?.bounds || result.geometry?.viewport),
-    };
-    cacheWrite(geocodeCache, cacheKey, place);
-    return place;
-  } catch {
-    negCache(geocodeCache, cacheKey, signal, false); // network/abort — transient
-    return null;
-  }
+/** Resolve a name through the supplied service; geometry selection stays here. */
+async function geocodePlace(query, biasRect, signal, placeSearch) {
+  const { place } = await placeSearch.geocode(query, { bias: biasRect, signal });
+  signal?.throwIfAborted();
+  if (!place) return null;
+  return {
+    lat: place.lat, lon: place.lng, label: shortLabel(place.label),
+    primaryName: place.name || null, types: place.types,
+    viewport: normalizeGeocodeViewport(place.viewport),
+  };
 }
 
 /** Geocoding returns {southwest:{lat,lng},northeast:{lat,lng}}; normalize to the Places
@@ -716,23 +683,6 @@ async function placesTextSearch(query, centerLat, centerLon, radiusM, signal) {
   }
 }
 
-/**
- * The canonical name of the geocoded feature: the address component whose own
- * types match the result's feature type (e.g. the `neighborhood` component for a
- * neighborhood result). Address-only responses may identify a landmark's city
- * without naming the landmark itself. Return null in that case so the caller
- * keeps the requested name instead of matching a nearby building in that city.
- */
-function extractPrimaryName(result) {
-  const resultTypes = new Set((result.types || []).map((t) => String(t).toLowerCase()));
-  const comps = Array.isArray(result.address_components) ? result.address_components : [];
-  for (const c of comps) {
-    const ct = (c.types || []).map((t) => String(t).toLowerCase());
-    if (ct.some((t) => t !== 'political' && resultTypes.has(t))) return c.long_name;
-  }
-  return null;
-}
-
 /**
  * Map the Google geocode `types` to a resolution SCOPE so we fetch the right
  * OSM feature at the right size. Country-agnostic: scope only selects the query
@@ -1936,7 +1886,7 @@ function shortLabel(formattedAddress) {
  * @param {AbortSignal} [signal]
  * @returns {Promise<{name:string, ring:Array<[number,number]>}|null>}
  */
-export async function resolveRegionRingForQuery(name, signal) {
+export async function resolveRegionRingForQuery(name, signal, placeSearch = unavailablePlaceSearch) {
   const q = String(name || '').trim();
   if (!q) return null;
   const ne = await findNaturalRegion(q).catch(() => null);
@@ -1946,7 +1896,7 @@ export async function resolveRegionRingForQuery(name, signal) {
     const ring = [...ne.polygons].sort((a, b) => b.length - a.length)[0];
     if (ring?.length >= 3) return { name: ne.name, ring };
   }
-  const geo = await geocodePlace(q, null, signal).catch(() => null);
+  const geo = await geocodePlace(q, null, signal, placeSearch).catch(() => null);
   if (!geo) return null;
   const scope = scopeFromTypes(geo.types);
   if (!['country', 'state', 'county', 'city'].includes(scope)) return null;
diff --git a/src/annotations/annotationResolver.test.mjs b/src/annotations/annotationResolver.test.mjs
index af67a2c0c..452d6997c 100644
--- a/src/annotations/annotationResolver.test.mjs
+++ b/src/annotations/annotationResolver.test.mjs
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import { createStandalonePlaceSearch } from '../standalone/placeSearch.js';
+import { createPlaceSearch } from '../search/placeSearch.js';
 // Footprint-selection contract tests — pure fixtures, no network, no browser.
 //
 // Locks the field-test-7 monument fix (docs/field-test-rootcause-2026-06-30.md §1):
@@ -12,7 +14,7 @@
 import { test } from 'node:test';
 import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
 import {
-  resolveAnnotationTarget,
+  resolveAnnotationTarget as resolveTarget,
   selectFootprint,
   refineScope,
   isGroundsLikeAsk,
@@ -431,3 +433,192 @@ test('a genuine geocoded feature name still canonicalizes an alternate user name
   const result = await resolveAnnotationTarget({ viewer: capitolViewer(), target: 'Congress meeting building', footprint: true });
   assert.deepEqual(result.ring, capitol.geometry.map(p => [p.lon, p.lat]));
 });
+
+// ── Keyless geocoding ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+//
+// `geocodePlace` was Google-only: no key returned null, and so did a key whose
+// Geocoding API is not enabled (Google answers HTTP 200 with REQUEST_DENIED).
+// Either way the annotation silently failed to place. Both now fall through to
+// Photon. These drive the second case, because it reaches the SAME fallback
+// through a running Google branch — the no-key branch cannot be driven from
+// `node --test`, since the key expression reads `import.meta.env`, which only
+// Vite defines.
+
+/** Photon's GeoJSON shape, trimmed to the properties the adapter consumes. */
+function photonFeature({ name, lat, lon, tags = {}, extent = null, ...rest }) {
+  return {
+    geometry: { type: 'Point', coordinates: [lon, lat] },
+    properties: { name, ...tags, ...rest, ...(extent ? { extent } : {}) },
+  };
+}
+
+const GOOGLE_FOUND_NOTHING = { ok: true, json: async () => ({ status: 'ZERO_RESULTS', results: [] }) };
+
+test('keyless: a key that geocodes to nothing still anchors the annotation', async (t) => {
+  const requests = [];
+  installGoogleMocks(t, async (url) => {
+    requests.push(String(url));
+    if (String(url).startsWith('https://maps.googleapis.com/')) return GOOGLE_FOUND_NOTHING;
+    return {
+      ok: true,
+      json: async () => ({
+        features: [photonFeature({
+          name: 'Lady Bird Lake',
+          lat: 30.25,
+          lon: -97.73,
+          city: 'Austin',
+          state: 'Texas',
+          country: 'United States',
+          tags: { osm_key: 'natural', osm_value: 'water' },
+          // Photon orders extent [west, north, east, south] — a naive [w,s,e,n]
+          // read would invert the box and still look like a valid viewport.
+          extent: [-97.8, 30.28, -97.68, 30.24],
+        })],
+      }),
+    };
+  });
+
+  const resolved = await resolveAnnotationTarget({
+    viewer: closeViewportViewer(),
+    target: 'Lady Bird Lake',
+  });
+
+  assert.ok(resolved, 'a Google miss must not leave the annotation unplaced');
+  assert.equal(resolved.source, 'geocode');
+  assert.deepEqual([resolved.lat, resolved.lon], [30.25, -97.73]);
+  // The label is shortened the same way a Google `formatted_address` is.
+  assert.equal(resolved.label, 'Lady Bird Lake');
+  // Photon's extent reaches the framing code in the Places `{low,high}` shape,
+  // right way up — this is what sizes a grounds disc and the flyTo box.
+  assert.deepEqual(resolved.viewport, {
+    low: { latitude: 30.24, longitude: -97.8 },
+    high: { latitude: 30.28, longitude: -97.68 },
+  });
+  // Google is asked first and exactly once; one Photon call answers it.
+  assert.equal(requests.filter((url) => url.includes('maps.googleapis.com')).length, 1);
+  assert.equal(requests.filter((url) => url.includes('photon.komoot.io')).length, 1);
+});
+
+test('keyless: OSM matching uses the feature\'s canonical name, not the user\'s words', async (t) => {
+  // The reason `primaryName` is carried out of Photon at all. The ask names a
+  // landmark AND its surroundings; the geocoded feature is called just "Tejano
+  // Monument". Score the OSM candidates on the raw utterance and the locality
+  // tokens win — this is the Thompson-Austin bug (field test 7) reached through
+  // the keyless path. Score them on the canonical name and the monument wins.
+  const decoy = squareWay(ANCHOR, -250, -250, 3000, {
+    building: 'yes', tourism: 'hotel', name: 'Texas Capitol Austin Visitor Center',
+  });
+  const monument = squareWay(ANCHOR, 5, 5, 300, { tourism: 'artwork', name: 'Tejano Monument' });
+
+  installGoogleMocks(t, async (url, init) => {
+    const href = String(url);
+    if (href.startsWith('https://maps.googleapis.com/')) return GOOGLE_FOUND_NOTHING;
+    if (href.startsWith('/api/google/text-search')) return { ok: true, json: async () => ({ places: [] }) };
+    if (href.startsWith('https://photon.komoot.io/')) {
+      return {
+        ok: true,
+        json: async () => ({
+          features: [photonFeature({
+            name: 'Tejano Monument',
+            lat: ANCHOR.lat,
+            lon: ANCHOR.lon,
+            city: 'Austin',
+            tags: { osm_key: 'historic', osm_value: 'memorial' },
+          })],
+        }),
+      };
+    }
+    assert.equal(href, '/api/overpass');
+    assert.equal(init?.method, 'POST');
+    return { ok: true, status: 200, headers: { get: () => null }, json: async () => ({ elements: [decoy, monument] }) };
+  });
+
+  const resolved = await resolveAnnotationTarget({
+    viewer: closeViewportViewer(),
+    target: 'the monument near the Texas Capitol, Austin',
+    footprint: true,
+  });
+
+  assert.ok(resolved.ring, 'the monument polygon is monument-scale and exactly named — it must outline');
+  // The anchor re-centres on the chosen polygon, so its position IS the verdict:
+  // the monument sits on the anchor, the decoy 354 m south-west of it.
+  assert.ok(
+    approximateMetres(resolved.lat, resolved.lon, ANCHOR.lat, ANCHOR.lon) < 50,
+    `outlined a polygon ${Math.round(approximateMetres(resolved.lat, resolved.lon, ANCHOR.lat, ANCHOR.lon))} m from the monument`,
+  );
+});
+
+/** Metres between two coordinates — enough precision for a few hundred metres. */
+function approximateMetres(lat1, lon1, lat2, lon2) {
+  const mLat = 111320;
+  const dy = (lat1 - lat2) * mLat;
+  const dx = (lon1 - lon2) * mLat * Math.cos((lat1 * Math.PI) / 180);
+  return Math.hypot(dx, dy);
+}
+
+test('keyless: a Photon outage is not remembered as "no such place"', async (t) => {
+  // Google answering ZERO_RESULTS is a verdict about GOOGLE. Photon holds
+  // plenty of places Google does not — that asymmetry is why this fallback
+  // exists — so a Google verdict plus a Photon timeout must leave the query
+  // open. Caching it would keep an annotation unplaceable for the rest of the
+  // session, on a network that has since recovered.
+  const photonUp = {
+    ok: true,
+    json: async () => ({
+      features: [photonFeature({
+        name: 'Waller Creek', lat: 30.2665, lon: -97.7385, city: 'Austin',
+        tags: { osm_key: 'waterway', osm_value: 'stream' },
+      })],
+    }),
+  };
+  let photonReachable = false;
+  const requests = [];
+  installGoogleMocks(t, async (url) => {
+    requests.push(String(url));
+    if (String(url).startsWith('https://maps.googleapis.com/')) return GOOGLE_FOUND_NOTHING;
+    if (!photonReachable) throw new Error('network down');
+    return photonUp;
+  });
+
+  const target = 'Waller Creek';
+  assert.equal(await resolveAnnotationTarget({ viewer: closeViewportViewer(), target }), null);
+  const duringOutage = requests.length;
+
+  photonReachable = true;
+  const retried = await resolveAnnotationTarget({ viewer: closeViewportViewer(), target });
+
+  assert.ok(retried, 'the same target must resolve once the network is back');
+  assert.deepEqual([retried.lat, retried.lon], [30.2665, -97.7385]);
+  assert.ok(
+    requests.length > duringOutage,
+    'the retry was served from a poisoned cache instead of asking again',
+  );
+});
+
+test('a not-found is remembered only when every source consulted gave a verdict', async () => {
+  // The full truth table, because the no-key row is the one the behavioural
+  // tests above cannot reach: `import.meta.env` only exists under Vite, so
+  // `node --test` can never take the branch that skips Google entirely.
+  const cases = [
+    // no key: Photon is the only source, so Photon alone decides
+    [{ googleConsulted: false, photonAnswered: true }, true],
+    [{ googleConsulted: false, photonAnswered: false }, false],
+    // with a key: Google must have said "no such place", AND Photon must have replied
+    [{ googleConsulted: true, googleSaysNoSuchPlace: true, photonAnswered: true }, true],
+    [{ googleConsulted: true, googleSaysNoSuchPlace: true, photonAnswered: false }, false],
+    // Google declined (REQUEST_DENIED / OVER_QUERY_LIMIT) — never a verdict
+    [{ googleConsulted: true, googleSaysNoSuchPlace: false, photonAnswered: true }, false],
+    [{ googleConsulted: true, googleSaysNoSuchPlace: false, photonAnswered: false }, false],
+  ];
+  for (const [sources, expected] of cases) {
+    const providers = [sources.googleConsulted ? Boolean(sources.googleSaysNoSuchPlace) : true, sources.photonAnswered]
+      .map((answered) => ({ geocode: async () => ({ place: null, answered }) }));
+    assert.equal((await createPlaceSearch({ providers }).geocode('miss')).answered, expected, JSON.stringify(sources));
+  }
+  // An omitted Google verdict defaults to "did not say no such place".
+
+});
+
+function resolveAnnotationTarget(options) {
+  return resolveTarget({ placeSearch: createStandalonePlaceSearch({ resolveApiKey: () => globalThis.window?.__GOOGLE_MAPS_API_KEY__ }), ...options });
+}
diff --git a/src/annotations/index.js b/src/annotations/index.js
index 1a1d73606..a8047c700 100644
--- a/src/annotations/index.js
+++ b/src/annotations/index.js
@@ -10,13 +10,13 @@ import { createHybridAnnotationRenderer } from './hybridAnnotationRenderer.js';
  * footprints + screen-space SVG for callouts/rings/arrows. The engine, resolver,
  * and voice tool wiring are identical to the other two branches.
  */
-export function initAnnotations({ viewer, tileset = null }) {
+export function initAnnotations({ viewer, tileset = null, placeSearch }) {
   // World-space footprint draping; clamped marks can use the photoreal tiles.
   if (tileset) {
     try { tileset.enableCollision = true; } catch { /* older tileset */ }
   }
   const renderer = createHybridAnnotationRenderer(viewer);
-  const engine = createAnnotationEngine({ viewer, renderer });
+  const engine = createAnnotationEngine({ viewer, renderer, placeSearch });
   window.__gevAnnotations = engine;
   return engine;
 }
diff --git a/src/data/dataCredits.js b/src/data/dataCredits.js
index b35da9e00..009ff6d01 100644
--- a/src/data/dataCredits.js
+++ b/src/data/dataCredits.js
@@ -73,6 +73,14 @@ export const DATA_CREDITS = [
       '<a href="https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright" target="_blank" rel="noopener">© OpenStreetMap contributors</a> ' +
       '(ODbL 1.0)',
   },
+  {
+    key: 'photon-geocoder',
+    html:
+      'Keyless place search: ' +
+      '<a href="https://photon.komoot.io" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Photon</a> (komoot) over ' +
+      '<a href="https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright" target="_blank" rel="noopener">© OpenStreetMap contributors</a> ' +
+      '(ODbL 1.0)',
+  },
   {
     key: 'military-installations-osm',
     html:
diff --git a/src/keylessGeocoder.js b/src/keylessGeocoder.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..614fa5adc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/keylessGeocoder.js
@@ -0,0 +1,405 @@
+/** Photon/OpenStreetMap place-search adapter. */
+const PHOTON_ENDPOINT = 'https://photon.komoot.io/api/';
+
+/** Photon is a courtesy service; fail fast rather than hold the search open. */
+const PHOTON_TIMEOUT_MS = 6000;
+
+/** Bounded memo — a search box re-issues the same query on every keystroke. */
+const PHOTON_CACHE_MAX = 64;
+
+/**
+ * Candidates requested per pass. One is not enough: proximity bias reorders the
+ * list, so the name actually asked for can sit below a nearer near-miss.
+ */
+const PHOTON_RESULT_LIMIT = 5;
+const photonCache = new Map();
+
+/**
+ * Photon's own coarse class → the Google Place Type `geocodeNavigationMode`
+ * reads. Only types that function consults are worth emitting; anything else
+ * falls through to `precise-place`, which is the correct default for a house
+ * or a POI.
+ */
+const PHOTON_TYPE_TO_GOOGLE = Object.freeze({
+  country: 'country',
+  state: 'administrative_area_level_1',
+  county: 'administrative_area_level_2',
+  city: 'locality',
+  district: 'sublocality',
+  locality: 'locality',
+  street: 'route',
+});
+
+/**
+ * OSM `key=value` → Google Place Type. `null` means "this tag is a precise
+ * place" and, like any other entry, stops the coarse class from being consulted.
+ *
+ * Two failure directions matter, and both were found by querying the live
+ * service rather than by reasoning about OSM tagging:
+ *
+ * - Too coarse: a park or lake that arrives without an area type frames at
+ *   building range, which is the exact bug `geocodeNavigationMode`'s area types
+ *   exist to prevent — searching "Ho Guom" put the camera 26 m over the water.
+ * - Too broad: Photon classifies a town square as `type: 'locality'`, so
+ *   deferring to the coarse class frames Times Square as if it were a city.
+ *   The explicit `null` below is what stops that.
+ */
+const OSM_TAG_TO_GOOGLE = Object.freeze({
+  'leisure=park': 'park',
+  'leisure=nature_reserve': 'park',
+  'leisure=garden': 'park',
+  'leisure=stadium': 'stadium',
+  'boundary=national_park': 'park',
+  'boundary=protected_area': 'park',
+  'tourism=zoo': 'zoo',
+  'tourism=theme_park': 'amusement_park',
+  'amenity=university': 'university',
+  'amenity=college': 'university',
+  'amenity=grave_yard': 'cemetery',
+  'landuse=cemetery': 'cemetery',
+  'landuse=forest': 'natural_feature',
+  'aeroway=aerodrome': 'airport',
+  'shop=mall': 'shopping_mall',
+  'place=region': 'natural_feature',
+  'place=suburb': 'sublocality',
+  'place=neighbourhood': 'sublocality',
+  'place=quarter': 'sublocality',
+  'place=borough': 'sublocality',
+  'place=square': null,
+});
+
+/**
+ * OSM keys whose features are areas whatever their value — lakes, rivers,
+ * peaks, woods, protected land. Photon reports every one of these with
+ * `type: 'other'`, so the key is the only signal that they are not buildings.
+ */
+const AREA_OSM_KEYS = Object.freeze(
+  new Set(['natural', 'water', 'waterway', 'landuse']),
+);
+
+/**
+ * Google-style types for one Photon feature's properties.
+ *
+ * A specific `key=value` mapping is authoritative and ends the lookup; the
+ * coarse `type` is consulted only when no tag rule matched. Deferring to the
+ * coarse class after a tag rule is what mis-framed town squares as cities.
+ * @param {object} properties - Photon feature `properties`.
+ * @returns {string[]} Google Place Types, possibly empty (a precise place).
+ */
+export function photonResultTypes(properties) {
+  const key = String(properties?.osm_key || '');
+  const value = String(properties?.osm_value || '');
+  const tag = `${key}=${value}`;
+
+  if (Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(OSM_TAG_TO_GOOGLE, tag)) {
+    const mapped = OSM_TAG_TO_GOOGLE[tag];
+    return mapped ? [mapped] : [];
+  }
+  if (AREA_OSM_KEYS.has(key)) return ['natural_feature'];
+  if (key === 'highway') return ['route'];
+
+  const coarse = PHOTON_TYPE_TO_GOOGLE[String(properties?.type || '')];
+  return coarse ? [coarse] : [];
+}
+
+/**
+ * Photon `extent` → the `{southwest,northeast}` bounds the flight code frames.
+ * Photon orders it [west, north, east, south]; a naive [w,s,e,n] read produces
+ * an inverted box that still looks like a valid viewport.
+ * @param {number[]} extent - Photon `properties.extent`.
+ * @returns {?{southwest:{lat:number,lng:number}, northeast:{lat:number,lng:number}}}
+ */
+export function photonExtentToBounds(extent) {
+  if (!Array.isArray(extent) || extent.length !== 4) return null;
+  const [west, north, east, south] = extent;
+  if (![west, north, east, south].every(Number.isFinite)) return null;
+  if (west > east) return null; // Wrapped bounds are omitted until framing supports them.
+  if (Math.abs(north) > 90 || Math.abs(south) > 90) return null;
+  if (Math.abs(west) > 180 || Math.abs(east) > 180) return null;
+  return {
+    southwest: { lat: Math.min(north, south), lng: Math.min(west, east) },
+    northeast: { lat: Math.max(north, south), lng: Math.max(west, east) },
+  };
+}
+
+/**
+ * Human label for a Photon feature — its name plus the coarsest containing
+ * places that are not already in the name, mirroring the single-line address
+ * Google's `formatted_address` provides.
+ * @param {object} properties - Photon feature `properties`.
+ * @returns {string}
+ */
+export function photonResultLabel(properties) {
+  const name = String(properties?.name || '').trim();
+  const parts = [name];
+  for (const field of ['district', 'city', 'state', 'country']) {
+    const part = String(properties?.[field] || '').trim();
+    if (part && !parts.includes(part)) parts.push(part);
+  }
+  return parts.filter(Boolean).join(', ');
+}
+
+/**
+ * Photon GeoJSON feature → the normalized geocode result its callers consume.
+ * Returns null for a feature without usable coordinates.
+ *
+ * `name` is carried alongside the composed `label` because two call sites want
+ * different halves of the same answer: the search box shows the full label,
+ * while the annotation resolver matches OSM features on the canonical name
+ * alone. Deriving it here keeps one shape rather than two parsers of the same
+ * string.
+ *
+ * `properties.country` is deliberately NOT re-exported. Photon answers in the
+ * feature's own language ("Việt Nam", "日本", "Россия"), which no consumer in
+ * this app can match; the composed label is the only honest use for it.
+ * @param {object} feature - One entry of Photon's `features` array.
+ * @returns {?{lat:number, lng:number, name:string, label:string,
+ *   types:string[], viewport:?object}}
+ */
+export function normalizePhotonFeature(feature) {
+  if (
+    !Array.isArray(feature?.geometry?.coordinates) ||
+    feature.geometry.type !== 'Point'
+  )
+    return null;
+  const [lng, lat] = feature.geometry.coordinates;
+  if (!Number.isFinite(lat) || !Number.isFinite(lng)) return null;
+  if (Math.abs(lat) > 90 || Math.abs(lng) > 180) return null;
+
+  const properties = feature.properties || {};
+  const name = String(properties.name || '');
+  return {
+    lat,
+    lng,
+    name,
+    label: photonResultLabel(properties) || name,
+    types: photonResultTypes(properties),
+    viewport: photonExtentToBounds(properties.extent),
+  };
+}
+
+/**
+ * Photon request URL for one query.
+ *
+ * `bias` is the SAME `"swLat,swLng|neLat,neLng"` string `viewportBias()` builds
+ * for the Google call, so the two paths cannot drift apart — but it is sent as
+ * Photon's `lat`/`lon` PROXIMITY bias, not as `bbox`.
+ *
+ * That distinction is the whole correctness of this function. Google's `bounds`
+ * prefers results inside the box and still returns ones outside it; Photon's
+ * `bbox` is a hard filter. Translating the rectangle literally makes every
+ * search for somewhere off-screen return nothing — searching "Ho Guom, Ha Noi"
+ * while looking at Austin answers `features: []`. Sent as `lat`/`lon` it finds
+ * Hoan Kiem Lake, while "Sixth Street" still resolves to Austin's over Austin
+ * and to England's over London. Soft bias is the semantics Google gives, so
+ * soft bias is what the adapter must produce.
+ * @param {string} query - Free-text place name.
+ * @param {{bias?: ?string, limit?: number}} [options]
+ * @returns {string}
+ */
+export function photonSearchUrl(
+  query,
+  { bias = null, limit = PHOTON_RESULT_LIMIT } = {},
+) {
+  const url = new URL(PHOTON_ENDPOINT);
+  url.searchParams.set('q', String(query ?? ''));
+  url.searchParams.set('limit', String(limit));
+
+  const corners = String(bias ?? '').split('|');
+  if (corners.length === 2) {
+    const [swLat, swLng] = corners[0].split(',').map(Number);
+    const [neLat, neLng] = corners[1].split(',').map(Number);
+    if ([swLat, swLng, neLat, neLng].every(Number.isFinite)) {
+      url.searchParams.set('lat', String((swLat + neLat) / 2));
+      url.searchParams.set('lon', String((swLng + neLng) / 2));
+    }
+  }
+  return url.toString();
+}
+
+/**
+ * Place name reduced to comparable form: unaccented, lowercased, punctuation
+ * collapsed to single spaces. "Huế" and "Hue" have to compare equal, because a
+ * user typing either means the same city.
+ * @param {string} text
+ * @returns {string}
+ */
+export function normalizeToponym(text) {
+  return String(text ?? '')
+    .normalize('NFD')
+    .replace(/[\u0300-\u036f]/g, '')
+    .toLowerCase()
+    .replace(/[^a-z0-9]+/g, ' ')
+    .trim();
+}
+
+/**
+ * Pick the candidate whose name actually answers `target`.
+ *
+ * Matching leads rather than merely contains: "Hue" must select `Huế` and not
+ * `Nguyen Hue Road`, which contains the word but names a different thing.
+ * `allowContains` relaxes that to a substring match, used only as a second
+ * choice once no candidate leads with the name.
+ * @param {object[]} features - Photon features, in the order returned.
+ * @param {string} target - Normalized name being looked for.
+ * @param {{allowContains?: boolean}} [options]
+ * @returns {?object}
+ */
+export function selectPhotonFeature(
+  features,
+  target,
+  { allowContains = false } = {},
+) {
+  if (!target) return null;
+  const names = (Array.isArray(features) ? features : []).map((feature) => [
+    feature,
+    normalizeToponym(feature?.properties?.name),
+  ]);
+
+  for (const [feature, name] of names) {
+    if (name === target || name.startsWith(`${target} `)) return feature;
+  }
+  if (!allowContains) return null;
+  for (const [feature, name] of names) {
+    if (name.includes(target)) return feature;
+  }
+  return null;
+}
+
+/** Evict the oldest memo entries until the cache is within its cap. */
+function trimPhotonCache(cache) {
+  while (cache.size > PHOTON_CACHE_MAX) {
+    const oldest = cache.keys().next().value;
+    if (oldest === undefined) break;
+    cache.delete(oldest);
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Geocode a place name without any API key, reporting whether the service
+ * ANSWERED as well as what it found.
+ *
+ * A caller that remembers negative results needs both halves. "Photon has no
+ * such place" is a verdict and may be cached; "Photon did not reply" is a
+ * network blip, and caching THAT keeps the app answering "not found" from
+ * memory long after the network came back — a whole session, for a key that
+ * would now resolve. Conflating the two is the defect this app already had to
+ * repair once in the Overpass disk cache, where refusals were persisted with
+ * normal data TTLs.
+ *
+ * Caller cancellation throws; provider failure, timeout and empty results yield a null
+ * `place`, which the caller reads exactly as it reads a Google miss.
+ * @param {string} query - Free-text place name.
+ * @param {{bias?: ?string, fetchImpl?: Function}} [options]
+ * @returns {Promise<{place: ?{lat:number, lng:number, name:string, label:string,
+ *   types:string[], viewport:?object}, answered:boolean}>}
+ */
+export async function geocodeKeylessWithOutcome(
+  query,
+  { bias = null, fetchImpl = fetch, signal, cache = photonCache } = {},
+) {
+  signal?.throwIfAborted();
+  const trimmed = String(query ?? '').trim();
+  if (!trimmed) return { place: null, answered: true };
+
+  const memoKey = `${bias ?? ''}\n${trimmed}`;
+  // Only answered outcomes are memoised, so a hit is always an answer.
+  const cached = cache.get(memoKey);
+  if (cached && cached.expires > Date.now())
+    return { place: cached.place, answered: true };
+  cache.delete(memoKey);
+
+  /** One request: the feature array Photon returned, or null if it did not answer. */
+  const ask = async (url) => {
+    try {
+      signal?.throwIfAborted();
+      const deadline = AbortSignal.timeout(PHOTON_TIMEOUT_MS);
+      const requestSignal = signal
+        ? AbortSignal.any([signal, deadline])
+        : deadline;
+      const response = await fetchImpl(url, { signal: requestSignal });
+      if (!response.ok) return null;
+      const data = await response.json();
+      requestSignal.throwIfAborted();
+      if (!Array.isArray(data?.features)) return null;
+      if (data.features.some((feature) => !normalizePhotonFeature(feature)))
+        return null;
+      return data.features;
+    } catch {
+      signal?.throwIfAborted();
+      return null;
+    }
+  };
+
+  // Bias decides WHICH match wins, never WHAT counts as a match. Photon scores
+  // proximity against the name, so from Austin "Huế" came back as Hutto, Texas
+  // and "Hạ Long" as Long Branch — near misses beating the exact name by
+  // distance alone. Measured over twelve Vietnamese place names, three resolved
+  // to the wrong continent. So a biased answer is only accepted when it leads
+  // with the name asked for; otherwise the same query runs unbiased, which is
+  // what a user searching for somewhere off-screen meant in the first place.
+  let feature = null;
+  let everyAskAnswered = true;
+  if (bias) {
+    const biased = await ask(photonSearchUrl(trimmed, { bias }));
+    if (biased === null) everyAskAnswered = false;
+    else feature = selectPhotonFeature(biased, normalizeToponym(trimmed));
+  }
+
+  signal?.throwIfAborted();
+  if (!feature) {
+    const anywhere = await ask(photonSearchUrl(trimmed, { bias: null }));
+    if (anywhere === null) everyAskAnswered = false;
+    else {
+      // "Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi" names a place and then the region holding it, the
+      // convention every geocoder's free-text field follows. The head segment is
+      // the thing being searched for; the tail only says where to look.
+      const head = normalizeToponym(trimmed.split(',')[0]);
+      feature =
+        selectPhotonFeature(anywhere, head, { allowContains: true }) ||
+        anywhere[0];
+    }
+  }
+
+  signal?.throwIfAborted();
+  const place = normalizePhotonFeature(feature);
+  // A found place is self-evidently an answer; a null one only counts as an
+  // answer when every request it rests on actually came back.
+  const answered = Boolean(place) || everyAskAnswered;
+
+  // Answered misses are cached too: a typo re-issued on every keystroke should
+  // cost one request, not one per stroke. Unanswered ones are not, so the next
+  // attempt retries instead of replaying a network blip.
+  if (answered) {
+    cache.set(memoKey, {
+      place,
+      expires: Date.now() + (place ? 300_000 : 30_000),
+    });
+    trimPhotonCache(cache);
+  }
+  return { place, answered };
+}
+
+/**
+ * Geocode a place name without any API key. Cancellation throws; network failure, a
+ * timeout, or an empty result all resolve to null, which the caller reads as
+ * "not found" exactly as it reads a Google miss.
+ * @param {string} query - Free-text place name.
+ * @param {{bias?: ?string, fetchImpl?: Function}} [options]
+ * @returns {Promise<?{lat:number, lng:number, name:string, label:string, types:string[],
+ *   viewport:?object}>}
+ */
+export async function geocodeKeyless(query, options) {
+  return (await geocodeKeylessWithOutcome(query, options)).place;
+}
+
+/** Construct an independent Photon provider with a bounded query cache. */
+export function createPhotonGeocoder({
+  fetchImpl = (...args) => fetch(...args),
+} = {}) {
+  const cache = new Map();
+  return {
+    geocode: (query, options = {}) =>
+      geocodeKeylessWithOutcome(query, { ...options, fetchImpl, cache }),
+  };
+}
diff --git a/src/keylessGeocoder.test.mjs b/src/keylessGeocoder.test.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..142cb1cdb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/keylessGeocoder.test.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,446 @@
+// KEYLESS GEOCODER — the Photon adapter that keeps place search working
+// without a Google key.
+//
+// The whole value of this module is that its output is INDISTINGUISHABLE to
+// everything downstream: `geocodeNavigationMode` and the framing code must keep
+// making the same decisions they make on a Google result. So these tests check
+// the translation, not the network — three things that go wrong silently:
+//
+//   1. Photon's `extent` is [west, north, east, south]. Read as [w,s,e,n] it
+//      yields an inverted-but-plausible box, and the camera frames nonsense.
+//   2. Photon calls a national park `type: 'other'`. Dropped, a park geocodes
+//      as a precise place and the camera lands on a random patch of grass —
+//      the exact bug geocodeNavigationMode's area types exist to prevent.
+//   3. A miss must be `null`, never a throw: both callers read null as
+//      "not found" and a throw would surface as a broken search box.
+//
+// Run with: npm test
+import { test } from 'node:test';
+import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
+import fs from 'node:fs';
+import path from 'node:path';
+import { fileURLToPath } from 'node:url';
+import {
+  geocodeKeyless,
+  geocodeKeylessWithOutcome,
+  normalizePhotonFeature,
+  normalizeToponym,
+  photonExtentToBounds,
+  photonResultLabel,
+  photonResultTypes,
+  photonSearchUrl,
+  selectPhotonFeature,
+} from './keylessGeocoder.js';
+import { geocodeNavigationMode } from './locations.js';
+
+const ROOT = path.resolve(path.dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url)), '..');
+
+/** Photon's real answer for "Hanoi", trimmed to the fields we consume. */
+const HANOI = {
+  geometry: { type: 'Point', coordinates: [105.854041, 21.0283334] },
+  properties: {
+    osm_key: 'place',
+    osm_value: 'city',
+    type: 'city',
+    name: 'Hà Nội',
+    country: 'Việt Nam',
+    countrycode: 'VN',
+    extent: [105.2889615, 21.3854176, 106.0200407, 20.5645154],
+  },
+};
+
+test('a city normalizes into the shape the Google path produces', () => {
+  const result = normalizePhotonFeature(HANOI);
+
+  assert.equal(result.lat, 21.0283334);
+  assert.equal(result.lng, 105.854041);
+  assert.equal(result.label, 'Hà Nội, Việt Nam');
+  assert.deepEqual(result.types, ['locality']);
+  assert.equal(geocodeNavigationMode(result.types), 'city-overview');
+});
+
+test('the extent is read as [west, north, east, south], not as [w,s,e,n]', () => {
+  const bounds = photonExtentToBounds(HANOI.properties.extent);
+
+  // Hanoi spans roughly 20.56..21.39 N and 105.29..106.02 E. A [w,s,e,n] read
+  // would put north at 21.385 and south at 106.02 — a box that still has four
+  // finite numbers and would frame the camera at nothing.
+  assert.equal(bounds.southwest.lat, 20.5645154);
+  assert.equal(bounds.northeast.lat, 21.3854176);
+  assert.equal(bounds.southwest.lng, 105.2889615);
+  assert.equal(bounds.northeast.lng, 106.0200407);
+  assert.ok(bounds.northeast.lat > bounds.southwest.lat, 'north must exceed south');
+  assert.ok(bounds.northeast.lng > bounds.southwest.lng, 'east must exceed west');
+});
+
+test('a malformed or out-of-range extent yields no bounds rather than a bad box', () => {
+  assert.equal(photonExtentToBounds(undefined), null);
+  assert.equal(photonExtentToBounds([1, 2, 3]), null);
+  assert.equal(photonExtentToBounds([0, 95, 10, -95]), null, 'latitude past the pole');
+  assert.equal(photonExtentToBounds([-200, 10, 10, 0]), null, 'longitude past the antimeridian');
+});
+
+test('area features keep an area type so the camera frames them, not a rooftop', () => {
+  // Every row is a real Photon answer, captured from the live service. The
+  // lake rows are why: Photon tags water as `water=lake`, not `natural=water`,
+  // and the guess cost a camera 26 m over Hoan Kiem Lake.
+  const cases = [
+    [{ type: 'other', osm_key: 'water', osm_value: 'lake' }, 'natural_feature', 'area-overview'],
+    [{ type: 'other', osm_key: 'leisure', osm_value: 'park' }, 'park', 'area-overview'],
+    [{ type: 'other', osm_key: 'place', osm_value: 'region' }, 'natural_feature', 'area-overview'],
+    [{ type: 'other', osm_key: 'natural', osm_value: 'peak' }, 'natural_feature', 'area-overview'],
+    [{ type: 'other', osm_key: 'waterway', osm_value: 'river' }, 'natural_feature', 'area-overview'],
+    [{ type: 'house', osm_key: 'aeroway', osm_value: 'aerodrome' }, 'airport', 'area-overview'],
+    [{ type: 'house', osm_key: 'amenity', osm_value: 'university' }, 'university', 'area-overview'],
+    [{ type: 'street', osm_key: 'highway', osm_value: 'motorway' }, 'route', 'street-corridor'],
+    [{ type: 'country', osm_key: 'place', osm_value: 'country' }, 'country', 'region-overview'],
+    [{ type: 'state', osm_key: 'place', osm_value: 'state' }, 'administrative_area_level_1', 'region-overview'],
+    [{ type: 'district', osm_key: 'place', osm_value: 'suburb' }, 'sublocality', 'neighborhood-close'],
+  ];
+
+  for (const [properties, expectedType, expectedMode] of cases) {
+    const types = photonResultTypes(properties);
+    assert.ok(
+      types.includes(expectedType),
+      `${properties.osm_key}=${properties.osm_value} must carry ${expectedType}, got ${JSON.stringify(types)}`,
+    );
+    assert.equal(geocodeNavigationMode(types), expectedMode);
+  }
+});
+
+test('a tag rule wins over the coarse class — a town square is not a city', () => {
+  // Photon reports Times Square and Quang truong Ba Dinh as place=square with
+  // type: 'locality'. Falling through to the coarse class framed a plaza as if
+  // it were a whole city.
+  const square = { type: 'locality', osm_key: 'place', osm_value: 'square' };
+  assert.deepEqual(photonResultTypes(square), []);
+  assert.equal(geocodeNavigationMode(photonResultTypes(square)), 'precise-place');
+});
+
+test('an ordinary building stays a precise place', () => {
+  const types = photonResultTypes({ type: 'house', osm_key: 'building', osm_value: 'yes' });
+  assert.equal(geocodeNavigationMode(types), 'precise-place');
+});
+
+test('the label names the place, then only containers it does not already name', () => {
+  assert.equal(
+    photonResultLabel({ name: 'Hoàn Kiếm Lake', district: 'Hoàn Kiếm', city: 'Hà Nội', country: 'Việt Nam' }),
+    'Hoàn Kiếm Lake, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội, Việt Nam',
+  );
+  assert.equal(
+    photonResultLabel({ name: 'Hà Nội', city: 'Hà Nội', country: 'Việt Nam' }),
+    'Hà Nội, Việt Nam',
+    'a city must not repeat its own name',
+  );
+});
+
+test('the Google bias becomes a SOFT proximity bias, never a hard bbox', () => {
+  const url = new URL(photonSearchUrl('Sixth Street', { bias: '30.2000,-97.8000|30.3000,-97.7000' }));
+
+  assert.equal(url.searchParams.get('q'), 'Sixth Street');
+  // Five, not one: proximity reorders the list, so the name actually asked for
+  // can sit below a nearer near-miss and must still be reachable.
+  assert.equal(url.searchParams.get('limit'), '5');
+  assert.equal(url.searchParams.get('lat'), '30.25', 'centre of the biased rectangle');
+  assert.equal(url.searchParams.get('lon'), '-97.75');
+
+  // Measured against the live service: Photon's bbox FILTERS, Google's bounds
+  // PREFERS. Sending the rectangle as a bbox makes every off-screen search
+  // return features: [] — "Ho Guom, Ha Noi" while looking at Austin finds
+  // nothing at all. This assertion is the guard against that regression.
+  assert.equal(url.searchParams.get('bbox'), null, 'a bbox would filter out every off-screen place');
+});
+
+test('an absent or unparsable bias drops the bias instead of sending a broken one', () => {
+  for (const bias of [undefined, 'nonsense', 'a,b|c,d']) {
+    const url = new URL(photonSearchUrl('Hanoi', bias === undefined ? {} : { bias }));
+    assert.equal(url.searchParams.get('lat'), null);
+    assert.equal(url.searchParams.get('lon'), null);
+    assert.equal(url.searchParams.get('bbox'), null);
+  }
+});
+
+test('a network failure resolves to null — callers read null as not-found', async () => {
+  const rejecting = () => Promise.reject(new Error('offline'));
+  assert.equal(await geocodeKeyless('Hanoi', { fetchImpl: rejecting }), null);
+
+  const notOk = () => Promise.resolve({ ok: false, json: () => Promise.resolve({}) });
+  assert.equal(await geocodeKeyless('somewhere else', { fetchImpl: notOk }), null);
+
+  const empty = () => Promise.resolve({ ok: true, json: () => Promise.resolve({ features: [] }) });
+  assert.equal(await geocodeKeyless('third distinct query', { fetchImpl: empty }), null);
+});
+
+test('an empty query never reaches the network', async () => {
+  let calls = 0;
+  const counting = () => { calls += 1; return Promise.reject(new Error('should not run')); };
+
+  assert.equal(await geocodeKeyless('   ', { fetchImpl: counting }), null);
+  assert.equal(await geocodeKeyless(null, { fetchImpl: counting }), null);
+  assert.equal(calls, 0);
+});
+
+test('repeat queries are served from the memo, misses included', async () => {
+  let calls = 0;
+  const counting = () => {
+    calls += 1;
+    return Promise.resolve({ ok: true, json: () => Promise.resolve({ features: [HANOI] }) });
+  };
+
+  const first = await geocodeKeyless('Ha Noi memo probe', { fetchImpl: counting });
+  const second = await geocodeKeyless('Ha Noi memo probe', { fetchImpl: counting });
+  assert.equal(calls, 1, 'the second lookup must not hit the network');
+  assert.deepEqual(second, first);
+
+  const missing = () => {
+    calls += 1;
+    return Promise.resolve({ ok: true, json: () => Promise.resolve({ features: [] }) });
+  };
+  await geocodeKeyless('typo memo probe', { fetchImpl: missing });
+  await geocodeKeyless('typo memo probe', { fetchImpl: missing });
+  assert.equal(calls, 2, 'a miss must be memoized too, or a typo costs one request per keystroke');
+});
+
+test('a feature without usable coordinates is rejected', () => {
+  assert.equal(normalizePhotonFeature(undefined), null);
+  assert.equal(normalizePhotonFeature({ properties: { name: 'Nowhere' } }), null);
+  assert.equal(normalizePhotonFeature({ geometry: { coordinates: [200, 10] } }), null);
+  assert.equal(normalizePhotonFeature({ geometry: { coordinates: [10, 91] } }), null);
+});
+
+// ── Bias may choose among matches; it may not change what counts as one ──────
+
+/** Photon's real answers for "Huế": Austin-biased, then unbiased. */
+const HUTTO = {
+  geometry: { type: 'Point', coordinates: [-97.6842, 30.5427] },
+  properties: { osm_key: 'place', osm_value: 'town', type: 'city', name: 'Hutto', country: 'United States' },
+};
+const HUE = {
+  geometry: { type: 'Point', coordinates: [107.5908, 16.4674] },
+  properties: {
+    osm_key: 'place', osm_value: 'city', type: 'city', name: 'Huế', country: 'Việt Nam',
+    extent: [107.3763, 16.7739, 108.0518, 16.1276],
+  },
+};
+
+/** Answers biased requests with `nearby`, unbiased ones with `anywhere`. */
+function photonPair(nearby, anywhere) {
+  const urls = [];
+  const impl = (url) => {
+    urls.push(url);
+    const biased = new URL(url).searchParams.has('lat');
+    return Promise.resolve({ ok: true, json: () => Promise.resolve({ features: biased ? nearby : anywhere }) });
+  };
+  impl.urls = urls;
+  return impl;
+}
+
+test('a biased near-miss is refused, and the unbiased answer is taken instead', async () => {
+  // Measured from Austin against the live service: "Huế" scored Hutto, Texas
+  // above the city, and "Hạ Long" scored Long Branch. Distance alone must not
+  // outrank the name — three of twelve Vietnamese names crossed a continent.
+  const fetchImpl = photonPair([HUTTO], [HUE]);
+
+  const result = await geocodeKeyless('Huế', { bias: '30.20,-97.80|30.30,-97.70', fetchImpl });
+
+  assert.equal(result.label.startsWith('Huế'), true, `got ${result.label}`);
+  assert.equal(Math.round(result.lat), 16);
+  assert.equal(fetchImpl.urls.length, 2, 'the refused bias costs exactly one extra request');
+});
+
+test('a biased match that leads with the name is taken without a second request', async () => {
+  // The other half of the rule, and the reason bias exists at all: "Sixth
+  // Street" over Austin must stay Austin's.
+  const sixth = {
+    geometry: { type: 'Point', coordinates: [-97.7431, 30.2672] },
+    properties: { osm_key: 'highway', osm_value: 'residential', type: 'street', name: 'Sixth Street', country: 'United States' },
+  };
+  const fetchImpl = photonPair([sixth], [HUE]);
+
+  const result = await geocodeKeyless('Sixth Street', { bias: '30.20,-97.80|30.30,-97.70', fetchImpl });
+
+  assert.equal(result.label.startsWith('Sixth Street'), true);
+  assert.equal(fetchImpl.urls.length, 1);
+});
+
+test('a name is matched at its head, so a street that merely contains it loses', () => {
+  const road = { properties: { name: 'Nguyen Hue Road' } };
+  const city = { properties: { name: 'Huế' } };
+
+  assert.equal(selectPhotonFeature([road, city], 'hue'), city);
+  // Relaxing to substring is a second choice only, never a first one.
+  assert.equal(selectPhotonFeature([road], 'hue'), null);
+  assert.equal(selectPhotonFeature([road], 'hue', { allowContains: true }), road);
+  assert.equal(selectPhotonFeature([city], ''), null);
+  assert.equal(selectPhotonFeature(undefined, 'hue'), null);
+});
+
+test('a "place, region" query is matched on the place, not the region', async () => {
+  const lake = {
+    geometry: { type: 'Point', coordinates: [105.8524, 21.0287] },
+    properties: { osm_key: 'natural', osm_value: 'water', water: 'lake', name: 'Hoàn Kiếm Lake', country: 'Việt Nam' },
+  };
+  const street = { geometry: { type: 'Point', coordinates: [105.85, 21.03] }, properties: { name: 'Hoan Kiem District Road' } };
+  const fetchImpl = photonPair([], [street, lake]);
+
+  const result = await geocodeKeyless('Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi', { fetchImpl });
+
+  assert.equal(result.label.startsWith('Hoàn Kiếm Lake'), true, `got ${result.label}`);
+});
+
+test('accents and punctuation do not change what a name compares as', () => {
+  assert.equal(normalizeToponym('Huế'), 'hue');
+  assert.equal(normalizeToponym('Hạ Long Bay'), 'ha long bay');
+  assert.equal(normalizeToponym("  St. John's-Ravenscourt  "), 'st john s ravenscourt');
+  assert.equal(normalizeToponym(undefined), '');
+});
+
+// ── The seam inventory ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+//
+// A fallback is only worth having where the app actually geocodes, and the app
+// geocodes in more than one place: the LOCATION search box, the Radio layer's
+// "near <place>" lookup, and the annotation resolver. Fixing one and leaving
+// the others is the failure this pins — the first version of this work fixed
+// the search box alone, so a keyless install still threw on "play radio near
+// Hanoi" while the search box beside it worked.
+//
+// It reads the source rather than the behaviour on purpose. The defect is not
+// that a particular function is wrong; it is that a NEW call site can be added
+// without one, and no behavioural test of the existing three would notice.
+
+test('forward geocoding is composed once and consumers do not call a source directly', () => {
+  for (const file of ['locations.js', 'annotations/annotationResolver.js', 'voice/gevActions.js']) {
+    const source = fs.readFileSync(path.join(ROOT, 'src', file), 'utf8');
+    assert.match(source, /placeSearch\.geocode\(/);
+    assert.doesNotMatch(source, /geocodeKeyless|geocode\/json\?address/);
+  }
+  const setup = fs.readFileSync(path.join(ROOT, 'src/standalone/placeSearch.js'), 'utf8');
+  assert.match(setup, /createGoogleGeocoder/);
+  assert.match(setup, /createPhotonGeocoder/);
+});
+
+test('a missing key is never a thrown error on the client', () => {
+  // It was one, in the Radio layer: a keyless install surfaced "play radio near
+  // Hanoi" as a failed voice turn rather than as a station it could not place.
+  for (const file of ['locations.js', 'annotations/annotationResolver.js', 'voice/gevActions.js']) {
+    const body = fs.readFileSync(path.join(ROOT, 'src', file), 'utf8');
+    assert.doesNotMatch(body, /throw new Error\([^)]*No Google Maps API key/, `${file} throws on a missing key`);
+  }
+});
+
+// ── The shape the three call sites share ─────────────────────────────────────
+
+test('the normalized result carries the canonical name its callers need', () => {
+  // Two consumers want different halves of one answer: the search box shows
+  // `label`, while the annotation resolver matches OSM features on `name`
+  // alone — a canonical name beats a parsed label there, because "Hà Nội,
+  // Việt Nam" would let the country token win the footprint scoring.
+  const result = normalizePhotonFeature(HANOI);
+
+  assert.equal(result.name, 'Hà Nội');
+  assert.equal(result.label.startsWith('Hà Nội'), true);
+  assert.equal(result.label.includes(result.name), true, 'the label is built from the name, not beside it');
+});
+
+test('a feature with no name yields an empty string, never undefined', () => {
+  const bare = { geometry: { type: 'Point', coordinates: [105.85, 21.03] }, properties: { osm_key: 'place', osm_value: 'city' } };
+  const result = normalizePhotonFeature(bare);
+
+  assert.equal(result.name, '');
+  assert.equal(typeof result.label, 'string');
+});
+
+test("Photon's own country name stays inside the label — it is not a field", () => {
+  // Photon answers in the feature's LANGUAGE: this fixture is the live service's
+  // real reply for "Hanoi", and it says "Việt Nam", not "Vietnam". Tokyo answers
+  // "日本", Moscow "Россия". Re-exporting that as a `country` field invites a
+  // consumer to match on it, and the one consumer that would — the Radio
+  // layer's `normalizeRadioCountryInput` — fails CLOSED on a name it cannot
+  // map, turning "radio near Ha Long" into an empty station list. The composed
+  // label is the only honest use for a localized country name.
+  assert.equal(HANOI.properties.country, 'Việt Nam');
+  const result = normalizePhotonFeature(HANOI);
+
+  assert.equal('country' in result, false, 'a localized country name must not become a matchable field');
+  assert.match(result.label, /Việt Nam$/);
+});
+
+// ── An answer and a silence are not the same miss ────────────────────────────
+//
+// Both arrive as `null`, and remembering the wrong one is the defect this app
+// has already had to repair once: the Overpass disk cache persisted refusals
+// with normal data TTLs, so an install that hit a bad minute kept serving the
+// refusal for a month. A geocoder that memoises a network blip does the same
+// thing for a session — every later keystroke replays it without asking.
+
+test('an unanswered request is never memoized, so the next attempt really retries', async () => {
+  let attempts = 0;
+  const offline = () => { attempts += 1; return Promise.reject(new Error('offline')); };
+  const online = () => {
+    attempts += 1;
+    return Promise.resolve({ ok: true, json: () => Promise.resolve({ features: [HANOI] }) });
+  };
+
+  assert.equal(await geocodeKeyless('blip probe', { fetchImpl: offline }), null);
+  assert.equal(attempts, 1);
+
+  const recovered = await geocodeKeyless('blip probe', { fetchImpl: online });
+  assert.equal(attempts, 2, 'the retry must reach the network, not a memoized blip');
+  assert.equal(recovered.name, 'Hà Nội');
+});
+
+test('an HTTP refusal counts as silence, not as "no such place"', async () => {
+  let attempts = 0;
+  const refusing = () => {
+    attempts += 1;
+    return Promise.resolve({ ok: false, status: 429, json: () => Promise.resolve({}) });
+  };
+
+  await geocodeKeyless('throttle probe', { fetchImpl: refusing });
+  await geocodeKeyless('throttle probe', { fetchImpl: refusing });
+  assert.equal(attempts, 2, 'a 429 must not be remembered as a verdict');
+});
+
+test('the outcome reports which of the two a null result was', async () => {
+  const answeredMiss = () => Promise.resolve({ ok: true, json: () => Promise.resolve({ features: [] }) });
+  const failure = () => Promise.reject(new Error('offline'));
+  const hit = () => Promise.resolve({ ok: true, json: () => Promise.resolve({ features: [HANOI] }) });
+
+  assert.deepEqual(
+    await geocodeKeylessWithOutcome('outcome probe a', { fetchImpl: answeredMiss }),
+    { place: null, answered: true },
+  );
+  assert.deepEqual(
+    await geocodeKeylessWithOutcome('outcome probe b', { fetchImpl: failure }),
+    { place: null, answered: false },
+  );
+
+  const found = await geocodeKeylessWithOutcome('outcome probe c', { fetchImpl: hit });
+  assert.equal(found.answered, true);
+  assert.equal(found.place.name, 'Hà Nội');
+
+  // A memo hit is by definition an answer — only answers are stored.
+  assert.deepEqual(
+    await geocodeKeylessWithOutcome('outcome probe a', { fetchImpl: failure }),
+    { place: null, answered: true },
+  );
+});
+
+test('a biased pass that never answered leaves the whole lookup unanswered', async () => {
+  // The unbiased retry can report an honest empty while the biased request that
+  // preceded it timed out. The lookup as a whole still rests on a request that
+  // never came back, so its null is not a verdict.
+  const urls = [];
+  const halfDown = (url) => {
+    urls.push(url);
+    return new URL(url).searchParams.has('lat')
+      ? Promise.reject(new Error('timeout'))
+      : Promise.resolve({ ok: true, json: () => Promise.resolve({ features: [] }) });
+  };
+
+  const outcome = await geocodeKeylessWithOutcome('half-down probe', {
+    bias: '30.20,-97.80|30.30,-97.70', fetchImpl: halfDown,
+  });
+  assert.deepEqual(outcome, { place: null, answered: false });
+  assert.equal(urls.length, 2);
+});
diff --git a/src/locations.js b/src/locations.js
index 36a12263a..31c587596 100644
--- a/src/locations.js
+++ b/src/locations.js
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import * as Cesium from 'cesium';
 import { viewportBias, placesNearViewRecovery } from './annotations/annotationResolver.js';
+import { unavailablePlaceSearch } from './search/placeSearch.js';
 
 /**
  * Points of Interest per city.
@@ -342,46 +343,35 @@ export function findPoiByName(query) {
 export const CANCELLED_SEARCH = Object.freeze({ cancelled: true });
 
 /**
- * Geocode a place name using Google Geocoding API, then fly there at a scale
+ * Geocode a place name through the supplied service, then fly there at a scale
  * appropriate to the request. Countries and cities use their viewport by
  * default; precise landmarks/buildings use close landmark framing.
  */
 export async function searchAndFlyTo(viewer, query, options = {}) {
-  const apiKey = window.__GOOGLE_MAPS_API_KEY__ || import.meta.env.GOOGLE_MAPS_API_KEY;
-  if (!apiKey) throw new Error('No Google Maps API key available for geocoding');
-
+  const { placeSearch = unavailablePlaceSearch, signal } = options;
+  signal?.throwIfAborted();
   const beforeFly = typeof options.beforeFly === 'function' ? options.beforeFly : null;
-  const mayFly = () => beforeFly === null || beforeFly() !== false;
-
-  // Viewport-biased geocode — the same bias annotationResolver's geocodePlace uses:
-  // "Sixth Street" spoken over Austin must prefer the Sixth Street on screen, not a
-  // same-named road in another city (or the wrong end of town — the W 6th vs E 6th bug).
-  let url = `https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/geocode/json?address=${encodeURIComponent(query)}&key=${apiKey}`;
-  const bias = viewportBias(viewer);
-  if (bias) url += `&bounds=${bias}`;
-  const response = await fetch(url);
-  const data = await response.json();
-
-  const result = (data.status === 'OK' && data.results?.length) ? data.results[0] : null;
-  let lat = result?.geometry.location.lat;
-  let lng = result?.geometry.location.lng;
-  let label = result ? result.formatted_address : null;
+  const mayFly = () => !signal?.aborted && (beforeFly === null || beforeFly() !== false);
+  const outcome = await placeSearch.geocode(query, { bias: viewportBias(viewer), signal });
+  signal?.throwIfAborted();
+  const result = outcome.place;
+  let lat = result?.lat;
+  let lng = result?.lng;
+  let label = result?.label || query;
   let types = result?.types || [];
-  let viewport = result ? (result.geometry.bounds || result.geometry.viewport) : null;
+  let viewport = result?.viewport || null;
 
-  // Places-near-view recovery (annotationResolver's twin): a missed geocode, or one
-  // that landed implausibly far from the view centre, snaps back to a view-biased
-  // Places hit within the trust bound — "the Capitol" means the one on screen.
-  const recovered = await placesNearViewRecovery(viewer, query, result ? { lat, lon: lng } : null);
+  // Nearby landmark recovery retains precedence over a fallback geocoder hit.
+  const recovered = await placesNearViewRecovery(viewer, query,
+    result && !outcome.fallbackUsed ? { lat, lon: lng } : null, signal);
+  signal?.throwIfAborted();
   if (recovered) {
     lat = recovered.lat;
     lng = recovered.lon;
-    label = recovered.label || label || query;
+    label = recovered.label || label;
     types = recovered.types || [];
     viewport = placesViewportToBounds(recovered.viewport) || viewport;
-  } else if (!result) {
-    return null;
-  }
+  } else if (!result) return null;
 
   const requestedRange = finitePositive(options.range);
   const duration = finitePositive(options.duration) || 3.0;
diff --git a/src/locations.test.mjs b/src/locations.test.mjs
index 7b8244ccf..54da6bd47 100644
--- a/src/locations.test.mjs
+++ b/src/locations.test.mjs
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { createStandalonePlaceSearch } from './standalone/placeSearch.js';
 // Camera-framing mode contract for fly_to_location (field test 8 + rootcause doc §3):
 // parks/lakes/campuses and streets are NOT precise POIs — flying to "Zilker Park" at
 // building range (250 m) lands on a random rooftop. Pure mapping tests, no network.
@@ -62,7 +63,7 @@ async function runSearch(viewer, options, { result = AUSTIN_RESULT, query = 'aus
     json: async () => ({ status: 'OK', results: [result] }),
   });
   try {
-    return await searchAndFlyTo(viewer, query, options);
+    return await searchAndFlyTo(viewer, query, { placeSearch: createStandalonePlaceSearch({ resolveApiKey: () => globalThis.window?.__GOOGLE_MAPS_API_KEY__ }), ...options });
   } finally {
     globalThis.fetch = priorFetch;
     if (hadWindow) globalThis.window = priorWindow;
diff --git a/src/search/google.js b/src/search/google.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e1c2a556a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/search/google.js
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+/** Normalize a Google forward-geocode result without leaking its address shape. */
+export function normalizeGooglePlace(result) {
+  const lat = result?.geometry?.location?.lat;
+  const lng = result?.geometry?.location?.lng;
+  if (
+    !Number.isFinite(lat) ||
+    !Number.isFinite(lng) ||
+    Math.abs(lat) > 90 ||
+    Math.abs(lng) > 180
+  )
+    return null;
+  const types = Array.isArray(result.types) ? result.types : [];
+  const resultTypes = new Set(types.map((type) => String(type).toLowerCase()));
+  const components = Array.isArray(result.address_components)
+    ? result.address_components
+    : [];
+  // Address-only landmark results must retain the requested landmark identity.
+  const canonical = components.find(
+    (component) =>
+      Array.isArray(component.types) &&
+      component.types.some(
+        (type) =>
+          type !== 'political' && resultTypes.has(String(type).toLowerCase()),
+      ),
+  );
+  return {
+    lat,
+    lng,
+    name: canonical?.long_name || '',
+    label: result.formatted_address || '',
+    types,
+    viewport: result.geometry.bounds || result.geometry.viewport || null,
+  };
+}
+
+/** Construct Google geocoding with caller-owned transport and key selection. */
+export function createGoogleGeocoder({ request }) {
+  return {
+    async geocode(query, { bias = null, signal } = {}) {
+      signal?.throwIfAborted();
+      try {
+        const response = await request(query, { bias, signal });
+        signal?.throwIfAborted();
+        // An unconfigured provider did not contribute a negative verdict.
+        if (!response) return { place: null, answered: true };
+        if (response.ok === false) return { place: null, answered: false };
+        const data = await response.json();
+        signal?.throwIfAborted();
+        if (
+          data?.status === 'ZERO_RESULTS' &&
+          Array.isArray(data.results) &&
+          data.results.length === 0
+        )
+          return { place: null, answered: true };
+        const place =
+          data?.status === 'OK'
+            ? normalizeGooglePlace(data.results?.[0])
+            : null;
+        return { place, answered: Boolean(place) };
+      } catch {
+        signal?.throwIfAborted();
+        return { place: null, answered: false };
+      }
+    },
+  };
+}
diff --git a/src/search/index.js b/src/search/index.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..307dbaf30
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/search/index.js
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+export { createPlaceSearch, unavailablePlaceSearch } from './placeSearch.js';
+export { createGoogleGeocoder, normalizeGooglePlace } from './google.js';
+export { createPhotonGeocoder } from '../keylessGeocoder.js';
diff --git a/src/search/placeSearch.js b/src/search/placeSearch.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..664e5f9af
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/search/placeSearch.js
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+/** A missing geocoder returns an unavailable outcome without making requests. */
+export const unavailablePlaceSearch = Object.freeze({
+  async geocode(_query, { signal } = {}) {
+    signal?.throwIfAborted();
+    return { place: null, answered: false };
+  },
+});
+
+/**
+ * Compose ordered geocoders into one bounded service. Each returns
+ * { place: { lat, lng, name, label, types, viewport } | null, answered: boolean }.
+ * Only definitive results are cached. Caller cancellation stops the whole chain.
+ */
+export function createPlaceSearch({
+  providers,
+  signal: lifetime,
+  timeoutMs = 12_000,
+  now = Date.now,
+}) {
+  const cache = new Map();
+  return {
+    async geocode(query, { bias = null, signal } = {}) {
+      const combined = AbortSignal.any(
+        [lifetime, signal, AbortSignal.timeout(timeoutMs)].filter(Boolean),
+      );
+      combined.throwIfAborted();
+      const text = String(query ?? '').trim();
+      if (!text) return { place: null, answered: true };
+      const key = `${bias || ''}\n${text.toLowerCase()}`;
+      const cached = cache.get(key);
+      if (cached && cached.expires > now()) return cached.result;
+      cache.delete(key);
+      let result = { place: null, answered: providers.length > 0 };
+      try {
+        for (const [index, provider] of providers.entries()) {
+          combined.throwIfAborted();
+          const next = await provider.geocode(text, { bias, signal: combined });
+          combined.throwIfAborted();
+          result = {
+            place: next.place,
+            answered: Boolean(next.place) || (result.answered && next.answered),
+          };
+          if (result.place) {
+            result.fallbackUsed = index > 0;
+            break;
+          }
+        }
+      } catch (error) {
+        lifetime?.throwIfAborted();
+        signal?.throwIfAborted();
+        if (!combined.aborted) throw error;
+        return { place: null, answered: false };
+      }
+      combined.throwIfAborted();
+      if (result.answered) {
+        cache.set(key, {
+          result,
+          expires: now() + (result.place ? 300_000 : 30_000),
+        });
+        while (cache.size > 64) cache.delete(cache.keys().next().value);
+      }
+      return result;
+    },
+  };
+}
diff --git a/src/search/placeSearch.test.mjs b/src/search/placeSearch.test.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e609f9da9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/search/placeSearch.test.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,101 @@
+import test from 'node:test';
+import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
+import { createPlaceSearch, createGoogleGeocoder, createPhotonGeocoder } from './index.js';
+import { createStandalonePlaceSearch } from '../standalone/placeSearch.js';
+import { photonExtentToBounds } from '../keylessGeocoder.js';
+const feature = { geometry: { type: 'Point', coordinates: [105.85, 21.03] }, properties: { name: 'Hà Nội', type: 'city' } };
+const hit = () => Response.json({ features: [feature] });
+
+test('malformed successful Photon responses remain retryable', async () => {
+  for (const malformed of [{ error: 'temporary failure' }, { features: {} }, { features: [{ geometry: { coordinates: [null, 1] } }] }]) {
+    let calls = 0;
+    const provider = createPhotonGeocoder({ fetchImpl: async () => ++calls === 1 ? Response.json(malformed) : hit() });
+    assert.deepEqual(await provider.geocode('Hanoi'), { place: null, answered: false });
+    assert.equal((await provider.geocode('Hanoi')).place.name, 'Hà Nội');
+    assert.equal(calls, 2);
+  }
+});
+
+test('standalone geocoding falls back after Google connection, JSON and refusal failures', async () => {
+  for (const fail of [() => { throw new Error('offline'); }, () => new Response('invalid json'), () => Response.json({ status: 'REQUEST_DENIED' })]) {
+    const urls = [];
+    const service = createStandalonePlaceSearch({ resolveApiKey: () => 'fixture', fetchImpl: async (url) => {
+      urls.push(url); return url.includes('maps.googleapis.com') ? fail() : hit();
+    } });
+    const result = await service.geocode('Hanoi');
+    assert.equal(result.place.name, 'Hà Nội');
+    assert.equal(result.fallbackUsed, true);
+    assert.equal(urls.length, 2);
+  }
+});
+
+test('a keyless service does not issue any Google request', async () => {
+  const service = createStandalonePlaceSearch({ fetchImpl: async (url) => {
+    assert.equal(new URL(url).hostname, 'photon.komoot.io'); return hit();
+  } });
+  assert.equal((await service.geocode('Hanoi')).place.lat, 21.03);
+});
+
+test('cancellation before lookup makes no request', async () => {
+  const controller = new AbortController(); controller.abort();
+  let calls = 0;
+  const provider = createPhotonGeocoder({ fetchImpl: async () => { calls++; return hit(); } });
+  await assert.rejects(provider.geocode('Hanoi', { signal: controller.signal }), { name: 'AbortError' });
+  assert.equal(calls, 0);
+});
+
+test('cancellation stops Photon retries and does not cache a late response', async () => {
+  const controller = new AbortController();
+  let calls = 0;
+  const provider = createPhotonGeocoder({ fetchImpl: async () => {
+    calls++; if (calls === 1) controller.abort(); return hit();
+  } });
+  await assert.rejects(provider.geocode('Hanoi', { bias: '1,1|2,2', signal: controller.signal }), { name: 'AbortError' });
+  assert.equal(calls, 1);
+  assert.equal((await provider.geocode('Hanoi')).place.name, 'Hà Nội');
+  assert.equal(calls, 2);
+});
+
+test('a Google request cancelled by its caller never starts the fallback', async () => {
+  const controller = new AbortController(); let fallbackCalls = 0;
+  const service = createPlaceSearch({ providers: [
+    createGoogleGeocoder({ request: async () => { controller.abort(); return Response.json({ status: 'ZERO_RESULTS', results: [] }); } }),
+    { geocode: async () => { fallbackCalls++; return { place: null, answered: true }; } },
+  ] });
+  await assert.rejects(service.geocode('missing', { signal: controller.signal }), { name: 'AbortError' });
+  assert.equal(fallbackCalls, 0);
+});
+
+test('service lifetime cancellation also rejects cache hits', async () => {
+  const controller = new AbortController();
+  const service = createPlaceSearch({ signal: controller.signal, providers: [createPhotonGeocoder({ fetchImpl: async () => hit() })] });
+  assert.ok((await service.geocode('Hanoi')).place);
+  controller.abort();
+  await assert.rejects(service.geocode('Hanoi'), { name: 'AbortError' });
+});
+
+test('one cancelled caller cannot cancel another caller of the same service', async () => {
+  const controller = new AbortController();
+  const service = createPlaceSearch({ providers: [{ async geocode(_query, { signal }) {
+    await new Promise((resolve) => setImmediate(resolve)); signal.throwIfAborted();
+    return { place: { lat: 1, lng: 2 }, answered: true };
+  } }] });
+  const first = service.geocode('same', { signal: controller.signal });
+  const second = service.geocode('same');
+  controller.abort();
+  await assert.rejects(first, { name: 'AbortError' });
+  assert.equal((await second).place.lat, 1);
+});
+
+test('definitive misses expire while outage outcomes are never cached', async () => {
+  let now = 0, calls = 0, answered = true;
+  const service = createPlaceSearch({ now: () => now, providers: [{ async geocode() { calls++; return { place: null, answered }; } }] });
+  await service.geocode('miss'); await service.geocode('miss'); assert.equal(calls, 1);
+  now = 30_001; answered = false;
+  await service.geocode('miss'); await service.geocode('miss'); assert.equal(calls, 3);
+});
+
+test('wrapped and nonnumeric Photon bounds are omitted', () => {
+  assert.equal(photonExtentToBounds([170, 10, -170, -10]), null);
+  assert.equal(photonExtentToBounds([null, 10, 20, -10]), null);
+});
diff --git a/src/standalone/application.js b/src/standalone/application.js
index 4ae94cde7..f5a17ca2c 100644
--- a/src/standalone/application.js
+++ b/src/standalone/application.js
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { createStandalonePlaceSearch } from './placeSearch.js';
 import { createApplication } from '../app/application.js';
 import { createStandaloneScene } from './scene.js';
 import { createStandaloneControls } from './controls.js';
@@ -18,19 +19,25 @@ export function createStandaloneApplication({
   constructed = true;
   const loadingScreen = document.getElementById('loading-screen');
   const loaderStatus = loadingScreen.querySelector('.loader-status');
+  let placeSearch;
   return createApplication({
-    createScene: (context) =>
-      createStandaloneScene({
+    createScene: (context) => {
+      placeSearch = createStandalonePlaceSearch({
+        resolveApiKey: () => googleApiKey,
+        signal: context.signal,
+      });
+      return createStandaloneScene({
         ...context,
         googleApiKey,
         cesiumToken,
         loaderStatus,
-      }),
+      });
+    },
     createControls: (context) =>
-      createStandaloneControls({ ...context, loaderStatus }),
+      createStandaloneControls({ ...context, loaderStatus, placeSearch }),
     createData: (context) =>
       createStandaloneData({ ...context, allowQaRegistration }),
     createTools: (context) =>
-      createStandaloneTools({ ...context, loadingScreen }),
+      createStandaloneTools({ ...context, loadingScreen, placeSearch }),
   });
 }
diff --git a/src/standalone/controls.js b/src/standalone/controls.js
index 75e4e3432..96dd33f4c 100644
--- a/src/standalone/controls.js
+++ b/src/standalone/controls.js
@@ -6,10 +6,14 @@ import { initCockpitCloudEffects } from '../cockpitCloudEffects.js';
 export function createStandaloneControls({
   scene: { viewer, mapStackController },
   loaderStatus,
+  placeSearch,
   defer,
 }) {
   // Initialize the style manager (post-processing, HUD, locations, share links)
-  const styleManager = new StyleManager(viewer, { mapStackController });
+  const styleManager = new StyleManager(viewer, {
+    mapStackController,
+    placeSearch,
+  });
   defer(() => styleManager.orbitController.stop());
   defer(() => styleManager.hud.destroy());
   defer(() => styleManager.dispose());
diff --git a/src/standalone/placeSearch.js b/src/standalone/placeSearch.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7b1016602
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/standalone/placeSearch.js
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+import {
+  createPlaceSearch,
+  createGoogleGeocoder,
+  createPhotonGeocoder,
+} from '../search/index.js';
+
+/** Google first when configured, then keyless Photon; transport stays local to setup. */
+export function createStandalonePlaceSearch({
+  resolveApiKey,
+  fetchImpl = (...args) => fetch(...args),
+  signal,
+} = {}) {
+  return createPlaceSearch({
+    signal,
+    providers: [
+      createGoogleGeocoder({
+        request(query, { bias, signal }) {
+          const key = resolveApiKey?.();
+          if (!key) return null;
+          const url = new URL(
+            'https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/geocode/json',
+          );
+          url.searchParams.set('address', query);
+          url.searchParams.set('key', key);
+          if (bias) url.searchParams.set('bounds', bias);
+          return fetchImpl(url.toString(), { signal });
+        },
+      }),
+      createPhotonGeocoder({ fetchImpl }),
+    ],
+  });
+}
diff --git a/src/standalone/tools.js b/src/standalone/tools.js
index 534509448..e4fd39568 100644
--- a/src/standalone/tools.js
+++ b/src/standalone/tools.js
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ export function createStandaloneTools({
   controls,
   data,
   loadingScreen,
+  placeSearch,
   signal,
   defer,
 }) {
@@ -25,7 +26,7 @@ export function createStandaloneTools({
   const { dataManager } = data;
   const sceneDirector = new SceneDirector(viewer, styleManager, dataManager);
   defer(() => sceneDirector.destroy());
-  const annotations = initAnnotations({ viewer, tileset });
+  const annotations = initAnnotations({ viewer, tileset, placeSearch });
   defer(() => {
     if (window.__gevAnnotations === annotations) delete window.__gevAnnotations;
     annotations.destroy();
@@ -99,6 +100,7 @@ export function createStandaloneTools({
     if (window.__godsEyeView === debug) delete window.__godsEyeView;
   });
   const voiceCommands = initGevVoiceCommands({
+    placeSearch,
     viewer,
     styleManager,
     dataManager,
diff --git a/src/ui.js b/src/ui.js
index b2840fff5..7a1b911d6 100644
--- a/src/ui.js
+++ b/src/ui.js
@@ -2189,9 +2189,10 @@ export class StyleManager {
    * @param {Cesium.Viewer} viewer - The CesiumJS viewer instance.
    * @param {object} [options]
    */
-  constructor(viewer, { mapStackController = null } = {}) {
+  constructor(viewer, { mapStackController = null, placeSearch } = {}) {
     this.viewer = viewer;
     this.mapStackController = mapStackController;
+    this.placeSearch = placeSearch;
     this.stages = {};
     this.activeStyle = 'normal';
     document.documentElement.dataset.gevStyle = this.activeStyle;
@@ -4235,6 +4236,7 @@ export class StyleManager {
     };
     if (panelId === 'control-panel') {
       this._cancelMapSourceFocus?.();
+    this._locationSearchController?.abort();
       this._cancelMapSourceFocus = cancelMapSourceFocus;
     }
 
@@ -9497,9 +9499,14 @@ export class StyleManager {
           return;
         }
         this._activeLocationSearchGeneration = generation;
+        this._locationSearchController?.abort();
+        const searchController = new AbortController();
+        this._locationSearchController = searchController;
         this._locationSearch.classList.add('searching');
         try {
           const destination = await searchAndFlyTo(this.viewer, query, {
+            placeSearch: this.placeSearch,
+            signal: searchController.signal,
             beforeFly: () => this._reassertNavigationHandoff(generation),
           });
           if (this._disposed || generation !== this._navigationGeneration) return;
@@ -9523,10 +9530,12 @@ export class StyleManager {
             this._showToast('Location not found');
           }
         } catch (err) {
+          if (searchController.signal.aborted) return;
           console.error('[Search] Geocoding failed:', err);
           if (this._disposed || generation !== this._navigationGeneration) return;
           this._showToast('Search failed');
         } finally {
+          if (this._locationSearchController === searchController) this._locationSearchController = null;
           this._settleLocationSearchUi(generation);
         }
       }
diff --git a/src/voice/gevActions.js b/src/voice/gevActions.js
index a56c840e7..53c74ec79 100644
--- a/src/voice/gevActions.js
+++ b/src/voice/gevActions.js
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import militaryAwarenessLayer, {
 import { initCameraVerbs, moveCamera, flyRoute, interruptCameraMotion, adjustOrbitRange } from '../cameraVerbs.js';
 import { cachedGroundFloor, warmGroundFloor } from '../data/groundFloor.js';
 import { isPickedWorldPosition } from '../data/scenePick.js';
+import { unavailablePlaceSearch } from '../search/placeSearch.js';
 import { resolveRegionRingForQuery } from '../annotations/annotationResolver.js';
 import { normalizeRadioCountryInput } from '../data/radioCountry.js';
 import { TR3B_CLASS } from '../data/tr3bRegistry.js';
@@ -287,7 +288,7 @@ export function readLayerLifecycleSummary(dataManager, layerId, { fallbackEnable
   };
 }
 
-export function createGevActionRunner({ viewer, styleManager, dataManager, sceneDirector = null, annotations = null }) {
+export function createGevActionRunner({ viewer, styleManager, dataManager, sceneDirector = null, annotations = null, placeSearch = unavailablePlaceSearch }) {
   installViewTargetPrewarm(viewer);
   initCameraVerbs(viewer, getViewTargetCartesian);
   return async function runGevAction(name, rawArgs = {}, runOptions = {}) {
@@ -510,7 +511,7 @@ export function createGevActionRunner({ viewer, styleManager, dataManager, scene
       };
 
       const nearest = await createAnalystEngine(analystProviders(viewer, dataManager, {
-        recordLimitByLayer: { [layerId]: Number.MAX_SAFE_INTEGER },
+        recordLimitByLayer: { [layerId]: Number.MAX_SAFE_INTEGER }, placeSearch,
       })).query({
         layers: [layerId],
         scope: { kind: 'view' },
@@ -769,6 +770,7 @@ export function createGevActionRunner({ viewer, styleManager, dataManager, scene
 
     if (name === 'fly_to_location') {
       return flyToRequestedLocation(viewer, args, {
+        placeSearch, signal: runOptions.signal,
         runImmediate: typeof styleManager?.runImmediateLocationNavigation === 'function'
           ? (navigate) => styleManager.runImmediateLocationNavigation(navigate)
           : null,
@@ -814,7 +816,7 @@ export function createGevActionRunner({ viewer, styleManager, dataManager, scene
     }
 
     if (name === 'analyst_query') {
-      return runAnalystQuery(viewer, dataManager, args);
+      return runAnalystQuery(viewer, dataManager, args, placeSearch);
     }
 
     if (name === 'move_camera') {
@@ -899,7 +901,7 @@ export function createGevActionRunner({ viewer, styleManager, dataManager, scene
     }
 
     if (name === 'control_radio') {
-      return controlRadio(viewer, dataManager, args, runOptions);
+      return controlRadio(viewer, dataManager, args, { ...runOptions, placeSearch });
     }
 
     if (name === 'track_entity') {
@@ -1264,30 +1266,12 @@ async function resolveRadioLocation(args = {}, coordinates = radioCoordinatePair
   const known = knownRadioLocation(query, args.locationId);
   if (known) return known;
   if (!query) return null;
-  const apiKey = window.__GOOGLE_MAPS_API_KEY__ || import.meta.env.GOOGLE_MAPS_API_KEY;
-  if (!apiKey) throw new Error('No Google Maps API key available for Radio location search');
-  const controller = new AbortController();
-  const cancelFromTurn = () => controller.abort();
-  if (options.signal?.aborted) throw radioAbortError();
-  options.signal?.addEventListener('abort', cancelFromTurn, { once: true });
-  const timer = setTimeout(() => controller.abort(), 6000);
-  try {
-    const url = `https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/geocode/json?address=${encodeURIComponent(query)}&key=${apiKey}`;
-    const response = await fetch(url, { signal: controller.signal });
-    const body = await response.json();
-    if (!radioActionIsCurrent(options)) throw radioAbortError();
-    const result = body.status === 'OK' ? body.results?.[0] : null;
-    if (!result?.geometry?.location) return null;
-    return {
-      lat: result.geometry.location.lat,
-      lon: result.geometry.location.lng,
-      label: result.formatted_address || query,
-      country: '',
-    };
-  } finally {
-    clearTimeout(timer);
-    options.signal?.removeEventListener('abort', cancelFromTurn);
-  }
+  const { placeSearch = unavailablePlaceSearch, signal } = options;
+  const { place } = await placeSearch.geocode(query, { signal });
+  if (!radioActionIsCurrent(options)) throw radioAbortError();
+  if (!place) return null;
+  // Localized provider country labels must not become station country filters.
+  return { lat: place.lat, lon: place.lng, label: place.label || query, country: '' };
 }
 
 /** Voice Radio controls over the Radio layer's public player surface. */
@@ -2206,6 +2190,7 @@ function normalizeStyle(value) {
 }
 
 async function flyToRequestedLocation(viewer, args, {
+  placeSearch = unavailablePlaceSearch, signal,
   onStart = null,
   runImmediate = null,
   beginDeferred = null,
@@ -2321,6 +2306,7 @@ async function flyToRequestedLocation(viewer, args, {
     if (generation === false) return cancelled(query);
     const managedDeferred = typeof reassertDeferred === 'function';
     const destination = await searchAndFlyTo(viewer, query, {
+      placeSearch, signal,
       ...(rangeM ? { range: rangeM } : {}),
       forceClose: args.viewMode === 'close',
       // 'overview' frames the geocode viewport even for precise-place results —
@@ -3310,7 +3296,7 @@ function activeContactsWindow() {
   }
 }
 
-function analystProviders(viewer, dataManager, { recordLimitByLayer = null } = {}) {
+function analystProviders(viewer, dataManager, { recordLimitByLayer = null, placeSearch = unavailablePlaceSearch } = {}) {
   return {
     getRecords(layerKey) {
       const layer = dataManager.layers.get(layerKey);
@@ -3322,7 +3308,7 @@ function analystProviders(viewer, dataManager, { recordLimitByLayer = null } = {
         ? (mod.getAnalystRecords(requestedLimit) || [])
         : (mod.getAnalystRecords() || []);
     },
-    resolveRegionRing: (name) => resolveRegionRingForQuery(name),
+    resolveRegionRing: (name) => resolveRegionRingForQuery(name, undefined, placeSearch),
     /**
      * The active Contacts subject, when there is one — the centre the operator
      * is reasoning about while Contacts is up. Null whenever Contacts is off,
@@ -3356,8 +3342,8 @@ function analystProviders(viewer, dataManager, { recordLimitByLayer = null } = {
   };
 }
 
-async function runAnalystQuery(viewer, dataManager, args = {}) {
-  if (!_analystEngine) _analystEngine = createAnalystEngine(analystProviders(viewer, dataManager));
+async function runAnalystQuery(viewer, dataManager, args = {}, placeSearch = unavailablePlaceSearch) {
+  if (!_analystEngine) _analystEngine = createAnalystEngine(analystProviders(viewer, dataManager, { placeSearch }));
   const result = await _analystEngine.query({
     layers: Array.isArray(args.layers) ? args.layers : undefined,
     scope: args.scope,
diff --git a/src/voice/gevActions.test.mjs b/src/voice/gevActions.test.mjs
index 5fbd7cff3..5fa93514e 100644
--- a/src/voice/gevActions.test.mjs
+++ b/src/voice/gevActions.test.mjs
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { createStandalonePlaceSearch } from '../standalone/placeSearch.js';
 import { test } from 'node:test';
 import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
 import * as Cesium from 'cesium';
@@ -6,11 +7,12 @@ import { getContextStore, registerEntityContext } from '../data/contextStore.js'
 import { DataLayerManager } from '../data/manager.js';
 import { getActiveCameraMotion, interruptCameraMotion, moveCamera } from '../cameraVerbs.js';
 import { reassertNavigationHandoff, runExplicitNavigation } from '../navigationPolicy.js';
+import { normalizeRadioCountryInput } from '../data/radioCountry.js';
 import { TR3B_CLASS } from '../data/tr3bRegistry.js';
 import {
   controlCctv,
-  controlRadio,
-  createGevActionRunner,
+  controlRadio as runControlRadio,
+  createGevActionRunner as createActionRunner,
   cctvVoiceFocusOutcome,
   formatTrackedEntityLabel,
   knownRadioLocation,
@@ -3017,3 +3019,124 @@ test('front5: 0.99 km due EAST is the subject, though a degree box rejects it',
     assert.equal(result.window.centeredOn, 'N546PC');
   });
 });
+
+// ── Keyless Radio location ───────────────────────────────────────────────────
+//
+// `resolveRadioLocation` used to be Google-only: no key threw, and a key that
+// geocoded to nothing returned null, which the caller reports as "Could not
+// resolve Radio location". Both now fall through to Photon. These drive the
+// second case, because it reaches the SAME fallback through a running Google
+// branch — the no-key branch cannot be driven here, since the key expression
+// reads `import.meta.env`, which only Vite defines.
+
+/** Photon's GeoJSON shape, trimmed to the properties the adapter consumes. */
+function photonFeature({ name, lat, lon, city = '', country = '' }) {
+  return {
+    geometry: { type: 'Point', coordinates: [lon, lat] },
+    properties: { name, city, country, osm_key: 'place', osm_value: 'city' },
+  };
+}
+
+/** A Radio layer that records what it was asked to select. */
+function radioSelectionHarness() {
+  let enabled = false;
+  const calls = [];
+  const state = {
+    stationCount: 4, filter: 'all', selected: null,
+    audioState: 'stopped', volume: 0.8, voiceDucked: false,
+  };
+  const radio = {
+    getUIState: () => ({ ...state }),
+    selectRequestedStation(criteria, options) {
+      calls.push({ criteria, options });
+      state.selected = { id: 'kl-1', name: 'Keyless FM' };
+      return state.selected;
+    },
+  };
+  return {
+    calls,
+    dataManager: {
+      layers: new Map([['radio', { module: radio }]]),
+      isEnabled: () => enabled,
+      async setEnabled(_id, value) { enabled = value; },
+    },
+  };
+}
+
+/** Install a Google key plus a fetch stub, restoring both afterwards. */
+function installKeyedFetch(t, handler) {
+  globalThis.window = globalThis.window || { clearTimeout, setTimeout, requestIdleCallback: null };
+  const priorKey = globalThis.window.__GOOGLE_MAPS_API_KEY__;
+  const priorFetch = globalThis.fetch;
+  globalThis.window.__GOOGLE_MAPS_API_KEY__ = 'unit-test-key';
+  globalThis.fetch = handler;
+  t.after(() => {
+    globalThis.fetch = priorFetch;
+    if (priorKey === undefined) delete globalThis.window.__GOOGLE_MAPS_API_KEY__;
+    else globalThis.window.__GOOGLE_MAPS_API_KEY__ = priorKey;
+  });
+}
+
+test('voice Radio: a key that geocodes to nothing still places the station, keylessly', async (t) => {
+  const { calls, dataManager } = radioSelectionHarness();
+  const requests = [];
+  installKeyedFetch(t, async (url) => {
+    requests.push(String(url));
+    if (String(url).startsWith('https://maps.googleapis.com/')) {
+      return { ok: true, json: async () => ({ status: 'ZERO_RESULTS', results: [] }) };
+    }
+    assert.match(String(url), /^https:\/\/photon\.komoot\.io\/api\/\?/);
+    return {
+      ok: true,
+      json: async () => ({
+        features: [photonFeature({
+          name: 'Hạ Long Bay', lat: 20.9101, lon: 107.1839, city: 'Hạ Long', country: 'Việt Nam',
+        })],
+      }),
+    };
+  });
+
+  const result = await controlRadio({}, dataManager, {
+    action: 'select', locationQuery: 'Hạ Long Bay',
+  });
+
+  // Before the fallback existed this was `ok: false, "Could not resolve Radio location"`.
+  assert.equal(result.ok, true);
+  assert.equal(result.requestedLocation, 'Hạ Long Bay, Hạ Long, Việt Nam');
+  assert.equal(calls.length, 1);
+  assert.ok(Math.abs(calls[0].criteria.anchor.lat - 20.9101) < 1e-9);
+  assert.ok(Math.abs(calls[0].criteria.anchor.lon - 107.1839) < 1e-9);
+  // Google is asked first and exactly once; Photon answers unbiased, in one call.
+  assert.equal(requests.filter((url) => url.includes('maps.googleapis.com')).length, 1);
+  assert.equal(requests.filter((url) => url.includes('photon.komoot.io')).length, 1);
+  assert.match(requests.at(-1), /[?&]q=H%E1%BA%A1\+Long\+Bay/);
+  assert.doesNotMatch(requests.at(-1), /[?&](lat|lon|bbox)=/, 'a named radio location is not viewport-biased');
+});
+
+test('voice Radio: the keyless path applies no country filter the keyed path would not', async (t) => {
+  // Photon reports the country in the feature's own language ("Việt Nam"), and
+  // `rankRadioStationsForRequest` fails CLOSED on a country it cannot map —
+  // returning NO stations. Forwarding it would make a keyless install answer
+  // "No Radio station matched" for exactly the places it just resolved, while a
+  // keyed install placed a station. The label may carry it; the filter may not.
+  const { calls, dataManager } = radioSelectionHarness();
+  installKeyedFetch(t, async (url) => (String(url).startsWith('https://maps.googleapis.com/')
+    ? { ok: true, json: async () => ({ status: 'ZERO_RESULTS', results: [] }) }
+    : {
+      ok: true,
+      json: async () => ({
+        features: [photonFeature({ name: 'Kraków', lat: 50.0614, lon: 19.9366, country: 'Polska' })],
+      }),
+    }));
+
+  const result = await controlRadio({}, dataManager, { action: 'select', locationQuery: 'Kraków' });
+
+  assert.equal(result.ok, true);
+  assert.equal(calls[0].criteria.country, '', 'a localized country name must never reach the station filter');
+  assert.equal(normalizeRadioCountryInput('Polska').valid, false, 'and this is why: it would match nothing');
+  assert.equal(result.requestedLocation, 'Kraków, Polska', 'the label still names the country honestly');
+});
+
+const testPlaceSearch = () => createStandalonePlaceSearch({ resolveApiKey: () => globalThis.window?.__GOOGLE_MAPS_API_KEY__ });
+function createGevActionRunner(options) { return createActionRunner({ placeSearch: testPlaceSearch(), ...options }); }
+function controlRadio(viewer, manager, args, options) { return runControlRadio(viewer, manager, args, { placeSearch: testPlaceSearch(), ...options }); }
diff --git a/src/voice/gevRealtime.js b/src/voice/gevRealtime.js
index 45ebed526..6ba143bf2 100644
--- a/src/voice/gevRealtime.js
+++ b/src/voice/gevRealtime.js
@@ -194,11 +194,11 @@ export function silenceRadioForVoice({ duckRadio, pauseRadio } = {}) {
  */
 const SUPERSEDED_RESPONSE_MEMORY = 8;
 
-export function initGevVoiceCommands({ viewer, styleManager, dataManager, sceneDirector = null, annotations = null }) {
+export function initGevVoiceCommands({ viewer, styleManager, dataManager, sceneDirector = null, annotations = null, placeSearch }) {
   if (window.__gevVoiceCommands && typeof window.__gevVoiceCommands.stop === 'function') {
     window.__gevVoiceCommands.stop({ removeUi: true });
   }
-  const runner = createGevActionRunner({ viewer, styleManager, dataManager, sceneDirector, annotations });
+  const runner = createGevActionRunner({ viewer, styleManager, dataManager, sceneDirector, annotations, placeSearch });
   const ui = createVoiceControl({ reset: true });
   const radioLayer = dataManager?.layers?.get('radio')?.module || null;
   const controller = new GevRealtimeController({ runner, ui, radioLayer, dataManager });
diff --git a/src/voice/gevRealtime.test.mjs b/src/voice/gevRealtime.test.mjs
index a07efbe2b..d76fe60a6 100644
--- a/src/voice/gevRealtime.test.mjs
+++ b/src/voice/gevRealtime.test.mjs
@@ -4,7 +4,8 @@
 import { test } from 'node:test';
 import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
 import { DataLayerManager } from '../data/manager.js';
-import { controlRadio, createGevActionRunner } from './gevActions.js';
+import { controlRadio as runControlRadio, createGevActionRunner as createActionRunner } from './gevActions.js';
+import { createStandalonePlaceSearch } from '../standalone/placeSearch.js';
 import {
   computeDownscale,
   renderFreshCesiumFrame,
@@ -3669,3 +3670,7 @@ test('a genuinely different refused call still gets its own output', async () =>
   await controller.handleRealtimeEvent(lateToolItemEvent('resp_old', 'call_two', 'item_two'));
   assert.deepEqual(outputs, ['call_one', 'call_two'], 'each distinct call is answered');
 });
+
+const testPlaceSearch = () => createStandalonePlaceSearch({ resolveApiKey: () => globalThis.window?.__GOOGLE_MAPS_API_KEY__ });
+function createGevActionRunner(options) { return createActionRunner({ placeSearch: testPlaceSearch(), ...options }); }
+function controlRadio(viewer, manager, args, options) { return runControlRadio(viewer, manager, args, { placeSearch: testPlaceSearch(), ...options }); }