diff --git a/cmd/indexer/main.go b/cmd/indexer/main.go
index 4110bfe..c569844 100644
--- a/cmd/indexer/main.go
+++ b/cmd/indexer/main.go
@@ -307,11 +307,17 @@ func indexVerses(sugar *zap.SugaredLogger, tsClient *typesense.Client, mongoDB *
 		TokenSeparators:     &hyphenSeparators,
 	}
 
-	_, err := tsClient.Collections().Create(context.Background(), schema)
-	if err != nil {
-		sugar.Fatalf("[verses] Failed to create collection: %v", err)
+	// Create the collection; tolerate "already exists" so a --no-drop run can
+	// upsert into the live collection without dropping it (matches indexProse).
+	if _, err := tsClient.Collections().Create(context.Background(), schema); err != nil {
+		if strings.Contains(err.Error(), "already exists") {
+			sugar.Warnf("[verses] Create collection: %v (continuing — upserting into existing)", err)
+		} else {
+			sugar.Fatalf("[verses] Failed to create collection: %v", err)
+		}
+	} else {
+		sugar.Info("[verses] Collection created")
 	}
-	sugar.Info("[verses] Collection created")
 
 	// Read from MongoDB
 	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 5*time.Minute)