diff --git a/app/(app)/search/search-content.tsx b/app/(app)/search/search-content.tsx
index bacbd4d3..03f9b5d9 100644
--- a/app/(app)/search/search-content.tsx
+++ b/app/(app)/search/search-content.tsx
@@ -42,6 +42,10 @@ interface UserResult {
 interface UserSearchResponse {
   query: string;
   results: UserResult[];
+  total: number;
+  page: number;
+  limit: number;
+  total_pages: number;
 }
 
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -307,7 +311,11 @@ function SearchInner() {
       // User-search branch — strip the @ prefix server-side too.
       // Clear content data so we don't flash old content results.
       setData(null);
-      const userParams = new URLSearchParams({ q: userQuery, limit: "20" });
+      const userParams = new URLSearchParams({
+        q: userQuery,
+        page: String(currentPage),
+        limit: "20",
+      });
       fetch(`/api/search/users?${userParams.toString()}`, {
         signal: controller.signal,
       })
@@ -319,7 +327,14 @@ function SearchInner() {
         .catch((err) => {
           if (err.name !== "AbortError") {
             setIsLoading(false);
-            setUserData({ query: userQuery, results: [] });
+            setUserData({
+              query: userQuery,
+              results: [],
+              total: 0,
+              page: 1,
+              limit: 20,
+              total_pages: 0,
+            });
           }
         });
       return () => controller.abort();
@@ -540,16 +555,40 @@ function SearchInner() {
             userData &&
             userData.results.length > 0 && (
               <>
-                <p className="mb-4 text-sm text-muted-foreground">
-                  {userData.results.length}{" "}
-                  {userData.results.length === 1 ? "user" : "users"} matching
-                  &ldquo;@{userQuery}&rdquo;
-                </p>
+                {/* Match count + top pagination */}
+                <div className="mb-4 flex items-center justify-between flex-wrap gap-3">
+                  <p className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">
+                    {userData.total.toLocaleString()}{" "}
+                    {userData.total === 1 ? "user" : "users"} matching &ldquo;@
+                    {userQuery}&rdquo;
+                  </p>
+                  {userData.total_pages > 1 && (
+                    <PaginationControls
+                      page={userData.page}
+                      totalPages={userData.total_pages}
+                      onPageChange={handlePageChange}
+                      compact
+                    />
+                  )}
+                </div>
+
                 <div className="grid grid-cols-1 sm:grid-cols-2 gap-3">
                   {userData.results.map((u) => (
                     <UserResultCard key={u.handle} user={u} />
                   ))}
                 </div>
+
+                {/* Bottom pagination */}
+                {userData.total_pages > 1 && (
+                  <div className="mt-8">
+                    <PaginationControls
+                      page={userData.page}
+                      totalPages={userData.total_pages}
+                      total={userData.total}
+                      onPageChange={handlePageChange}
+                    />
+                  </div>
+                )}
               </>
             )}
 
diff --git a/app/(app)/u/[handle]/layout.tsx b/app/(app)/u/[handle]/layout.tsx
index 79304ae3..667a0aa9 100644
--- a/app/(app)/u/[handle]/layout.tsx
+++ b/app/(app)/u/[handle]/layout.tsx
@@ -98,6 +98,43 @@ export default function PublicProfileLayout(props: {
     );
   }
 
+  // A block in either direction hides this profile's content. The backend
+  // already refuses the feed/mentions/followers endpoints with 403, so this
+  // is the matching client state: keep the header (its action row carries the
+  // Unblock button when *you* blocked them) but replace the tabs + feed with
+  // a notice instead of a misleading empty grid.
+  const rel = data.relationship;
+  const youBlocked = !!rel?.blocked;
+  const theyBlocked = !!rel?.blocked_by;
+  const blocked = youBlocked || theyBlocked;
+
+  if (blocked) {
+    return (
+      <main className="flex-1 max-w-3xl w-full mx-auto px-4 sm:px-6">
+        <ProfileHeader
+          key={data.handle}
+          avatarURL={data.avatar_url}
+          name={data.name}
+          handle={data.handle}
+          followerCount={data.follower_count}
+          followingCount={data.following_count}
+          relationship={data.relationship}
+          enableActions
+          interactiveCounts={false}
+          joinedAt={data.joined_at}
+          country={data.country}
+        />
+        <div className="py-12 text-center">
+          <p className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">
+            {youBlocked
+              ? `You've blocked @${data.handle}. Unblock them to see their posts.`
+              : `@${data.handle}'s posts aren't available.`}
+          </p>
+        </div>
+      </main>
+    );
+  }
+
   const tabs: ProfileTab[] = [
     {
       href: `/u/${data.handle}`,
diff --git a/app/api/search/users/route.ts b/app/api/search/users/route.ts
index dce03571..3687a2e4 100644
--- a/app/api/search/users/route.ts
+++ b/app/api/search/users/route.ts
@@ -15,14 +15,26 @@ const BFF_BASE = process.env.BFF_URL || "http://localhost:8080";
 type EmptyShape = {
   query: string;
   results: Array<{ handle: string; name: string; avatar_url: string | null }>;
+  total: number;
+  page: number;
+  limit: number;
+  total_pages: number;
 };
 
-const empty = (q: string): EmptyShape => ({ query: q, results: [] });
+const empty = (q: string): EmptyShape => ({
+  query: q,
+  results: [],
+  total: 0,
+  page: 1,
+  limit: 20,
+  total_pages: 0,
+});
 
 export async function GET(request: NextRequest) {
   const { searchParams } = request.nextUrl;
   const q = (searchParams.get("q") || "").trim();
   const limit = searchParams.get("limit") || "20";
+  const page = searchParams.get("page") || "1";
 
   if (!q) {
     return NextResponse.json(empty(""));
@@ -32,6 +44,7 @@ export async function GET(request: NextRequest) {
     const url = new URL("/api/v1/users/search", BFF_BASE);
     url.searchParams.set("q", q);
     url.searchParams.set("limit", limit);
+    url.searchParams.set("page", page);
 
     const res = await fetch(url.toString(), {
       headers: { Accept: "application/json" },
diff --git a/components/profile/profile-header.tsx b/components/profile/profile-header.tsx
index 32566970..57e89de2 100644
--- a/components/profile/profile-header.tsx
+++ b/components/profile/profile-header.tsx
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ export function ProfileHeader({
   relationship,
   enableActions = false,
   country,
+  interactiveCounts = true,
 }: {
   avatarURL: string | null;
   name: string;
@@ -75,6 +76,10 @@ export function ProfileHeader({
    *  this header with key={handle} so the live count + relationship state
    *  below re-seeds cleanly when navigating between profiles. */
   enableActions?: boolean;
+  /** When false, the follower/following stats render as plain text (no
+   *  click target) and the follow-list drawer isn't mounted — used on a
+   *  blocked profile, where the lists endpoint is gated server-side. */
+  interactiveCounts?: boolean;
 }) {
   // Owner affordances ride on `editHref`; the follow-action row rides on
   // `enableActions`. Mutually exclusive by construction.
@@ -128,12 +133,20 @@ export function ProfileHeader({
                 <Stat
                   n={followers}
                   label="followers"
-                  onClick={() => setFollowList("followers")}
+                  onClick={
+                    interactiveCounts
+                      ? () => setFollowList("followers")
+                      : undefined
+                  }
                 />
                 <Stat
                   n={following}
                   label="following"
-                  onClick={() => setFollowList("following")}
+                  onClick={
+                    interactiveCounts
+                      ? () => setFollowList("following")
+                      : undefined
+                  }
                 />
               </>
             ) : null}
@@ -181,7 +194,7 @@ export function ProfileHeader({
           onClose={() => setZoomOpen(false)}
         />
       ) : null}
-      {showCounts ? (
+      {showCounts && interactiveCounts ? (
         <FollowListDrawer
           open={followList !== null}
           mode={followList ?? "followers"}