diff --git a/src/lib/build_index.ts b/src/lib/build_index.ts
index 9b9b8537..cbd45f12 100644
--- a/src/lib/build_index.ts
+++ b/src/lib/build_index.ts
@@ -60,11 +60,17 @@ export async function buildSearchIndex() {
   return data
 }
 
+// Build search index into the output directory, for use in the build process (see vite.config.js)
 export async function buildAndCacheSearchIndex() {
   const data = await buildSearchIndex()
-  // write index data to file, overwriting static file on build
+
+  const dir = path.resolve("./.svelte-kit/output/client/search")
+  if (!fs.existsSync(dir)) {
+    fs.mkdirSync(dir, { recursive: true })
+  }
+
   fs.writeFileSync(
-    path.resolve("./.svelte-kit/output/client/search_index.json"),
+    path.resolve("./.svelte-kit/output/client/search/api"),
     JSON.stringify(data),
   )
   console.log("Search index built")
diff --git a/src/routes/(marketing)/search/api/+server.ts b/src/routes/(marketing)/search/api/+server.ts
index 1040d915..de285e03 100644
--- a/src/routes/(marketing)/search/api/+server.ts
+++ b/src/routes/(marketing)/search/api/+server.ts
@@ -1,11 +1,14 @@
-import { buildSearchIndex } from "$lib/build_index"
+import { dev } from "$app/environment"
+import { error } from "@sveltejs/kit"
 
 export async function GET() {
-  const searchData = await buildSearchIndex()
-
-  return new Response(JSON.stringify(searchData), {
-    headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
-  })
+  // only build search index in dev mode. It will be pre-built in production (see vite.config.js)
+  if (dev) {
+    const { buildSearchIndex } = await import("$lib/build_index")
+    const searchData = await buildSearchIndex()
+    return new Response(JSON.stringify(searchData), {
+      headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
+    })
+  }
+  error(404, "Search index not found")
 }
-
-export const prerender = true
diff --git a/vite.config.ts b/vite.config.ts
index d1d54a1d..dffe8ca5 100644
--- a/vite.config.ts
+++ b/vite.config.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,22 @@
 import { sveltekit } from "@sveltejs/kit/vite"
 import { defineConfig } from "vitest/config"
+import { buildAndCacheSearchIndex } from "./src/lib/build_index"
 
 export default defineConfig({
-  plugins: [sveltekit()],
+  plugins: [
+    sveltekit(),
+    {
+      name: "vite-build-search-index",
+      writeBundle: {
+        order: "post",
+        sequential: false,
+        handler: async () => {
+          console.log("Building search index...")
+          await buildAndCacheSearchIndex()
+        },
+      },
+    },
+  ],
   test: {
     include: ["src/**/*.{test,spec}.{js,ts}"],
   },