diff --git a/packages/schema/__tests__/searchable-json.test.ts b/packages/schema/__tests__/searchable-json.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4e94d920
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/schema/__tests__/searchable-json.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+import { describe, it, expect } from 'vitest'
+import { buildEncryptConfig, csTable, csColumn } from '../src/index'
+
+describe('searchableJson()', () => {
+  it('sets cast_as to json and ste_vec marker on column build', () => {
+    const column = csColumn('metadata').searchableJson()
+    const config = column.build()
+
+    expect(config.cast_as).toBe('json')
+    expect(config.indexes.ste_vec?.prefix).toBe('enabled')
+  })
+
+  it('is chainable', () => {
+    const column = csColumn('metadata')
+    expect(column.searchableJson()).toBe(column)
+  })
+})
+
+describe('ProtectTable.build() with searchableJson', () => {
+  it('transforms prefix to table/column format', () => {
+    const users = csTable('users', {
+      metadata: csColumn('metadata').searchableJson()
+    })
+    const built = users.build()
+
+    expect(built.columns.metadata.cast_as).toBe('json')
+    expect(built.columns.metadata.indexes.ste_vec?.prefix).toBe('users/metadata')
+  })
+})
+
+describe('buildEncryptConfig with searchableJson', () => {
+  it('emits ste_vec index with table/column prefix', () => {
+    const users = csTable('users', {
+      metadata: csColumn('metadata').searchableJson()
+    })
+
+    const config = buildEncryptConfig(users)
+
+    expect(config.tables.users.metadata.cast_as).toBe('json')
+    expect(config.tables.users.metadata.indexes.ste_vec?.prefix).toBe(
+      'users/metadata'
+    )
+  })
+})
diff --git a/packages/schema/src/index.ts b/packages/schema/src/index.ts
index b12b30de..dcc11c8c 100644
--- a/packages/schema/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/schema/src/index.ts
@@ -211,13 +211,15 @@ export class ProtectColumn {
   }
 
   /**
-   * Enable a STE Vec index, uses the column name for the index.
+   * Configure this column for searchable encrypted JSON.
+   * Enables path queries ($.user.email) and containment queries ({ role: 'admin' }).
+   * Automatically sets cast_as to 'json'.
    */
-  // NOTE: Leaving this commented out until stevec indexing for JSON is supported.
-  /*searchableJson() {
-    this.indexesValue.ste_vec = { prefix: this.columnName }
+  searchableJson() {
+    this.castAsValue = 'json'
+    this.indexesValue.ste_vec = { prefix: 'enabled' }
     return this
-  }*/
+  }
 
   build() {
     return {