diff --git a/changelog.md b/changelog.md
index 9543a1a..143511e 100644
--- a/changelog.md
+++ b/changelog.md
@@ -1,5 +1,13 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## 2025-04-21 - 5.11.1 - fix(doc)
+Refactor searchable fields API and improve collection registration.
+
+- Removed the standalone getSearchableFields utility in favor of a static method on document classes.
+- Updated tests to use the new static method (e.g., Product.getSearchableFields()).
+- Ensured the Collection decorator attaches a docCtor property to correctly register searchable fields.
+- Added try/catch in test cleanup to gracefully handle dropDatabase errors.
+
 ## 2025-04-21 - 5.11.0 - feat(ts/classes.lucene.adapter)
 Expose luceneWildcardToRegex method to allow external usage and enhance regex transformation capabilities.
 
diff --git a/test/test.search.advanced.ts b/test/test.search.advanced.ts
index 4856e71..8d8b3b4 100644
--- a/test/test.search.advanced.ts
+++ b/test/test.search.advanced.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { tap, expect } from '@push.rocks/tapbundle';
 import * as smartmongo from '@push.rocks/smartmongo';
 import * as smartdata from '../ts/index.js';
-import { searchable, getSearchableFields } from '../ts/classes.doc.js';
+import { searchable } from '../ts/classes.doc.js';
 import { smartunique } from '../ts/plugins.js';
 
 // Set up database connection
diff --git a/test/test.search.ts b/test/test.search.ts
index b2695a2..4309619 100644
--- a/test/test.search.ts
+++ b/test/test.search.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import { smartunique } from '../ts/plugins.js';
 
 // Import the smartdata library
 import * as smartdata from '../ts/index.js';
-import { searchable, getSearchableFields } from '../ts/classes.doc.js';
+import { searchable } from '../ts/classes.doc.js';
 
 // Set up database connection
 let smartmongoInstance: smartmongo.SmartMongo;
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ tap.test('should create test products with searchable fields', async () => {
 
 tap.test('should retrieve searchable fields for a class', async () => {
   // Use the getSearchableFields function to verify our searchable fields
-  const searchableFields = getSearchableFields('Product');
+  const searchableFields = Product.getSearchableFields();
   console.log('Searchable fields:', searchableFields);
 
   expect(searchableFields.length).toEqual(3);
diff --git a/test/test.watch.ts b/test/test.watch.ts
index c1ec880..9d1c112 100644
--- a/test/test.watch.ts
+++ b/test/test.watch.ts
@@ -64,7 +64,11 @@ tap.test('should watch a collection', async (toolsArg) => {
 // close the database connection
 // =======================================
 tap.test('close', async () => {
-  await testDb.mongoDb.dropDatabase();
+  try {
+    await testDb.mongoDb.dropDatabase();
+  } catch (err) {
+    console.warn('dropDatabase error ignored in cleanup:', err.message || err);
+  }
   await testDb.close();
   if (smartmongoInstance) {
     await smartmongoInstance.stop();
diff --git a/ts/00_commitinfo_data.ts b/ts/00_commitinfo_data.ts
index 03b5d98..b6faae8 100644
--- a/ts/00_commitinfo_data.ts
+++ b/ts/00_commitinfo_data.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,6 @@
  */
 export const commitinfo = {
   name: '@push.rocks/smartdata',
-  version: '5.11.0',
+  version: '5.11.1',
   description: 'An advanced library for NoSQL data organization and manipulation using TypeScript with support for MongoDB, data validation, collections, and custom data types.'
 }
diff --git a/ts/classes.collection.ts b/ts/classes.collection.ts
index 04917d6..5ab6606 100644
--- a/ts/classes.collection.ts
+++ b/ts/classes.collection.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import * as plugins from './plugins.js';
 import { SmartdataDb } from './classes.db.js';
 import { SmartdataDbCursor } from './classes.cursor.js';
-import { SmartDataDbDoc, type IIndexOptions, getSearchableFields } from './classes.doc.js';
+import { SmartDataDbDoc, type IIndexOptions } from './classes.doc.js';
 import { SmartdataDbWatcher } from './classes.watcher.js';
 import { CollectionFactory } from './classes.collectionfactory.js';
 
@@ -32,13 +32,22 @@ export function Collection(dbArg: SmartdataDb | TDelayed<SmartdataDb>) {
         if (!(dbArg instanceof SmartdataDb)) {
           dbArg = dbArg();
         }
-        return collectionFactory.getCollection(constructor.name, dbArg);
+        const coll = collectionFactory.getCollection(constructor.name, dbArg);
+        // Attach document constructor for searchableFields lookup
+        if (!(coll as any).docCtor) {
+          (coll as any).docCtor = decoratedClass;
+        }
+        return coll;
       }
       public get collection() {
         if (!(dbArg instanceof SmartdataDb)) {
           dbArg = dbArg();
         }
-        return collectionFactory.getCollection(constructor.name, dbArg);
+        const coll = collectionFactory.getCollection(constructor.name, dbArg);
+        if (!(coll as any).docCtor) {
+          (coll as any).docCtor = decoratedClass;
+        }
+        return coll;
       }
     };
     return decoratedClass;
@@ -156,7 +165,9 @@ export class SmartdataCollection<T> {
       }
       this.mongoDbCollection = this.smartdataDb.mongoDb.collection(this.collectionName);
       // Auto-create a compound text index on all searchable fields
-      const searchableFields = getSearchableFields(this.collectionName);
+      // Use document constructor's searchableFields registered via decorator
+      const docCtor = (this as any).docCtor;
+      const searchableFields: string[] = docCtor?.searchableFields || [];
       if (searchableFields.length > 0 && !this.textIndexCreated) {
         // Build a compound text index spec
         const indexSpec: Record<string, 'text'> = {};
diff --git a/ts/classes.doc.ts b/ts/classes.doc.ts
index ac55da5..7bae955 100644
--- a/ts/classes.doc.ts
+++ b/ts/classes.doc.ts
@@ -8,8 +8,7 @@ import { SmartdataLuceneAdapter } from './classes.lucene.adapter.js';
 
 export type TDocCreation = 'db' | 'new' | 'mixed';
 
-// Set of searchable fields for each class
-const searchableFieldsMap = new Map<string, Set<string>>();
+
 
 export function globalSvDb() {
   return (target: SmartDataDbDoc<unknown, unknown>, key: string) => {
@@ -39,28 +38,15 @@ export function svDb() {
  */
 export function searchable() {
   return (target: SmartDataDbDoc<unknown, unknown>, key: string) => {
-    console.log(`called searchable() on >${target.constructor.name}.${key}<`);
-
-    // Initialize the set for this class if it doesn't exist
-    const className = target.constructor.name;
-    if (!searchableFieldsMap.has(className)) {
-      searchableFieldsMap.set(className, new Set<string>());
+    // Attach to class constructor for direct access
+    const ctor = target.constructor as any;
+    if (!Array.isArray(ctor.searchableFields)) {
+      ctor.searchableFields = [];
     }
-
-    // Add the property to the searchable fields set
-    searchableFieldsMap.get(className).add(key);
+    ctor.searchableFields.push(key);
   };
 }
 
-/**
- * Get searchable fields for a class
- */
-export function getSearchableFields(className: string): string[] {
-  if (!searchableFieldsMap.has(className)) {
-    return [];
-  }
-  return Array.from(searchableFieldsMap.get(className));
-}
 // Escape user input for safe use in MongoDB regular expressions
 function escapeForRegex(input: string): string {
   return input.replace(/[.*+?^${}()|[\]\\]/g, '\\$&');
@@ -318,16 +304,20 @@ export class SmartDataDbDoc<T extends TImplements, TImplements, TManager extends
     this: plugins.tsclass.typeFest.Class<T>,
     luceneQuery: string,
   ): any {
-    const className = (this as any).className || this.name;
-    const searchableFields = getSearchableFields(className);
-
+    const searchableFields = (this as any).getSearchableFields();
     if (searchableFields.length === 0) {
-      throw new Error(`No searchable fields defined for class ${className}`);
+      throw new Error(`No searchable fields defined for class ${this.name}`);
     }
-
     const adapter = new SmartdataLuceneAdapter(searchableFields);
     return adapter.convert(luceneQuery);
   }
+  /**
+   * List all searchable fields defined on this class
+   */
+  public static getSearchableFields(): string[] {
+    const ctor = this as any;
+    return Array.isArray(ctor.searchableFields) ? ctor.searchableFields : [];
+  }
 
   /**
    * Search documents by text or field:value syntax, with safe regex fallback
@@ -338,10 +328,9 @@ export class SmartDataDbDoc<T extends TImplements, TImplements, TManager extends
     this: plugins.tsclass.typeFest.Class<T>,
     query: string,
   ): Promise<T[]> {
-    const className = (this as any).className || this.name;
-    const searchableFields = getSearchableFields(className);
+    const searchableFields = (this as any).getSearchableFields();
     if (searchableFields.length === 0) {
-      throw new Error(`No searchable fields defined for class ${className}`);
+      throw new Error(`No searchable fields defined for class ${this.name}`);
     }
     // empty query -> return all
     const q = query.trim();
@@ -349,12 +338,13 @@ export class SmartDataDbDoc<T extends TImplements, TImplements, TManager extends
       return await (this as any).getInstances({});
     }
     // simple exact field:value (no spaces, no wildcards, no quotes)
+    // simple exact field:value (no spaces, wildcards, quotes)
     const simpleExact = q.match(/^(\w+):([^"'\*\?\s]+)$/);
     if (simpleExact) {
       const field = simpleExact[1];
       const value = simpleExact[2];
       if (!searchableFields.includes(field)) {
-        throw new Error(`Field '${field}' is not searchable for class ${className}`);
+        throw new Error(`Field '${field}' is not searchable for class ${this.name}`);
       }
       return await (this as any).getInstances({ [field]: value });
     }
@@ -374,7 +364,7 @@ export class SmartDataDbDoc<T extends TImplements, TImplements, TManager extends
       const field = wildcardField[1];
       const pattern = wildcardField[2];
       if (!searchableFields.includes(field)) {
-        throw new Error(`Field '${field}' is not searchable for class ${className}`);
+        throw new Error(`Field '${field}' is not searchable for class ${this.name}`);
       }
       // escape regex special chars except * and ?, then convert wildcards
       const escaped = pattern.replace(/([.+^${}()|[\\]\\])/g, '\\$1');
@@ -412,54 +402,7 @@ export class SmartDataDbDoc<T extends TImplements, TImplements, TManager extends
   }
 
 
-  /**
-   * Search by text across all searchable fields (fallback method)
-   * @param searchText The text to search for in all searchable fields
-   * @returns Array of matching documents
-   */
-  private static async searchByTextAcrossFields<T>(
-    this: plugins.tsclass.typeFest.Class<T>,
-    searchText: string,
-  ): Promise<T[]> {
-    try {
-      const className = (this as any).className || this.name;
-      const searchableFields = getSearchableFields(className);
-
-      // Fallback to direct filter if we have searchable fields
-      if (searchableFields.length > 0) {
-        // Create a simple $or query with regex for each field
-        const orConditions = searchableFields.map((field) => ({
-          [field]: { $regex: searchText, $options: 'i' },
-        }));
-
-        const filter = { $or: orConditions };
-
-        try {
-          // Try with MongoDB filter first
-          return await (this as any).getInstances(filter);
-        } catch (error) {
-          console.warn('MongoDB filter failed, falling back to in-memory search');
-        }
-      }
-
-      // Last resort: get all and filter in memory
-      const allDocs = await (this as any).getInstances({});
-      const lowerSearchText = searchText.toLowerCase();
-
-      return allDocs.filter((doc: any) => {
-        for (const field of searchableFields) {
-          const value = doc[field];
-          if (value && typeof value === 'string' && value.toLowerCase().includes(lowerSearchText)) {
-            return true;
-          }
-        }
-        return false;
-      });
-    } catch (error) {
-      console.error(`Error in searchByTextAcrossFields: ${error.message}`);
-      return [];
-    }
-  }
+  // INSTANCE
 
   // INSTANCE