diff --git a/tools/file_operations.py b/tools/file_operations.py
index c3e4ef112dbbe..f6a2deacaba8c 100644
--- a/tools/file_operations.py
+++ b/tools/file_operations.py
@@ -2475,12 +2475,11 @@ class ShellFileOperations(FileOperations):
                         limit: int, offset: int, output_mode: str, context: int) -> SearchResult:
         """Search for content inside files (grep-like)."""
         # Try ripgrep first (fast), fallback to grep (slower but works)
+        used_rg = False
         if self._has_command('rg'):
+            used_rg = True
             result = self._search_with_rg(pattern, path, file_glob, limit, offset,
                                           output_mode, context)
-            # rg auto-enables --multiline for \n patterns, so the line-
-            # oriented warning below no longer applies to this engine.
-            return result
         elif self._has_command('grep'):
             result = self._search_with_grep(pattern, path, file_glob, limit, offset,
                                             output_mode, context)
@@ -2492,8 +2491,9 @@ class ShellFileOperations(FileOperations):
             )
 
         # Zero-match steering: a 0-match result with no guidance is a dead
-        # turn. Probe cheaply for near-misses (wrong casing, unescaped regex
-        # metacharacters) and attach the finding as a warning.
+        # turn. Probe cheaply for near-misses (wrong casing, hidden-only
+        # matches, unescaped regex metacharacters) and attach the finding
+        # as a warning. Runs for BOTH engines.
         if (not result.error and result.total_count == 0
                 and not result.matches and not result.files and not result.counts):
             try:
@@ -2503,6 +2503,10 @@ class ShellFileOperations(FileOperations):
             if hint:
                 result.warning = hint if not result.warning else f"{result.warning} {hint}"
 
+        # rg auto-enables --multiline for \n patterns, so the line-oriented
+        # explanation only applies to the grep fallback engine.
+        if used_rg:
+            return result
         return _maybe_warn_line_oriented_newline_pattern(result, pattern)
     
     def _search_with_rg(self, pattern: str, path: str, file_glob: Optional[str],