diff --git a/frontend/src/widgets/SchemaColumnsDialog.test.tsx b/frontend/src/widgets/SchemaColumnsDialog.test.tsx
index e913434e..f58c570c 100644
--- a/frontend/src/widgets/SchemaColumnsDialog.test.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/widgets/SchemaColumnsDialog.test.tsx
@@ -46,3 +46,62 @@ test("readOnly renders no checkboxes and no bold", () => {
   expect(screen.getByText("cod_paz")).toBeInTheDocument();
   expect(screen.getByText("cod_paz").className).not.toContain("font-bold");
 });
+
+const wide: SchemaTable = {
+  id: "t",
+  name: "t",
+  kind: "promote",
+  columns: [
+    { name: "aaa", description: "alfa", suggested: false },
+    { name: "zzz_key", description: "chiave", suggested: true },
+    { name: "bbb", description: "Codice beta", suggested: false },
+  ],
+};
+
+test("suggested columns are listed first, then catalog order (stable)", () => {
+  render(
+    <SchemaColumnsDialog
+      table={wide}
+      open
+      readOnly={false}
+      selected={new Set()}
+      onToggle={() => {}}
+      onClose={() => {}}
+    />
+  );
+  const order = screen.getAllByRole("checkbox").map((cb) => cb.getAttribute("aria-label"));
+  expect(order).toEqual(["zzz_key", "aaa", "bbb"]);
+});
+
+test("filter narrows visible columns by name", async () => {
+  render(
+    <SchemaColumnsDialog
+      table={wide}
+      open
+      readOnly={false}
+      selected={new Set()}
+      onToggle={() => {}}
+      onClose={() => {}}
+    />
+  );
+  await userEvent.type(screen.getByRole("textbox", { name: /filter/i }), "zzz");
+  const order = screen.getAllByRole("checkbox").map((cb) => cb.getAttribute("aria-label"));
+  expect(order).toEqual(["zzz_key"]);
+  expect(screen.queryByText("aaa")).toBeNull();
+});
+
+test("filter matches the description too", async () => {
+  render(
+    <SchemaColumnsDialog
+      table={wide}
+      open
+      readOnly={false}
+      selected={new Set()}
+      onToggle={() => {}}
+      onClose={() => {}}
+    />
+  );
+  await userEvent.type(screen.getByRole("textbox", { name: /filter/i }), "codice");
+  const order = screen.getAllByRole("checkbox").map((cb) => cb.getAttribute("aria-label"));
+  expect(order).toEqual(["bbb"]);
+});
diff --git a/frontend/src/widgets/SchemaColumnsDialog.tsx b/frontend/src/widgets/SchemaColumnsDialog.tsx
index 997123bd..0084ae00 100644
--- a/frontend/src/widgets/SchemaColumnsDialog.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/widgets/SchemaColumnsDialog.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import type { ReactElement } from "react";
+import { useMemo, useState, type ReactElement } from "react";
 import type { SchemaTable } from "../api/types";
 import { Dialog, DialogContent, DialogTitle } from "../components/ui/dialog";
 
@@ -17,13 +17,47 @@ export function SchemaColumnsDialog({
   onToggle: (column: string) => void;
   onClose: () => void;
 }): ReactElement {
+  const [query, setQuery] = useState("");
+
+  // Suggested-first, then catalog order. Sorting on the descriptor's `suggested`
+  // flag (not the live selection) keeps the list stable: toggling a checkbox never
+  // reorders rows. For excluded tables (all suggested=false) this leaves catalog order.
+  const ordered = useMemo(
+    () =>
+      table.columns
+        .map((c, i) => ({ c, i }))
+        .sort((a, b) => Number(!!b.c.suggested) - Number(!!a.c.suggested) || a.i - b.i)
+        .map((x) => x.c),
+    [table.columns],
+  );
+
+  const q = query.trim().toLowerCase();
+  const displayed = q
+    ? ordered.filter(
+        (c) => c.name.toLowerCase().includes(q) || (c.description ?? "").toLowerCase().includes(q),
+      )
+    : ordered;
+
   return (
     <Dialog open={open} onOpenChange={(o) => { if (!o) onClose(); }}>
-      <DialogContent className="grid max-h-[70vh] w-[70vw] max-w-[46rem] grid-rows-[auto_1fr] gap-3 sm:max-w-[46rem]">
+      <DialogContent className="grid max-h-[70vh] w-[70vw] max-w-[46rem] grid-rows-[auto_auto_1fr] gap-3 sm:max-w-[46rem]">
         <DialogTitle className="font-mono text-sm">{table.name}</DialogTitle>
+        <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
+          <input
+            type="text"
+            value={query}
+            onChange={(e) => setQuery(e.target.value)}
+            aria-label="Filter columns"
+            placeholder="Filter columns…"
+            className="min-w-0 flex-1 rounded-md border border-input bg-card px-2.5 py-1.5 text-sm shadow-xs outline-none transition-[border-color,box-shadow] focus:border-primary/50 focus:ring-2 focus:ring-ring/20"
+          />
+          <span className="shrink-0 text-xs tabular-nums text-muted-foreground">
+            {displayed.length}/{table.columns.length}
+          </span>
+        </div>
         <div className="min-h-0 overflow-auto">
           <ul className="flex flex-col divide-y divide-border/50">
-            {table.columns.map((col) => {
+            {displayed.map((col) => {
               const on = selected.has(col.name);
               const strong = on && !readOnly;
               return (
@@ -50,6 +84,9 @@ export function SchemaColumnsDialog({
                 </li>
               );
             })}
+            {displayed.length === 0 && (
+              <li className="py-3 text-sm text-muted-foreground">No columns match the filter.</li>
+            )}
           </ul>
         </div>
       </DialogContent>