diff --git a/packages/super-editor/src/core/Editor.ts b/packages/super-editor/src/core/Editor.ts
index 25d2fe0b4..186818d30 100644
--- a/packages/super-editor/src/core/Editor.ts
+++ b/packages/super-editor/src/core/Editor.ts
@@ -2468,8 +2468,10 @@ export class Editor extends EventEmitter<EditorEventMap> {
         updatedDocs['word/_rels/footnotes.xml.rels'] = String(footnotesRelsXml);
       }
 
-      if (preparedComments.length) {
-        const commentsXml = this.converter.schemaToXml(this.converter.convertedXml['word/comments.xml'].elements[0]);
+      // Check if comment files exist in convertedXml (they're removed when cleaning or empty array)
+      const commentsFile = this.converter.convertedXml['word/comments.xml'];
+      if (commentsFile?.elements?.[0]) {
+        const commentsXml = this.converter.schemaToXml(commentsFile.elements[0]);
         updatedDocs['word/comments.xml'] = String(commentsXml);
 
         const commentsExtended = this.converter.convertedXml['word/commentsExtended.xml'];
diff --git a/packages/super-editor/src/core/super-converter/SuperConverter.js b/packages/super-editor/src/core/super-converter/SuperConverter.js
index 81da0e830..9a9c52364 100644
--- a/packages/super-editor/src/core/super-converter/SuperConverter.js
+++ b/packages/super-editor/src/core/super-converter/SuperConverter.js
@@ -998,17 +998,16 @@ class SuperConverter {
     );
 
     // Update content types and comments files as needed
+    // Always process comments - empty array means "export with no comments", not "preserve original"
     let updatedXml = { ...this.convertedXml };
     let commentsRels = [];
-    if (comments.length) {
-      const { documentXml, relationships } = this.#prepareCommentsXmlFilesForExport({
-        defs: params.exportedCommentDefs,
-        exportType: commentsExportType,
-        commentsWithParaIds,
-      });
-      updatedXml = { ...documentXml };
-      commentsRels = relationships;
-    }
+    const { documentXml, relationships } = this.#prepareCommentsXmlFilesForExport({
+      defs: params.exportedCommentDefs,
+      exportType: commentsExportType,
+      commentsWithParaIds,
+    });
+    updatedXml = { ...documentXml };
+    commentsRels = relationships;
 
     this.convertedXml = { ...this.convertedXml, ...updatedXml };
 
diff --git a/packages/super-editor/src/core/super-converter/v2/exporter/commentsExporter.js b/packages/super-editor/src/core/super-converter/v2/exporter/commentsExporter.js
index 06a56757b..b5ba84e55 100644
--- a/packages/super-editor/src/core/super-converter/v2/exporter/commentsExporter.js
+++ b/packages/super-editor/src/core/super-converter/v2/exporter/commentsExporter.js
@@ -354,7 +354,8 @@ export const prepareCommentsXmlFilesForExport = ({
 }) => {
   const relationships = [];
 
-  if (exportType === 'clean') {
+  // Remove comment files if explicitly cleaning OR if no comments to export (empty array)
+  if (exportType === 'clean' || commentsWithParaIds.length === 0) {
     const documentXml = removeCommentsFilesFromConvertedXml(convertedXml);
     return { documentXml, relationships };
   }
diff --git a/packages/super-editor/src/extensions/search/SearchIndex.js b/packages/super-editor/src/extensions/search/SearchIndex.js
index 22e365201..37970bc67 100644
--- a/packages/super-editor/src/extensions/search/SearchIndex.js
+++ b/packages/super-editor/src/extensions/search/SearchIndex.js
@@ -270,10 +270,10 @@ export class SearchIndex {
    * @returns {string} Regex pattern string
    */
   static toFlexiblePattern(searchString) {
-    // Split by whitespace, escape each part, rejoin with \s+
-    const parts = searchString.split(/\s+/).filter((part) => part.length > 0);
+    // Split by whitespace (including non-breaking spaces), escape each part, rejoin with flexible whitespace pattern
+    const parts = searchString.split(/[\s\u00a0]+/).filter((part) => part.length > 0);
     if (parts.length === 0) return '';
-    return parts.map((part) => SearchIndex.escapeRegex(part)).join('\\s+');
+    return parts.map((part) => SearchIndex.escapeRegex(part)).join('[\\s\\u00a0]+');
   }
 
   /**