diff --git a/internal/wanted/search.go b/internal/wanted/search.go
index 3b5efb2e..e13b6e8a 100644
--- a/internal/wanted/search.go
+++ b/internal/wanted/search.go
@@ -89,6 +89,7 @@ type Report struct {
 func (s *Searcher) Run(ctx context.Context) {
 	ticker := time.NewTicker(searchTick)
 	defer ticker.Stop()
+	said := ""
 	for {
 		select {
 		case <-ctx.Done():
@@ -96,14 +97,33 @@ func (s *Searcher) Run(ctx context.Context) {
 		case <-ticker.C:
 		}
 		rep := s.Pass(ctx)
-		if rep.Looked > 0 || rep.Error != "" {
-			s.logger.Info("wanted: search pass", "looked", rep.Looked, "grabbed", rep.Grabbed,
-				"waiting", rep.Waiting, "nothing", rep.Nothing, "failed", rep.Failed,
-				"paced", rep.Paced, "error", rep.Error)
+		// A pass that searched is always logged; an idle one only when the
+		// schedule's state changes, so the log says once why it is quiet.
+		if state := rep.state(); rep.Looked > 0 || rep.Error != "" || state != said {
+			s.logger.Info("wanted: search pass", "state", state, "looked", rep.Looked,
+				"grabbed", rep.Grabbed, "waiting", rep.Waiting, "nothing", rep.Nothing,
+				"failed", rep.Failed, "paced", rep.Paced, "error", rep.Error)
+			said = state
 		}
 	}
 }
 
+// state names why a pass did what it did: off, unconfigured, failed,
+// idle (nothing was due) or searched.
+func (r Report) state() string {
+	switch {
+	case r.Off:
+		return "off"
+	case r.Unconfigured:
+		return "unconfigured"
+	case r.Error != "":
+		return "failed"
+	case r.Looked == 0:
+		return "idle"
+	}
+	return "searched"
+}
+
 // Pass searches for the wants due, paced by the sources, until the window
 // closes, and records what it did.
 func (s *Searcher) Pass(ctx context.Context) Report {
diff --git a/internal/wanted/search_test.go b/internal/wanted/search_test.go
index a96ce3ea..7dc5649e 100644
--- a/internal/wanted/search_test.go
+++ b/internal/wanted/search_test.go
@@ -194,3 +194,20 @@ func TestGrabs_OneLivePerWant_Integration(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("live = %+v %v %v", live, ok, err)
 	}
 }
+
+func TestReport_StateNamesWhyAPassWasQuiet(t *testing.T) {
+	for _, c := range []struct {
+		rep  Report
+		want string
+	}{
+		{Report{Off: true}, "off"},
+		{Report{Unconfigured: true}, "unconfigured"},
+		{Report{Error: "boom"}, "failed"},
+		{Report{}, "idle"},
+		{Report{Looked: 2, Grabbed: 1}, "searched"},
+	} {
+		if got := c.rep.state(); got != c.want {
+			t.Errorf("%+v: state = %q, want %q", c.rep, got, c.want)
+		}
+	}
+}