diff --git a/crates/dbx-core/src/db/elasticsearch_driver.rs b/crates/dbx-core/src/db/elasticsearch_driver.rs
index 80ccf492be..3aeb5e4f5d 100644
--- a/crates/dbx-core/src/db/elasticsearch_driver.rs
+++ b/crates/dbx-core/src/db/elasticsearch_driver.rs
@@ -420,6 +420,24 @@ pub async fn execute_rest_query(client: &EsClient, input: &str) -> Result<crate:
         return execute_search_query(client, search_query, start).await;
     }
 
+    // `SELECT *` with clauses our simple parser doesn't cover (WHERE, IN,
+    // BETWEEN, LIKE, ...). Translate the SQL to an ES `_search` body
+    // ourselves rather than going through ES's `_sql` endpoint — `_sql`
+    // refuses several common shapes (LIKE on a `text` field with no
+    // `.keyword`, `SELECT *` returning an array field like `host.ip`, ...)
+    // that translate cleanly to raw DSL. Adapt first so that hyphenated
+    // index names (`aifanfan-python-bot-logs-*`) and `@timestamp`-style
+    // identifiers come out as double-quoted identifiers sqlparser will
+    // accept.
+    let adapted_for_translator = adapt_elasticsearch_sql_query(input);
+    match crate::db::elasticsearch_sql::translate_select_star(&adapted_for_translator) {
+        Ok(Some(translated)) => {
+            return execute_translated_select_star(client, translated, start).await;
+        }
+        Ok(None) => {}
+        Err(message) => return Err(format!("Elasticsearch SQL error: {message}")),
+    }
+
     if is_elasticsearch_sql_query(input) {
         return execute_sql_query(client, input, start).await;
     }
@@ -524,7 +542,10 @@ fn parse_elasticsearch_response(
 ) -> Result<crate::types::QueryResult, String> {
     if let Some(result) = parse_sql_response(&body, start) {
         Ok(result)
-    } else if let Some(hits) = body.pointer("/hits/hits").and_then(|v| v.as_array()).filter(|h| !h.is_empty()) {
+    } else if let Some(hits) = body.pointer("/hits/hits").and_then(|v| v.as_array()) {
+        // Treat any `_search`-shaped body as the hits result, even when empty —
+        // a 0-row match is a valid empty result, not a reason to fall back to
+        // the raw-JSON status/response view.
         let mut all_keys = Vec::<String>::new();
         let docs: Vec<serde_json::Map<String, serde_json::Value>> = hits
             .iter()
@@ -544,6 +565,11 @@ fn parse_elasticsearch_response(
                 row
             })
             .collect();
+        if all_keys.is_empty() {
+            // 0 hits → there's no doc to derive columns from; surface `_id`
+            // so the grid at least shows a column header for the empty set.
+            all_keys.push("_id".to_string());
+        }
 
         let rows: Vec<Vec<serde_json::Value>> = docs
             .iter()
@@ -713,6 +739,32 @@ fn is_elasticsearch_sql_query(input: &str) -> bool {
         .unwrap_or_else(|| input.trim_start().eq_ignore_ascii_case("select"))
 }
 
+async fn execute_translated_select_star(
+    client: &EsClient,
+    translated: crate::db::elasticsearch_sql::TranslatedSelectStar,
+    start: std::time::Instant,
+) -> Result<crate::types::QueryResult, String> {
+    let report_index_total = !translated.user_limited;
+    let path = format!("/{}/_search", translated.index);
+    let resp = client
+        .post(&path)
+        .json(&translated.body)
+        .send()
+        .await
+        .map_err(|e| format!("Elasticsearch request failed: {e}"))?;
+    let status = resp.status().as_u16();
+    let body: serde_json::Value = resp.json().await.unwrap_or_else(|_| serde_json::Value::Null);
+    let index_total = body.pointer("/hits/total/value").and_then(|v| v.as_u64());
+
+    let mut result = parse_elasticsearch_response(status, body, start)?;
+    if report_index_total {
+        if let Some(total) = index_total {
+            result.affected_rows = total;
+        }
+    }
+    Ok(result)
+}
+
 async fn execute_sql_query(
     client: &EsClient,
     query: &str,
diff --git a/crates/dbx-core/src/db/elasticsearch_sql.rs b/crates/dbx-core/src/db/elasticsearch_sql.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..860659c610
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/dbx-core/src/db/elasticsearch_sql.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,344 @@
+// SQL → Elasticsearch `_search` DSL translator.
+//
+// ES SQL's `_sql` endpoint refuses several common shapes — `LIKE` on a `text`
+// field with no `.keyword` sub-field, `SELECT *` returning an array field
+// like `host.ip`, ... — even though the same intent is easy to express with
+// the raw query DSL. So instead of delegating to ES SQL (or its
+// `_sql/translate` cousin, which lives in the same engine), we parse the
+// SQL ourselves with `sqlparser-rs` and emit a `_search` body.
+
+use serde_json::{json, Map, Value as Json};
+use sqlparser::ast::{
+    BinaryOperator, Expr, OrderByExpr, OrderByKind, Query, Select, SelectItem, SetExpr, Statement, TableFactor,
+    UnaryOperator, Value as SqlValue,
+};
+use sqlparser::dialect::GenericDialect;
+use sqlparser::parser::Parser;
+
+const AUTO_PAGED_SELECT_STAR_SIZE: usize = 100;
+
+pub struct TranslatedSelectStar {
+    pub index: String,
+    pub body: Json,
+    /// User wrote `LIMIT N` (no OFFSET) — explicit row cap.
+    pub user_limited: bool,
+    /// SQL had OFFSET — signals this came from the pagination plan.
+    pub from_plan_pagination: bool,
+}
+
+/// Try to translate a `SELECT * FROM <index> [WHERE …] [ORDER BY …]
+/// [LIMIT N] [OFFSET M]` statement into a `_search` body.
+///
+/// Returns `Ok(None)` if the statement isn't a recognised `SELECT *` shape
+/// (caller should fall back to a different path). Returns `Err` if it IS a
+/// `SELECT *` but a clause is unsupported (so the caller surfaces a clear
+/// error rather than silently downgrading).
+pub fn translate_select_star(sql: &str) -> Result<Option<TranslatedSelectStar>, String> {
+    let dialect = GenericDialect {};
+    let statements = Parser::parse_sql(&dialect, sql).map_err(|e| format!("SQL parse error: {e}"))?;
+    let Some(stmt) = statements.first() else {
+        return Ok(None);
+    };
+    let Statement::Query(query) = stmt else {
+        return Ok(None);
+    };
+    let SetExpr::Select(select) = query.body.as_ref() else {
+        return Ok(None);
+    };
+    if !is_select_star(select) {
+        return Ok(None);
+    }
+    let Some(index) = single_table_name(select)? else {
+        return Ok(None);
+    };
+
+    let mut body: Map<String, Json> = Map::new();
+    if let Some(where_expr) = &select.selection {
+        body.insert("query".to_string(), translate_predicate(where_expr)?);
+    }
+    if let Some(order_by) = &query.order_by {
+        if let OrderByKind::Expressions(items) = &order_by.kind {
+            if let Some(sort) = translate_order_by(items)? {
+                body.insert("sort".to_string(), sort);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    let (limit, offset) = extract_limit_offset(query)?;
+    let user_limited = limit.is_some() && offset.is_none();
+    let from_plan_pagination = offset.is_some();
+    let effective_size = limit.unwrap_or(AUTO_PAGED_SELECT_STAR_SIZE);
+    let effective_from = offset.unwrap_or(0);
+    body.insert("size".to_string(), json!(effective_size));
+    if effective_from > 0 {
+        body.insert("from".to_string(), json!(effective_from));
+    }
+
+    Ok(Some(TranslatedSelectStar { index, body: Json::Object(body), user_limited, from_plan_pagination }))
+}
+
+fn is_select_star(select: &Select) -> bool {
+    select.projection.len() == 1 && matches!(select.projection.first(), Some(SelectItem::Wildcard(_)))
+}
+
+fn single_table_name(select: &Select) -> Result<Option<String>, String> {
+    if select.from.len() != 1 {
+        return Ok(None);
+    }
+    let table = &select.from[0];
+    if !table.joins.is_empty() {
+        return Err("JOINs are not supported in Elasticsearch SQL translation".to_string());
+    }
+    let TableFactor::Table { name, .. } = &table.relation else {
+        return Ok(None);
+    };
+    let joined = name
+        .0
+        .iter()
+        .map(|part| match part {
+            sqlparser::ast::ObjectNamePart::Identifier(ident) => ident.value.clone(),
+            other => format!("{other}"),
+        })
+        .collect::<Vec<_>>()
+        .join(".");
+    Ok(Some(joined))
+}
+
+fn translate_predicate(expr: &Expr) -> Result<Json, String> {
+    match expr {
+        Expr::Nested(inner) => translate_predicate(inner),
+        Expr::BinaryOp { left, op, right } => translate_binary_op(left, op, right),
+        Expr::Like { negated, expr, pattern, .. } | Expr::ILike { negated, expr, pattern, .. } => {
+            translate_like(*negated, expr, pattern)
+        }
+        Expr::InList { expr, list, negated } => translate_in_list(expr, list, *negated),
+        Expr::IsNull(inner) => translate_is_null(inner, false),
+        Expr::IsNotNull(inner) => translate_is_null(inner, true),
+        Expr::Between { expr, negated, low, high } => translate_between(expr, *negated, low, high),
+        Expr::UnaryOp { op: UnaryOperator::Not, expr } => {
+            let inner = translate_predicate(expr)?;
+            Ok(json!({ "bool": { "must_not": [inner] } }))
+        }
+        other => Err(format!("Unsupported WHERE expression: {other}")),
+    }
+}
+
+fn translate_binary_op(left: &Expr, op: &BinaryOperator, right: &Expr) -> Result<Json, String> {
+    match op {
+        BinaryOperator::And => {
+            let mut must = Vec::new();
+            collect_and(left, &mut must)?;
+            collect_and(right, &mut must)?;
+            Ok(json!({ "bool": { "must": must } }))
+        }
+        BinaryOperator::Or => {
+            let mut should = Vec::new();
+            collect_or(left, &mut should)?;
+            collect_or(right, &mut should)?;
+            Ok(json!({ "bool": { "should": should, "minimum_should_match": 1 } }))
+        }
+        BinaryOperator::Eq => term_clause(left, right),
+        BinaryOperator::NotEq => {
+            let inner = term_clause(left, right)?;
+            Ok(json!({ "bool": { "must_not": [inner] } }))
+        }
+        BinaryOperator::Gt => range_clause(left, right, "gt"),
+        BinaryOperator::Lt => range_clause(left, right, "lt"),
+        BinaryOperator::GtEq => range_clause(left, right, "gte"),
+        BinaryOperator::LtEq => range_clause(left, right, "lte"),
+        other => Err(format!("Unsupported operator: {other}")),
+    }
+}
+
+fn collect_and(expr: &Expr, out: &mut Vec<Json>) -> Result<(), String> {
+    if let Expr::BinaryOp { left, op: BinaryOperator::And, right } = expr {
+        collect_and(left, out)?;
+        collect_and(right, out)?;
+    } else {
+        out.push(translate_predicate(expr)?);
+    }
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+fn collect_or(expr: &Expr, out: &mut Vec<Json>) -> Result<(), String> {
+    if let Expr::BinaryOp { left, op: BinaryOperator::Or, right } = expr {
+        collect_or(left, out)?;
+        collect_or(right, out)?;
+    } else {
+        out.push(translate_predicate(expr)?);
+    }
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+fn term_clause(left: &Expr, right: &Expr) -> Result<Json, String> {
+    let field = field_path(left)?;
+    let value = literal_to_json(right)?;
+    Ok(json!({ "term": { field: value } }))
+}
+
+fn range_clause(left: &Expr, right: &Expr, key: &str) -> Result<Json, String> {
+    let field = field_path(left)?;
+    let value = literal_to_json(right)?;
+    Ok(json!({ "range": { field: { key: value } } }))
+}
+
+fn translate_like(negated: bool, expr: &Expr, pattern: &Expr) -> Result<Json, String> {
+    let field = field_path(expr)?;
+    let pattern_str = match literal_string(pattern)? {
+        Some(s) => s,
+        None => return Err("LIKE pattern must be a string literal".to_string()),
+    };
+
+    // Optimise the common `prefix%` shape into a `prefix` query — cheaper than
+    // `wildcard` and supported on any analyzed text field.
+    let is_prefix = !pattern_str.starts_with('%')
+        && pattern_str.ends_with('%')
+        && !pattern_str[..pattern_str.len() - 1].contains(['%', '_']);
+    let query = if is_prefix {
+        let prefix = &pattern_str[..pattern_str.len() - 1];
+        json!({ "prefix": { field: prefix } })
+    } else {
+        let es_pattern = sql_like_to_wildcard(&pattern_str);
+        json!({
+            "wildcard": {
+                field: { "value": es_pattern, "case_insensitive": true }
+            }
+        })
+    };
+
+    if negated {
+        Ok(json!({ "bool": { "must_not": [query] } }))
+    } else {
+        Ok(query)
+    }
+}
+
+fn translate_in_list(expr: &Expr, list: &[Expr], negated: bool) -> Result<Json, String> {
+    let field = field_path(expr)?;
+    let values: Vec<Json> = list.iter().map(literal_to_json).collect::<Result<_, _>>()?;
+    let query = json!({ "terms": { field: values } });
+    if negated {
+        Ok(json!({ "bool": { "must_not": [query] } }))
+    } else {
+        Ok(query)
+    }
+}
+
+fn translate_is_null(expr: &Expr, negated: bool) -> Result<Json, String> {
+    let field = field_path(expr)?;
+    let exists = json!({ "exists": { "field": field } });
+    if negated {
+        // IS NOT NULL → field exists
+        Ok(exists)
+    } else {
+        Ok(json!({ "bool": { "must_not": [exists] } }))
+    }
+}
+
+fn translate_between(expr: &Expr, negated: bool, low: &Expr, high: &Expr) -> Result<Json, String> {
+    let field = field_path(expr)?;
+    let lo = literal_to_json(low)?;
+    let hi = literal_to_json(high)?;
+    let query = json!({ "range": { field: { "gte": lo, "lte": hi } } });
+    if negated {
+        Ok(json!({ "bool": { "must_not": [query] } }))
+    } else {
+        Ok(query)
+    }
+}
+
+fn translate_order_by(items: &[OrderByExpr]) -> Result<Option<Json>, String> {
+    let mut sort = Vec::new();
+    for item in items {
+        let field = field_path(&item.expr)?;
+        let order = if item.options.asc.unwrap_or(true) { "asc" } else { "desc" };
+        sort.push(json!({ field: { "order": order } }));
+    }
+    if sort.is_empty() {
+        Ok(None)
+    } else {
+        Ok(Some(Json::Array(sort)))
+    }
+}
+
+fn extract_limit_offset(query: &Query) -> Result<(Option<usize>, Option<usize>), String> {
+    let limit = match &query.limit_clause {
+        Some(sqlparser::ast::LimitClause::LimitOffset { limit, .. }) => {
+            limit.as_ref().map(|expr| usize_literal(expr)).transpose()?
+        }
+        _ => None,
+    };
+    let offset = match &query.limit_clause {
+        Some(sqlparser::ast::LimitClause::LimitOffset { offset: Some(off), .. }) => Some(usize_literal(&off.value)?),
+        _ => None,
+    };
+    Ok((limit, offset))
+}
+
+fn usize_literal(expr: &Expr) -> Result<usize, String> {
+    match expr {
+        Expr::Value(v) => match &v.value {
+            SqlValue::Number(n, _) => n.parse::<usize>().map_err(|e| format!("Invalid number: {e}")),
+            other => Err(format!("Expected integer literal, got {other:?}")),
+        },
+        other => Err(format!("Expected integer literal, got {other}")),
+    }
+}
+
+fn field_path(expr: &Expr) -> Result<String, String> {
+    match expr {
+        Expr::Identifier(ident) => Ok(ident.value.clone()),
+        Expr::CompoundIdentifier(parts) => Ok(parts.iter().map(|p| p.value.clone()).collect::<Vec<_>>().join(".")),
+        other => Err(format!("Expected column name, got {other}")),
+    }
+}
+
+fn literal_to_json(expr: &Expr) -> Result<Json, String> {
+    let Expr::Value(v) = expr else {
+        return Err(format!("Expected literal value, got {expr}"));
+    };
+    match &v.value {
+        SqlValue::SingleQuotedString(s) | SqlValue::DoubleQuotedString(s) => Ok(Json::String(s.clone())),
+        SqlValue::Number(n, _) => serde_json::from_str::<Json>(n).map_err(|e| format!("Invalid number {n}: {e}")),
+        SqlValue::Boolean(b) => Ok(Json::Bool(*b)),
+        SqlValue::Null => Ok(Json::Null),
+        other => Err(format!("Unsupported literal: {other:?}")),
+    }
+}
+
+fn literal_string(expr: &Expr) -> Result<Option<String>, String> {
+    let Expr::Value(v) = expr else {
+        return Err(format!("Expected string literal, got {expr}"));
+    };
+    Ok(match &v.value {
+        SqlValue::SingleQuotedString(s) | SqlValue::DoubleQuotedString(s) => Some(s.clone()),
+        _ => None,
+    })
+}
+
+/// Convert SQL LIKE pattern to ES wildcard pattern.
+/// SQL: `%` = any chars, `_` = single char. Backslash escapes both.
+/// ES wildcard: `*` = any chars, `?` = single char. `\` escapes `*` / `?` / `\`.
+fn sql_like_to_wildcard(pattern: &str) -> String {
+    let mut out = String::with_capacity(pattern.len());
+    let mut chars = pattern.chars().peekable();
+    while let Some(ch) = chars.next() {
+        match ch {
+            '\\' => {
+                if let Some(&next) = chars.peek() {
+                    out.push(next);
+                    chars.next();
+                }
+            }
+            '%' => out.push('*'),
+            '_' => out.push('?'),
+            '*' | '?' => {
+                // Escape ES wildcard metacharacters that the user wrote literally.
+                out.push('\\');
+                out.push(ch);
+            }
+            _ => out.push(ch),
+        }
+    }
+    out
+}
diff --git a/crates/dbx-core/src/db/mod.rs b/crates/dbx-core/src/db/mod.rs
index 90151403a4..f6e32f295f 100644
--- a/crates/dbx-core/src/db/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/dbx-core/src/db/mod.rs
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ pub mod agent_driver;
 pub mod clickhouse_driver;
 pub mod duckdb_driver;
 pub mod elasticsearch_driver;
+pub mod elasticsearch_sql;
 pub mod file_validator;
 pub mod mongo_driver;
 pub mod mysql;
diff --git a/docs/screenshot-es-sql-where.png b/docs/screenshot-es-sql-where.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..87bd7621ba
Binary files /dev/null and b/docs/screenshot-es-sql-where.png differ