diff --git a/src/Readers/IndexedLogReader.php b/src/Readers/IndexedLogReader.php
index 43f1008f..3d93eda0 100644
--- a/src/Readers/IndexedLogReader.php
+++ b/src/Readers/IndexedLogReader.php
@@ -146,8 +146,14 @@ public function scan(?int $maxBytesToScan = null, bool $force = false): static
         $this->file->setMetadata('name', $this->file->name);
         $this->file->setMetadata('path', $this->file->path);
         $this->file->setMetadata('size', $this->file->size());
-        $this->file->setMetadata('earliest_timestamp', $this->index()->getEarliestTimestamp());
-        $this->file->setMetadata('latest_timestamp', $this->index()->getLatestTimestamp());
+        // Use the local variables that track ALL logs scanned, not just those matching the query
+        // This ensures file-level metadata represents the entire file, not filtered results
+        if (isset($earliest_timestamp)) {
+            $this->file->setMetadata('earliest_timestamp', $earliest_timestamp);
+        }
+        if (isset($latest_timestamp)) {
+            $this->file->setMetadata('latest_timestamp', $latest_timestamp);
+        }
         $this->file->setMetadata('last_scanned_file_position', ftell($this->fileHandle));
         $this->file->addRelatedIndex($logIndex);
 
diff --git a/tests/Unit/LogReader/FileMetadataTimestampTest.php b/tests/Unit/LogReader/FileMetadataTimestampTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d95a8bec
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/Unit/LogReader/FileMetadataTimestampTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,88 @@
+<?php
+
+use Carbon\Carbon;
+
+it('preserves file metadata timestamps when scanning with a search query', function () {
+    // Create a log file with entries spanning multiple dates
+    $earliestDate = Carbon::parse('2024-01-01 10:00:00');
+    $middleDate = Carbon::parse('2024-01-15 12:00:00');
+    $latestDate = Carbon::parse('2024-01-31 14:00:00');
+
+    $logContent = implode(PHP_EOL, [
+        makeLaravelLogEntry($earliestDate, 'info', 'First log entry'),
+        makeLaravelLogEntry($middleDate, 'error', 'Error occurred here'),
+        makeLaravelLogEntry($latestDate, 'info', 'Last log entry'),
+    ]);
+
+    $logFile = generateLogFile('test-metadata.log', $logContent);
+
+    // Initially scan without query to establish baseline metadata
+    $logReader = $logFile->logs();
+    $logReader->scan();
+
+    $initialEarliest = $logFile->earliestTimestamp();
+    $initialLatest = $logFile->latestTimestamp();
+
+    expect($initialEarliest)->toBe($earliestDate->timestamp);
+    expect($initialLatest)->toBe($latestDate->timestamp);
+
+    // Now scan with a query that only matches the middle log
+    $logReaderWithQuery = $logFile->logs();
+    $logReaderWithQuery->search('/Error occurred/');
+    $logReaderWithQuery->scan();
+
+    // File metadata should still reflect ALL logs, not just matching ones
+    $finalEarliest = $logFile->earliestTimestamp();
+    $finalLatest = $logFile->latestTimestamp();
+
+    expect($finalEarliest)->toBe($earliestDate->timestamp)
+        ->and($finalLatest)->toBe($latestDate->timestamp)
+        ->and($finalEarliest)->toBe($initialEarliest)
+        ->and($finalLatest)->toBe($initialLatest);
+});
+
+it('updates file metadata timestamps correctly when scanning without query', function () {
+    $earliestDate = Carbon::parse('2024-01-01 10:00:00');
+    $latestDate = Carbon::parse('2024-01-31 14:00:00');
+
+    $logContent = implode(PHP_EOL, [
+        makeLaravelLogEntry($earliestDate, 'info', 'First log entry'),
+        makeLaravelLogEntry($latestDate, 'info', 'Last log entry'),
+    ]);
+
+    $logFile = generateLogFile('test-metadata-update.log', $logContent);
+
+    // Scan without query
+    $logReader = $logFile->logs();
+    $logReader->scan();
+
+    expect($logFile->earliestTimestamp())->toBe($earliestDate->timestamp)
+        ->and($logFile->latestTimestamp())->toBe($latestDate->timestamp);
+});
+
+it('does not overwrite file metadata with filtered timestamps when query matches subset', function () {
+    // Create logs with dates spanning a month, but query only matches middle logs
+    $date1 = Carbon::parse('2024-01-01 10:00:00'); // Won't match query
+    $date2 = Carbon::parse('2024-01-15 12:00:00'); // Will match query
+    $date3 = Carbon::parse('2024-01-20 13:00:00'); // Will match query
+    $date4 = Carbon::parse('2024-01-31 14:00:00'); // Won't match query
+
+    $logContent = implode(PHP_EOL, [
+        makeLaravelLogEntry($date1, 'info', 'First log entry'),
+        makeLaravelLogEntry($date2, 'error', 'Error: something went wrong'),
+        makeLaravelLogEntry($date3, 'error', 'Error: another issue'),
+        makeLaravelLogEntry($date4, 'info', 'Last log entry'),
+    ]);
+
+    $logFile = generateLogFile('test-filtered-metadata.log', $logContent);
+
+    // Scan with query that only matches logs with "Error:" in them
+    $logReader = $logFile->logs();
+    $logReader->search('/Error:/');
+    $logReader->scan();
+
+    // File metadata should show full date range (Jan 1 - Jan 31), not filtered range (Jan 15 - Jan 20)
+    // This is the core bug fix: file metadata should reflect ALL logs, not just filtered ones
+    expect($logFile->earliestTimestamp())->toBe($date1->timestamp)
+        ->and($logFile->latestTimestamp())->toBe($date4->timestamp);
+});