diff --git a/library/Icingadb/Common/SearchControls.php b/library/Icingadb/Common/SearchControls.php
index a352ed2d7..aeecfd587 100644
--- a/library/Icingadb/Common/SearchControls.php
+++ b/library/Icingadb/Common/SearchControls.php
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 
 namespace Icinga\Module\Icingadb\Common;
 
+use Icinga\Module\Icingadb\Hook\SearchColumnsProviderHook;
 use ipl\Html\Html;
 use ipl\Orm\Query;
 use ipl\Web\Control\SearchBar;
@@ -35,9 +36,21 @@ public function createSearchBar(Query $query, ...$params): SearchBar
             $searchBar->addWrapper(Html::tag('div', ['class' => 'search-controls']));
         }
 
+        $model = $query->getModel();
+        $defaultColumns = $model->getSearchColumns();
+        $columns = SearchColumnsProviderHook::getCustomVarColumns($model, $defaultColumns);
+        $searchBar->setSearchColumns($columns);
+
+        $searchBar->handleRequest($this->getServerRequest());
+
         return $searchBar;
     }
 
+    private function callHandleRequest()
+    {
+        return false;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Create and return a ContinueWith
      *
diff --git a/library/Icingadb/Hook/SearchColumnsProviderHook.php b/library/Icingadb/Hook/SearchColumnsProviderHook.php
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..615d48a04
--- /dev/null
+++ b/library/Icingadb/Hook/SearchColumnsProviderHook.php
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+<?php
+
+// SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2026 Icinga GmbH <https://icinga.com>
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-or-later
+
+namespace Icinga\Module\Icingadb\Hook;
+
+use Icinga\Application\Hook;
+use Icinga\Application\Logger;
+use ipl\Orm\Model;
+use Throwable;
+
+/**
+ * Hook for providing additional search columns such as custom variables.
+ *
+ * This is a first attempt to generalize support for modules to provide additional search columns.
+ * The end user won't be able to customize the set provided and every global or route search will
+ * always use them. Any hook implementation must ensure that only columns the user has access to
+ * and that are valid in the current route are returned. Returning invalid columns may cause errors
+ * for users. See https://github.com/Icinga/icingadb-web/security/advisories/GHSA-w57j-28jc-8429
+ * for an example of what can go wrong.
+ *
+ * @deprecated This will not be used by any future version without any further notice.
+ */
+abstract class SearchColumnsProviderHook
+{
+    abstract public function retrieveCustomVars(Model $model): array;
+
+    final public static function getCustomVarColumns(Model $model, array $defaultColumns = []): array
+    {
+        $columns = $defaultColumns;
+
+        $hooks = Hook::all('icingadb/SearchColumnsProvider');
+        foreach ($hooks as $hook) {
+            try {
+                $customVars = $hook->retrieveCustomVars($model);
+                if (! empty($customVars)) {
+                    $columns = [...$columns, ...$customVars];
+                }
+            } catch (Throwable $e) {
+                Logger::error(
+                    'Error retrieving Custom Vars for %s with table name "%s": %s',
+                    get_class($model),
+                    $model->getTableName(),
+                    $e->getMessage()
+                );
+            }
+        }
+
+        return array_unique($columns);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/library/Icingadb/Web/Control/SearchBar/ObjectSuggestions.php b/library/Icingadb/Web/Control/SearchBar/ObjectSuggestions.php
index ccc87e028..1856b489e 100644
--- a/library/Icingadb/Web/Control/SearchBar/ObjectSuggestions.php
+++ b/library/Icingadb/Web/Control/SearchBar/ObjectSuggestions.php
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 use Icinga\Module\Icingadb\Common\Database;
 use Icinga\Module\Icingadb\Data\QueryColumnsProvider;
 use Icinga\Module\Icingadb\Data\QueryValuesProvider;
+use Icinga\Module\Icingadb\Hook\SearchColumnsProviderHook;
 use ipl\Html\HtmlElement;
 use ipl\Orm\Model;
 use ipl\Stdlib\BaseFilter;
@@ -92,7 +93,10 @@ protected function createQuickSearchFilter($searchTerm)
         $resolver = $model::on($this->getDb())->getResolver();
 
         $quickFilter = Filter::any();
-        foreach ($model->getSearchColumns() as $column) {
+        $defaultColumns = $model->getSearchColumns();
+        $columns = SearchColumnsProviderHook::getCustomVarColumns($model, $defaultColumns);
+
+        foreach ($columns as $column) {
             if (strpos($column, '.') === false) {
                 $column = $resolver->qualifyColumn($column, $model->getTableName());
             }
diff --git a/library/Icingadb/Web/Controller.php b/library/Icingadb/Web/Controller.php
index ede186c01..1d07bfe9b 100644
--- a/library/Icingadb/Web/Controller.php
+++ b/library/Icingadb/Web/Controller.php
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@
 use Icinga\Application\Logger;
 use Icinga\Application\Web;
 use Icinga\Data\ConfigObject;
-use Icinga\Exception\Http\HttpBadRequestException;
 use Icinga\Exception\Json\JsonDecodeException;
 use Icinga\Module\Icingadb\Common\Auth;
 use Icinga\Module\Icingadb\Common\Database;
@@ -23,6 +22,7 @@
 use Icinga\Module\Icingadb\Data\JsonResultSet;
 use Icinga\Module\Icingadb\Data\QueryColumnsProvider;
 use Icinga\Module\Icingadb\Web\Control\ColumnChooser;
+use Icinga\Module\Icingadb\Hook\SearchColumnsProviderHook;
 use Icinga\Module\Icingadb\Web\Control\GridViewModeSwitcher;
 use Icinga\Module\Icingadb\Web\Control\TimestampToggle;
 use Icinga\Module\Icingadb\Web\Control\ViewModeSwitcher;
@@ -349,7 +349,9 @@ public function handleSearchRequest(Query $query, array $additionalColumns = [])
      */
     protected function prepareSearchFilter(Query $query, string $search, Filter\Any $filter, array $additionalColumns)
     {
-        $columns = array_merge($query->getModel()->getSearchColumns(), $additionalColumns);
+        $model = $query->getModel();
+        $defaultColumns = $model->getSearchColumns();
+        $columns = SearchColumnsProviderHook::getCustomVarColumns($model, $defaultColumns);
         foreach ($columns as $column) {
             if (strpos($column, '.') === false) {
                 $column = $query->getResolver()->qualifyColumn($column, $query->getModel()->getTableName());