diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index d2bb95e..ee15e1d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -141,6 +141,8 @@ Press **`U` (Shift-U)** on a video to browse its creator directly, including cha
 
 ### Channel tags (`s`, or `S` for bulk editing)
 
+When search results omit a channel handle, `s` reuses its saved mapping or looks up the handle from the channel's canonical ID before opening the editor. Esc cancels a pending lookup without saving. Failed lookups or mismatched channel metadata leave the config unchanged.
+
 - **Normal:** `j` / `k` or arrow keys navigate; Space toggles a tag; `i` edits the filter; `R` renames the selected tag.
 - **Insert:** type a case-insensitive substring to filter live; arrow keys or Ctrl-J / Ctrl-K navigate matches. Enter or Esc returns to normal mode without saving or clearing the filter.
 - Filtering only hides rows: checked and unchecked staged memberships outside the filter are retained. With no matches, navigation and toggling do nothing. Reopening the dialog clears its filter.
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index a030d04..b68523b 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -39,7 +39,8 @@
 //! Checked tags save the creator's @handle; `[channels]` retains its canonical URL.
 //! Mapped handles resolve to stable channel IDs; unmapped handles still work directly.
 //! Deselecting removes the channel from that tag, preserving other creators and empty tags.
-//! Missing handle/ID metadata or a conflicting mapping prevents saving rather than guessing.
+//! Missing search handles use a saved mapping or an asynchronous canonical-channel lookup.
+//! Lookup cancellation, missing ID/handle metadata, or conflicting mappings never save a guessed identity.
 //! Normal-mode s edits memberships: j/k moves, Space toggles, Enter commits, Esc cancels.
 //! i filters tags case-insensitively; arrows or Ctrl-J/K move through matches while typing.
 //! Enter/Esc leaves filter editing without saving; hidden staged memberships remain unchanged.
@@ -881,6 +882,7 @@ struct App {
     view_history: Vec<ViewSource>,
     forward_history: Vec<ViewSource>,
     category_dialog: Option<CategoryDialog>,
+    channel_job: Option<(String, String, Job)>,
     category_name_input: Option<CategoryNamePrompt>,
     browser: Option<Browser>,
     temporary_view: Option<ViewSource>,
@@ -953,6 +955,7 @@ impl App {
             view_history: Vec::new(),
             forward_history: Vec::new(),
             category_dialog: None,
+            channel_job: None,
             category_name_input: None,
             browser: None,
             temporary_view: None,
@@ -2118,18 +2121,35 @@ impl App {
             self.status = "This video has no available channel identity.".into();
             return;
         };
-        let Some(handle) = video
+        let id = id.to_owned();
+        let name = video.channel.as_deref().unwrap_or(&id).to_owned();
+        let channel = format!("https://www.youtube.com/channel/{id}");
+        let handle = video
             .uploader_id
             .as_deref()
             .filter(|handle| handle.starts_with('@'))
-        else {
-            self.status =
-                "This video's channel handle is unavailable; no channel was saved.".into();
-            return;
-        };
-        let handle = handle.to_owned();
-        let channel = format!("https://www.youtube.com/channel/{id}");
-        let label = format!(" {} ({handle}) ", video.channel.as_deref().unwrap_or(id));
+            .map(str::to_owned)
+            .or_else(|| {
+                self.config
+                    .channels
+                    .iter()
+                    .find_map(|(handle, identity)| (identity == &channel).then(|| handle.clone()))
+            });
+        if let Some(handle) = handle {
+            self.show_channel_tags(channel, handle, name);
+        } else {
+            match Job::channel(&id) {
+                Ok(job) => {
+                    self.channel_job = Some((id, name, job));
+                    self.status = "Looking up channel handle...".into();
+                }
+                Err(error) => self.status = error.to_string(),
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn show_channel_tags(&mut self, channel: String, handle: String, name: String) {
+        let label = format!(" {name} ({handle}) ");
         match config::load(&self.config_path) {
             Ok(config) => self.apply_config(config),
             Err(error) => {
@@ -2417,6 +2437,24 @@ impl App {
         if let Some(result) = self.job.as_mut().and_then(Job::poll) {
             self.finish_page(result);
         }
+        if let Some(result) = self.channel_job.as_mut().and_then(|(_, _, job)| job.poll()) {
+            let (id, name, _) = self.channel_job.take().expect("channel lookup is active");
+            match result.and_then(|output| youtube::channel_handle(&output, &id)) {
+                Ok(handle) => {
+                    for video in self.views.iter_mut().flat_map(|view| &mut view.videos) {
+                        if video.channel_id.as_deref() == Some(&id) {
+                            video.uploader_id = Some(handle.clone());
+                        }
+                    }
+                    self.show_channel_tags(
+                        format!("https://www.youtube.com/channel/{id}"),
+                        handle,
+                        name,
+                    );
+                }
+                Err(error) => self.status = error,
+            }
+        }
         if let Some(result) = self
             .description_job
             .as_mut()
@@ -2464,6 +2502,8 @@ impl App {
             Context::Help
         } else if self.category_name_input.is_some() {
             Context::CategoryNameInput
+        } else if self.channel_job.is_some() {
+            Context::TagList
         } else if let Some(dialog) = &self.category_dialog {
             if dialog.name.is_some() {
                 Context::TagInput
@@ -2535,6 +2575,13 @@ impl App {
         if action == Some(Action::Interrupt) {
             return true;
         }
+        if self.channel_job.is_some() {
+            if action == Some(Action::TagCancel) {
+                self.channel_job = None;
+                self.status = "Channel lookup cancelled.".into();
+            }
+            return false;
+        }
         if self.collection_removal.is_some() {
             match key.code {
                 KeyCode::Char('y') if key.modifiers.is_empty() => {
@@ -7832,10 +7879,6 @@ tags.cancel = "z"
         app.key(KeyEvent::new(KeyCode::Char('s'), KeyModifiers::NONE));
         assert!(app.category_dialog.is_none());
         app.views[0].selection.select(Some(0));
-        let handle = app.views[0].videos[0].uploader_id.take();
-        app.key(KeyEvent::new(KeyCode::Char('s'), KeyModifiers::NONE));
-        assert!(app.category_dialog.is_none());
-        app.views[0].videos[0].uploader_id = handle;
         app.key(KeyEvent::new(KeyCode::Char('s'), KeyModifiers::NONE));
         app.key(KeyEvent::new(KeyCode::Char('n'), KeyModifiers::NONE));
         app.key(KeyEvent::new(KeyCode::Enter, KeyModifiers::NONE));
@@ -8451,4 +8494,35 @@ tags.cancel = "z"
             .collect();
         assert!(tail.contains("099"), "{tail}");
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn search_without_a_handle_can_tag_a_registered_channel() {
+        let path = std::env::temp_dir().join(format!(
+            "tubular-missing-handle-{}.toml",
+            std::process::id()
+        ));
+        let original =
+            "[channels]\n'@ch.1676' = 'UChAQQ9at2MDlXjvQX3vL3Yw'\n[categories]\nJapanese = []\n";
+        std::fs::write(&path, original).unwrap();
+        let mut app = App::new(
+            Options::parse_from(["tubular"]),
+            path.clone(),
+            config::load(&path).unwrap(),
+        );
+        app.views[0].videos = youtube::search_results(
+            r#"{"entries":[{"id":"nwxkg84mADI","title":"Hokkaido Vlog","channel":"敷嶋てとらch.","channel_id":"UChAQQ9at2MDlXjvQX3vL3Yw","uploader_id":null}]}"#,
+        ).unwrap().videos;
+        app.views[0].loaded = true;
+        app.views[0].selection.select(Some(0));
+        app.key(KeyEvent::new(KeyCode::Char('s'), KeyModifiers::NONE));
+        assert!(app.category_dialog.is_some(), "{}", app.status);
+        app.key(KeyEvent::new(KeyCode::Char(' '), KeyModifiers::NONE));
+        app.key(KeyEvent::new(KeyCode::Enter, KeyModifiers::NONE));
+        let saved = config::load(&path).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(
+            saved.categories["Japanese"],
+            ["https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChAQQ9at2MDlXjvQX3vL3Yw"]
+        );
+        std::fs::remove_file(path).unwrap();
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/youtube.rs b/src/youtube.rs
index cc1ea46..8d307f2 100644
--- a/src/youtube.rs
+++ b/src/youtube.rs
@@ -196,6 +196,25 @@ pub fn full_description(output: &str, expected_id: &str) -> Result<String, Strin
     Ok(description)
 }
 
+pub fn channel_handle(output: &str, expected_id: &str) -> Result<String, String> {
+    #[derive(Deserialize)]
+    struct Channel {
+        channel_id: String,
+        uploader_id: Option<String>,
+    }
+    let channel: Channel = serde_json::from_str(output)
+        .map_err(|error| format!("Invalid channel metadata: {error}"))?;
+    if channel.channel_id != expected_id {
+        return Err("Channel metadata did not match the requested channel".into());
+    }
+    let handle = channel
+        .uploader_id
+        .filter(|handle| handle.starts_with('@'))
+        .ok_or_else(|| "This channel has no available handle; no channel was saved.".to_owned())?;
+    crate::config::normalize_channel(&handle).map_err(|error| error.to_string())?;
+    Ok(handle)
+}
+
 fn page_end(start: usize) -> io::Result<usize> {
     start
         .checked_add(PAGE_SIZE - 1)
@@ -251,6 +270,22 @@ impl Job {
         )
     }
 
+    pub fn channel(id: &str) -> io::Result<Self> {
+        if !valid_channel_id(id) {
+            return Err(io::Error::new(
+                io::ErrorKind::InvalidInput,
+                "Invalid YouTube channel ID",
+            ));
+        }
+        Self::spawn(extractor().args([
+            "--flat-playlist",
+            "--playlist-end",
+            "1",
+            "--dump-single-json",
+            &format!("https://www.youtube.com/channel/{id}/videos"),
+        ]))
+    }
+
     pub fn description(id: &str) -> io::Result<Self> {
         Self::spawn(extractor().args([
             "--no-playlist",
@@ -839,6 +874,26 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(exhausted.videos.len(), 2);
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn channel_handles_require_the_requested_identity_and_a_valid_handle() {
+        let id = "UChAQQ9at2MDlXjvQX3vL3Yw";
+        for handle in ["@ch.1676", "@敷嶋てとら"] {
+            let metadata = serde_json::json!({"channel_id": id, "uploader_id": handle}).to_string();
+            assert_eq!(channel_handle(&metadata, id).unwrap(), handle);
+            assert!(channel_handle(&metadata, "UCaYhcUwRBNscFNUKTjgPFiA").is_err());
+        }
+        for handle in [
+            None,
+            Some("ch.1676"),
+            Some("@bad/handle"),
+            Some("@bad\u{1b}"),
+        ] {
+            let metadata = serde_json::json!({"channel_id": id, "uploader_id": handle}).to_string();
+            assert!(channel_handle(&metadata, id).is_err());
+        }
+        assert!(channel_handle("not JSON", id).is_err());
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn full_descriptions_preserve_paragraphs_and_reject_mismatched_videos() {
         let metadata = r#"{"id":"jNQXAC9IVRw","description":"First paragraph.\n\n日本語\tsecond paragraph.\u001b\nLast line."}"#;