diff --git a/.release-notes/docgen-search-home-file.md b/.release-notes/docgen-search-home-file.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f644369e28
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.release-notes/docgen-search-home-file.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+## Don't include generated documentation "home file" in search index
+
+We've updated the documentation generation to not include the "home file" that lists the packages in the search index. The "exclude from search engine" functionality is only available in the `mkdocs-material-insiders` theme.
+
+The home file is extra noise in the index that provides no value. For anyone using the insiders theme, this will be an improvement in the search experience.
diff --git a/src/libponyc/pass/docgen.c b/src/libponyc/pass/docgen.c
index 0f8ec1f63f..0fb234c092 100644
--- a/src/libponyc/pass/docgen.c
+++ b/src/libponyc/pass/docgen.c
@@ -1375,6 +1375,11 @@ void generate_docs(ast_t* program, pass_opt_t* options)
     const char* name = package_filename(package);
 
     fprintf(docgen.home_file, "Packages\n\n");
+    // tell the mkdocs theme not index the home file for search
+    fprintf(docgen.home_file, "---\n");
+    fprintf(docgen.home_file, "search:\n");
+    fprintf(docgen.home_file, "  exclude: true\n");
+    fprintf(docgen.home_file, "---\n");
 
     fprintf(docgen.index_file, "site_name: %s\n", name);
     fprintf(docgen.index_file, "theme:\n");