diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/utils/text_spans.py b/surfsense_backend/app/utils/text_spans.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c12201174
--- /dev/null
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/utils/text_spans.py
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+"""Convert char spans into document-relative line ranges.
+
+Chunks store half-open char spans into ``source_markdown``; citations and the
+editor speak in line numbers. This is the single shared conversion so search,
+the resolve API, and highlighting all agree on what "lines X-Y" means.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+
+def char_span_to_line_range(text: str, start_char: int, end_char: int) -> tuple[int, int]:
+    """Return the 1-based inclusive line range covering ``[start_char, end_char)``.
+
+    Offsets are clamped to ``text`` bounds. An empty span resolves to the single
+    line containing it.
+    """
+    n = len(text)
+    start = max(0, min(start_char, n))
+    end = max(start, min(end_char, n))
+    start_line = text.count("\n", 0, start) + 1
+    last_char_index = max(start, end - 1)
+    end_line = text.count("\n", 0, last_char_index) + 1
+    return start_line, end_line