diff --git a/plugins/search-backend-node/api-report-alpha.md b/plugins/search-backend-node/api-report-alpha.md
index 4c1e70b32b..4f3015a0e4 100644
--- a/plugins/search-backend-node/api-report-alpha.md
+++ b/plugins/search-backend-node/api-report-alpha.md
@@ -32,14 +32,14 @@ export const searchIndexRegistryExtensionPoint: ExtensionPoint<SearchIndexRegist
 
 // @alpha
 export interface SearchIndexService {
-  build(options: SearchIndexServiceBuildOptions): void;
   getDocumentTypes(): Record<string, DocumentTypeInfo>;
+  init(options: SearchIndexServiceInitOptions): void;
   start(): Promise<void>;
   stop(): Promise<void>;
 }
 
 // @alpha
-export type SearchIndexServiceBuildOptions = {
+export type SearchIndexServiceInitOptions = {
   searchEngine: SearchEngine;
   collators: RegisterCollatorParameters[];
   decorators: RegisterDecoratorParameters[];
diff --git a/plugins/search-backend-node/src/alpha.ts b/plugins/search-backend-node/src/alpha.ts
index 20b0f22089..2a41bdbf81 100644
--- a/plugins/search-backend-node/src/alpha.ts
+++ b/plugins/search-backend-node/src/alpha.ts
@@ -32,9 +32,9 @@ import {
 
 /**
  * @alpha
- * Options for build method on {@link SearchIndexService}.
+ * Options for the init method on {@link SearchIndexService}.
  */
-export type SearchIndexServiceBuildOptions = {
+export type SearchIndexServiceInitOptions = {
   searchEngine: SearchEngine;
   collators: RegisterCollatorParameters[];
   decorators: RegisterDecoratorParameters[];
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ export interface SearchIndexService {
   /**
    * Initializes state in preparation for starting the search index service
    */
-  build(options: SearchIndexServiceBuildOptions): void;
+  init(options: SearchIndexServiceInitOptions): void;
 
   /**
    * Starts indexing process
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ class DefaultSearchIndexService implements SearchIndexService {
     return new DefaultSearchIndexService(options);
   }
 
-  build(options: SearchIndexServiceBuildOptions): void {
+  init(options: SearchIndexServiceInitOptions): void {
     this.indexBuilder = new IndexBuilder({
       logger: this.logger,
       searchEngine: options.searchEngine,
diff --git a/plugins/search-backend/src/alpha.ts b/plugins/search-backend/src/alpha.ts
index a7c2c6c872..3a3ba82c3e 100644
--- a/plugins/search-backend/src/alpha.ts
+++ b/plugins/search-backend/src/alpha.ts
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ export default createBackendPlugin({
 
         const collators = searchIndexRegistry.getCollators();
         const decorators = searchIndexRegistry.getDecorators();
-        searchIndexService.build({
+        searchIndexService.init({
           searchEngine: searchEngine!,
           collators,
           decorators,