diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index d023c77..ace767e 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -76,6 +76,16 @@
 
 ### Fixed
 
+- **REQ-142 / #381 — s-expr filter parse error now shows the field-equality
+  form.** The filter dialect (shared by `query`, `list --filter`,
+  `export --filter`, `modify --where`) puts an operator in head position, but
+  the common first attempt `(status "draft")` (field name in head) failed with
+  only a list of head forms and no example. The `unknown head symbol` note now
+  states the head is an operator and shows `(= status "draft")` /
+  `(and (= type "requirement") (has-tag "safety"))` inline — reaching every
+  command that parses a filter, since the note is generated once in
+  `sexpr_eval`. `export --filter` help also gained an example.
+
 - **REQ-139 — directory import no longer warns on legitimate non-artifact
   YAML.** The generic-YAML directory load warned `[WARN] skipping <file>` for
   *every* file it declined to load — including expected non-artifact YAML
diff --git a/artifacts/requirements.yaml b/artifacts/requirements.yaml
index 1e77a90..5856093 100644
--- a/artifacts/requirements.yaml
+++ b/artifacts/requirements.yaml
@@ -3909,3 +3909,39 @@ artifacts:
     links:
       - type: traces-to
         target: REQ-007
+
+  - id: REQ-142
+    type: requirement
+    title: "s-expr filter parse error shows the common field-equality example"
+    status: implemented
+    description: |
+      Self-reported via GitHub issue #381 (dogfooding). The s-expression
+      filter dialect (shared by `query`, `list --filter`, `export --filter`,
+      `modify --where`) puts an OPERATOR in head position, but the single most
+      common first attempt is `(status "draft")` — field name in head — which
+      fails with `unknown form 'status'`. The error listed every supported
+      head form but showed no example of the correct `(= field "value")`
+      shape, costing every first-time author (human or agent) a failed
+      round-trip + a grep through the test files to discover it.
+
+      The `unknown head symbol` note now states the head is an operator (not a
+      field name) and shows the field-equality form inline:
+      `(= status "draft")` / `(and (= type "requirement") (has-tag "safety"))`.
+      Because the note is generated once in `sexpr_eval`, the improvement
+      reaches every command that parses a filter. The `export --filter` help
+      also gained an example (it previously had none, unlike `list`/`query`).
+
+      Acceptance:
+        - `rivet list --filter '(status "draft")'` (or any command) prints a
+          note containing `(= status "draft")`.
+        - `cargo test -p rivet-core --lib
+          sexpr_eval::tests::parse_error_unknown_head_surfaces_note` passes
+          (asserts the example is present).
+    tags: [dx, agent-ux, discoverability, sexpr, user-reported, issue-381]
+    fields:
+      priority: should
+      category: functional
+      baseline: v0.15.0-track
+    links:
+      - type: traces-to
+        target: REQ-007
diff --git a/rivet-cli/src/main.rs b/rivet-cli/src/main.rs
index 3338092..552349d 100644
--- a/rivet-cli/src/main.rs
+++ b/rivet-cli/src/main.rs
@@ -615,7 +615,8 @@ enum Command {
         #[arg(long, default_value = "rivet")]
         prefix: String,
 
-        /// S-expression filter to select artifact subset for export
+        /// S-expression filter to select artifact subset for export,
+        /// e.g. '(= type "requirement")' or '(and (= type "requirement") (= status "implemented"))'
         #[arg(long)]
         filter: Option<String>,
 
diff --git a/rivet-core/src/sexpr_eval.rs b/rivet-core/src/sexpr_eval.rs
index 903ca4c..0e1a488 100644
--- a/rivet-core/src/sexpr_eval.rs
+++ b/rivet-core/src/sexpr_eval.rs
@@ -794,8 +794,11 @@ fn classify_filter_error(source: &str, message: &str) -> Option<String> {
         let mut heads: Vec<&str> = HEADS.to_vec();
         heads.sort_unstable();
         return Some(format!(
-            "unknown head symbol; see docs/getting-started.md \
-             for the supported forms ({})",
+            "unknown head symbol — the head is an operator, not a field name. \
+             For field equality use `(= <field> \"<value>\")`, e.g. \
+             `(= status \"draft\")` or `(and (= type \"requirement\") \
+             (has-tag \"safety\"))`. See docs/getting-started.md for all \
+             supported forms ({})",
             heads.join("/")
         ));
     }
@@ -2090,6 +2093,12 @@ mod tests {
         for op in ["and", "or", "not", "has-tag", "linked-via"] {
             assert!(note.contains(op), "note should list `{op}`; got: {note}");
         }
+        // #381: the note must show the common field-equality form so an
+        // author who guessed `(status "draft")` is corrected to `(= status …)`.
+        assert!(
+            note.contains("(= status \"draft\")"),
+            "note should show the `(= field \"value\")` example; got: {note}"
+        );
     }
 
     /// Valid s-expression input must not carry a note — classification