diff --git a/src/Surface.zig b/src/Surface.zig
index 9998922b9..4103b91fb 100644
--- a/src/Surface.zig
+++ b/src/Surface.zig
@@ -5221,6 +5221,7 @@ pub fn performBindingAction(self: *Surface, action: input.Binding.Action) !bool
 
         .search_selection => {
             const selection = try self.selectionString(self.alloc) orelse return false;
+            defer self.alloc.free(selection);
             return try self.rt_app.performAction(
                 .{ .surface = self },
                 .start_search,
diff --git a/src/apprt/gtk/class/application.zig b/src/apprt/gtk/class/application.zig
index 848aa22db..bc83c09a4 100644
--- a/src/apprt/gtk/class/application.zig
+++ b/src/apprt/gtk/class/application.zig
@@ -734,7 +734,7 @@ pub const Application = extern struct {
             .show_on_screen_keyboard => return Action.showOnScreenKeyboard(target),
             .command_finished => return Action.commandFinished(target, value),
 
-            .start_search => Action.startSearch(target),
+            .start_search => Action.startSearch(target, value),
             .end_search => Action.endSearch(target),
             .search_total => Action.searchTotal(target, value),
             .search_selected => Action.searchSelected(target, value),
@@ -2439,17 +2439,17 @@ const Action = struct {
         }
     }
 
-    pub fn startSearch(target: apprt.Target) void {
+    pub fn startSearch(target: apprt.Target, value: apprt.action.StartSearch) void {
         switch (target) {
             .app => {},
-            .surface => |v| v.rt_surface.surface.setSearchActive(true),
+            .surface => |v| v.rt_surface.surface.setSearchActive(true, value.needle),
         }
     }
 
     pub fn endSearch(target: apprt.Target) void {
         switch (target) {
             .app => {},
-            .surface => |v| v.rt_surface.surface.setSearchActive(false),
+            .surface => |v| v.rt_surface.surface.setSearchActive(false, ""),
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/apprt/gtk/class/search_overlay.zig b/src/apprt/gtk/class/search_overlay.zig
index 4936cd967..a81115462 100644
--- a/src/apprt/gtk/class/search_overlay.zig
+++ b/src/apprt/gtk/class/search_overlay.zig
@@ -250,6 +250,13 @@ pub const SearchOverlay = extern struct {
         priv.active = active;
     }
 
+    // Set contents of search
+    pub fn setSearchContents(self: *Self, content: [:0]const u8) void {
+        const priv = self.private();
+        priv.search_entry.as(gtk.Editable).setText(content);
+        signals.@"search-changed".impl.emit(self, null, .{content}, null);
+    }
+
     /// Set the total number of search matches.
     pub fn setSearchTotal(self: *Self, total: ?usize) void {
         const priv = self.private();
diff --git a/src/apprt/gtk/class/surface.zig b/src/apprt/gtk/class/surface.zig
index 0d6c64433..d1eb144e9 100644
--- a/src/apprt/gtk/class/surface.zig
+++ b/src/apprt/gtk/class/surface.zig
@@ -2091,7 +2091,7 @@ pub const Surface = extern struct {
         self.as(gobject.Object).notifyByPspec(properties.@"error".impl.param_spec);
     }
 
-    pub fn setSearchActive(self: *Self, active: bool) void {
+    pub fn setSearchActive(self: *Self, active: bool, needle: [:0]const u8) void {
         const priv = self.private();
         var value = gobject.ext.Value.newFrom(active);
         defer value.unset();
@@ -2101,6 +2101,10 @@ pub const Surface = extern struct {
             &value,
         );
 
+        if (!std.mem.eql(u8, needle, "")) {
+            priv.search_overlay.setSearchContents(needle);
+        }
+
         if (active) {
             priv.search_overlay.grabFocus();
         }