diff --git a/src/Surface.zig b/src/Surface.zig
index cfc0b14aa..989495309 100644
--- a/src/Surface.zig
+++ b/src/Surface.zig
@@ -1342,6 +1342,8 @@ fn searchCallback_(
     self: *Surface,
     event: terminal.search.Thread.Event,
 ) !void {
+    // NOTE: This runs on the search thread.
+
     switch (event) {
         .viewport_matches => |matches_unowned| {
             var arena: ArenaAllocator = .init(self.alloc);
@@ -1361,6 +1363,18 @@ fn searchCallback_(
             try self.renderer_thread.wakeup.notify();
         },
 
+        // When we quit, tell our renderer to reset any search state.
+        .quit => {
+            _ = self.renderer_thread.mailbox.push(
+                .{ .search_viewport_matches = .{
+                    .arena = .init(self.alloc),
+                    .matches = &.{},
+                } },
+                .forever,
+            );
+            try self.renderer_thread.wakeup.notify();
+        },
+
         // Unhandled, so far.
         .total_matches,
         .complete,
diff --git a/src/terminal/search/Thread.zig b/src/terminal/search/Thread.zig
index 7ca9df0b7..2c5607809 100644
--- a/src/terminal/search/Thread.zig
+++ b/src/terminal/search/Thread.zig
@@ -163,7 +163,14 @@ fn threadMain_(self: *Thread) !void {
 
     // Run
     log.debug("starting search thread", .{});
-    defer log.debug("starting search thread shutdown", .{});
+    defer {
+        log.debug("starting search thread shutdown", .{});
+
+        // Send the quit message
+        if (self.opts.event_cb) |cb| {
+            cb(.quit, self.opts.event_userdata);
+        }
+    }
 
     // Unlike some of our other threads, we interleave search work
     // with our xev loop so that we can try to make forward search progress
@@ -247,6 +254,18 @@ fn changeNeedle(self: *Thread, needle: []const u8) !void {
     if (self.search) |*s| {
         s.deinit();
         self.search = null;
+
+        // When the search changes then we need to emit that it stopped.
+        if (self.opts.event_cb) |cb| {
+            cb(
+                .{ .total_matches = 0 },
+                self.opts.event_userdata,
+            );
+            cb(
+                .{ .viewport_matches = &.{} },
+                self.opts.event_userdata,
+            );
+        }
     }
 
     // No needle means stop the search.
@@ -381,6 +400,9 @@ pub const Message = union(enum) {
 /// Events that can be emitted from the search thread. The caller
 /// chooses to handle these as they see fit.
 pub const Event = union(enum) {
+    /// Search is quitting. The search thread is exiting.
+    quit,
+
     /// Search is complete for the given needle on all screens.
     complete,
 
@@ -668,6 +690,7 @@ test {
         fn callback(event: Event, userdata: ?*anyopaque) void {
             const ud: *Self = @ptrCast(@alignCast(userdata.?));
             switch (event) {
+                .quit => {},
                 .complete => ud.reset.set(),
                 .total_matches => |v| ud.total = v,
                 .viewport_matches => |v| {
diff --git a/src/terminal/search/viewport.zig b/src/terminal/search/viewport.zig
index 6a266f47a..55eedb724 100644
--- a/src/terminal/search/viewport.zig
+++ b/src/terminal/search/viewport.zig
@@ -326,15 +326,16 @@ test "clear screen and search dirty tracking" {
     try testing.expect(try search.update(&t.screens.active.pages));
 
     {
-        const sel = search.next().?;
+        const h = search.next().?;
+        const sel = h.untracked();
         try testing.expectEqual(point.Point{ .active = .{
             .x = 0,
             .y = 1,
-        } }, t.screens.active.pages.pointFromPin(.active, sel.start()).?);
+        } }, t.screens.active.pages.pointFromPin(.active, sel.start).?);
         try testing.expectEqual(point.Point{ .active = .{
             .x = 3,
             .y = 1,
-        } }, t.screens.active.pages.pointFromPin(.active, sel.end()).?);
+        } }, t.screens.active.pages.pointFromPin(.active, sel.end).?);
     }
     try testing.expect(search.next() == null);
 }