diff --git a/src/apprt/gtk/class/search_overlay.zig b/src/apprt/gtk/class/search_overlay.zig
index 75aedc154..5cc64be62 100644
--- a/src/apprt/gtk/class/search_overlay.zig
+++ b/src/apprt/gtk/class/search_overlay.zig
@@ -60,6 +60,18 @@ pub const SearchOverlay = extern struct {
                 void,
             );
         };
+
+        /// Emitted when the search text changes (debounced).
+        pub const @"search-changed" = struct {
+            pub const name = "search-changed";
+            pub const connect = impl.connect;
+            const impl = gobject.ext.defineSignal(
+                name,
+                Self,
+                &.{?[*:0]const u8},
+                void,
+            );
+        };
     };
 
     const Private = struct {
@@ -90,6 +102,11 @@ pub const SearchOverlay = extern struct {
         signals.@"stop-search".impl.emit(self, null, .{}, null);
     }
 
+    fn searchChanged(entry: *gtk.SearchEntry, self: *Self) callconv(.c) void {
+        const text = entry.as(gtk.Editable).getText();
+        signals.@"search-changed".impl.emit(self, null, .{text}, null);
+    }
+
     //---------------------------------------------------------------
     // Virtual methods
 
@@ -144,6 +161,7 @@ pub const SearchOverlay = extern struct {
 
             // Template Callbacks
             class.bindTemplateCallback("stop_search", &stopSearch);
+            class.bindTemplateCallback("search_changed", &searchChanged);
 
             // Properties
             gobject.ext.registerProperties(class, &.{
@@ -152,6 +170,7 @@ pub const SearchOverlay = extern struct {
 
             // Signals
             signals.@"stop-search".impl.register(.{});
+            signals.@"search-changed".impl.register(.{});
 
             // Virtual methods
             gobject.Object.virtual_methods.dispose.implement(class, &dispose);
diff --git a/src/apprt/gtk/class/surface.zig b/src/apprt/gtk/class/surface.zig
index 405beea3e..66663dc53 100644
--- a/src/apprt/gtk/class/surface.zig
+++ b/src/apprt/gtk/class/surface.zig
@@ -3196,6 +3196,13 @@ pub const Surface = extern struct {
         _ = self.private().gl_area.as(gtk.Widget).grabFocus();
     }
 
+    fn searchChanged(_: *SearchOverlay, needle: ?[*:0]const u8, self: *Self) callconv(.c) void {
+        const surface = self.core() orelse return;
+        _ = surface.performBindingAction(.{ .search = std.mem.sliceTo(needle orelse "", 0) }) catch |err| {
+            log.warn("unable to perform search action err={}", .{err});
+        };
+    }
+
     const C = Common(Self, Private);
     pub const as = C.as;
     pub const ref = C.ref;
@@ -3269,6 +3276,7 @@ pub const Surface = extern struct {
             class.bindTemplateCallback("should_border_be_shown", &closureShouldBorderBeShown);
             class.bindTemplateCallback("should_unfocused_split_be_shown", &closureShouldUnfocusedSplitBeShown);
             class.bindTemplateCallback("search_stop", &searchStop);
+            class.bindTemplateCallback("search_changed", &searchChanged);
 
             // Properties
             gobject.ext.registerProperties(class, &.{
diff --git a/src/apprt/gtk/ui/1.2/search-overlay.blp b/src/apprt/gtk/ui/1.2/search-overlay.blp
index b9d282df5..18d7f4e5c 100644
--- a/src/apprt/gtk/ui/1.2/search-overlay.blp
+++ b/src/apprt/gtk/ui/1.2/search-overlay.blp
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ template $GhosttySearchOverlay: Adw.Bin {
         width-chars: 20;
         hexpand: true;
         stop-search => $stop_search();
+        search-changed => $search_changed();
       }
 
       Label match_label {
diff --git a/src/apprt/gtk/ui/1.2/surface.blp b/src/apprt/gtk/ui/1.2/surface.blp
index 9803b47e0..7f1c1b01f 100644
--- a/src/apprt/gtk/ui/1.2/surface.blp
+++ b/src/apprt/gtk/ui/1.2/surface.blp
@@ -152,6 +152,7 @@ Overlay terminal_page {
     halign: end;
     valign: start;
     stop-search => $search_stop();
+    search-changed => $search_changed();
   }
 
   [overlay]