diff --git a/src/datastruct/blocking_queue.zig b/src/datastruct/blocking_queue.zig
index 06bc8267f..c95b6b96a 100644
--- a/src/datastruct/blocking_queue.zig
+++ b/src/datastruct/blocking_queue.zig
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ pub fn BlockingQueue(
         not_full_waiters: usize = 0,
 
         /// Allocate the blocking queue on the heap.
-        pub fn create(alloc: Allocator) !*Self {
+        pub fn create(alloc: Allocator) Allocator.Error!*Self {
             const ptr = try alloc.create(Self);
             errdefer alloc.destroy(ptr);
 
diff --git a/src/terminal/search/Thread.zig b/src/terminal/search/Thread.zig
index b9f98a9dc..38a092a91 100644
--- a/src/terminal/search/Thread.zig
+++ b/src/terminal/search/Thread.zig
@@ -9,8 +9,13 @@
 pub const Thread = @This();
 
 const std = @import("std");
+const builtin = @import("builtin");
+const testing = std.testing;
 const Allocator = std.mem.Allocator;
+const xev = @import("../../global.zig").xev;
+const internal_os = @import("../../os/main.zig");
 const BlockingQueue = @import("../../datastruct/main.zig").BlockingQueue;
+const Terminal = @import("../Terminal.zig");
 
 const log = std.log.scoped(.search_thread);
 
@@ -21,23 +26,57 @@ alloc: std.mem.Allocator,
 /// this is a blocking queue so if it is full you will get errors (or block).
 mailbox: *Mailbox,
 
+/// The event loop for the search thread.
+loop: xev.Loop,
+
+/// This can be used to wake up the renderer and force a render safely from
+/// any thread.
+wakeup: xev.Async,
+wakeup_c: xev.Completion = .{},
+
+/// This can be used to stop the thread on the next loop iteration.
+stop: xev.Async,
+stop_c: xev.Completion = .{},
+
+/// The options used to initialize this thread.
+opts: Options,
+
 /// Initialize the thread. This does not START the thread. This only sets
 /// up all the internal state necessary prior to starting the thread. It
 /// is up to the caller to start the thread with the threadMain entrypoint.
-pub fn init(alloc: Allocator) Thread {
+pub fn init(alloc: Allocator, opts: Options) !Thread {
     // The mailbox for messaging this thread
     var mailbox = try Mailbox.create(alloc);
     errdefer mailbox.destroy(alloc);
 
+    // Create our event loop.
+    var loop = try xev.Loop.init(.{});
+    errdefer loop.deinit();
+
+    // This async handle is used to "wake up" the renderer and force a render.
+    var wakeup_h = try xev.Async.init();
+    errdefer wakeup_h.deinit();
+
+    // This async handle is used to stop the loop and force the thread to end.
+    var stop_h = try xev.Async.init();
+    errdefer stop_h.deinit();
+
     return .{
         .alloc = alloc,
         .mailbox = mailbox,
+        .loop = loop,
+        .wakeup = wakeup_h,
+        .stop = stop_h,
+        .opts = opts,
     };
 }
 
 /// Clean up the thread. This is only safe to call once the thread
 /// completes executing; the caller must join prior to this.
 pub fn deinit(self: *Thread) void {
+    self.wakeup.deinit();
+    self.stop.deinit();
+    self.loop.deinit();
     // Nothing can possibly access the mailbox anymore, destroy it.
     self.mailbox.destroy(self.alloc);
 }
@@ -53,11 +92,110 @@ pub fn threadMain(self: *Thread) void {
 
 fn threadMain_(self: *Thread) !void {
     defer log.debug("search thread exited", .{});
-    _ = self;
+
+    // Right now, on Darwin, `std.Thread.setName` can only name the current
+    // thread, and we have no way to get the current thread from within it,
+    // so instead we use this code to name the thread instead.
+    if (comptime builtin.os.tag.isDarwin()) {
+        internal_os.macos.pthread_setname_np(&"search".*);
+
+        // We can run with lower priority than other threads.
+        const class: internal_os.macos.QosClass = .utility;
+        if (internal_os.macos.setQosClass(class)) {
+            log.debug("thread QoS class set class={}", .{class});
+        } else |err| {
+            log.warn("error setting QoS class err={}", .{err});
+        }
+    }
+
+    // Start the async handlers
+    self.wakeup.wait(&self.loop, &self.wakeup_c, Thread, self, wakeupCallback);
+    self.stop.wait(&self.loop, &self.stop_c, Thread, self, stopCallback);
+
+    // Send an initial wakeup so we drain our mailbox immediately.
+    try self.wakeup.notify();
+
+    // Run
+    log.debug("starting search thread", .{});
+    defer log.debug("starting search thread shutdown", .{});
+    _ = try self.loop.run(.until_done);
 }
 
+/// Drain the mailbox.
+fn drainMailbox(self: *Thread) !void {
+    while (self.mailbox.pop()) |message| {
+        log.debug("mailbox message={}", .{message});
+    }
+}
+
+fn wakeupCallback(
+    self_: ?*Thread,
+    _: *xev.Loop,
+    _: *xev.Completion,
+    r: xev.Async.WaitError!void,
+) xev.CallbackAction {
+    _ = r catch |err| {
+        log.warn("error in wakeup err={}", .{err});
+        return .rearm;
+    };
+
+    const self = self_.?;
+
+    // When we wake up, we drain the mailbox. Mailbox producers should
+    // wake up our thread after publishing.
+    self.drainMailbox() catch |err|
+        log.warn("error draining mailbox err={}", .{err});
+
+    return .rearm;
+}
+
+fn stopCallback(
+    self_: ?*Thread,
+    _: *xev.Loop,
+    _: *xev.Completion,
+    r: xev.Async.WaitError!void,
+) xev.CallbackAction {
+    _ = r catch unreachable;
+    self_.?.loop.stop();
+    return .disarm;
+}
+
+pub const Options = struct {
+    /// Mutex that must be held while reading/writing the terminal.
+    mutex: *std.Thread.Mutex,
+
+    /// The terminal data to search.
+    terminal: *Terminal,
+};
+
 /// The type used for sending messages to the thread.
 pub const Mailbox = BlockingQueue(Message, 64);
 
 /// The messages that can be sent to the thread.
-pub const Message = union(enum) {};
+pub const Message = union(enum) {
+    /// Change the search term. If no prior search term is given this
+    /// will start a search. If an existing search term is given this will
+    /// stop the prior search and start a new one.
+    change_needle: []const u8,
+};
+
+test {
+    const alloc = testing.allocator;
+    var mutex: std.Thread.Mutex = .{};
+    var t: Terminal = try .init(alloc, .{ .cols = 10, .rows = 2 });
+    defer t.deinit(alloc);
+
+    var thread: Thread = try .init(alloc, .{
+        .mutex = &mutex,
+        .terminal = &t,
+    });
+    defer thread.deinit();
+
+    var os_thread = try std.Thread.spawn(
+        .{},
+        threadMain,
+        .{&thread},
+    );
+    try thread.stop.notify();
+    os_thread.join();
+}