diff --git a/src/apprt/gtk/class/application.zig b/src/apprt/gtk/class/application.zig
index cc070240c..0efa7a3e0 100644
--- a/src/apprt/gtk/class/application.zig
+++ b/src/apprt/gtk/class/application.zig
@@ -727,6 +727,9 @@ 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),
+            .end_search => Action.endSearch(target),
+
             // Unimplemented
             .secure_input,
             .close_all_windows,
@@ -741,8 +744,6 @@ pub const Application = extern struct {
             .check_for_updates,
             .undo,
             .redo,
-            .start_search,
-            .end_search,
             .search_total,
             .search_selected,
             => {
@@ -2341,6 +2342,20 @@ const Action = struct {
         }
     }
 
+    pub fn startSearch(target: apprt.Target) void {
+        switch (target) {
+            .app => {},
+            .surface => |v| v.rt_surface.surface.setSearchActive(true),
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub fn endSearch(target: apprt.Target) void {
+        switch (target) {
+            .app => {},
+            .surface => |v| v.rt_surface.surface.setSearchActive(false),
+        }
+    }
+
     pub fn setTitle(
         target: apprt.Target,
         value: apprt.action.SetTitle,
diff --git a/src/apprt/gtk/class/search_overlay.zig b/src/apprt/gtk/class/search_overlay.zig
index 1e49750fa..67c6ba38c 100644
--- a/src/apprt/gtk/class/search_overlay.zig
+++ b/src/apprt/gtk/class/search_overlay.zig
@@ -34,39 +34,39 @@ pub const SearchOverlay = extern struct {
     });
 
     pub const properties = struct {
-        pub const duration = struct {
-            pub const name = "duration";
+        pub const active = struct {
+            pub const name = "active";
             const impl = gobject.ext.defineProperty(
                 name,
                 Self,
-                c_uint,
+                bool,
                 .{
-                    .default = 750,
-                    .minimum = 250,
-                    .maximum = std.math.maxInt(c_uint),
-                    .accessor = gobject.ext.privateFieldAccessor(
-                        Self,
-                        Private,
-                        &Private.offset,
-                        "duration",
-                    ),
+                    .default = false,
+                    .accessor = C.privateShallowFieldAccessor("active"),
                 },
             );
         };
     };
 
     const Private = struct {
-        /// The time that the overlay appears.
-        duration: c_uint,
+        /// The search entry widget.
+        search_entry: *gtk.SearchEntry,
+
+        /// True when a search is active, meaning we should show the overlay.
+        active: bool = false,
 
         pub var offset: c_int = 0;
     };
 
     fn init(self: *Self, _: *Class) callconv(.c) void {
         gtk.Widget.initTemplate(self.as(gtk.Widget));
+    }
 
+    /// Grab focus on the search entry and select all text.
+    pub fn grabFocus(self: *Self) void {
         const priv = self.private();
-        _ = priv;
+        _ = priv.search_entry.as(gtk.Widget).grabFocus();
+        priv.search_entry.as(gtk.Editable).selectRegion(0, -1);
     }
 
     //---------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -119,16 +119,12 @@ pub const SearchOverlay = extern struct {
             );
 
             // Bindings
-            // class.bindTemplateChildPrivate("label", .{});
+            class.bindTemplateChildPrivate("search_entry", .{});
 
             // Properties
-            // gobject.ext.registerProperties(class, &.{
-            //     properties.duration.impl,
-            //     properties.label.impl,
-            //     properties.@"first-delay".impl,
-            //     properties.@"overlay-halign".impl,
-            //     properties.@"overlay-valign".impl,
-            // });
+            gobject.ext.registerProperties(class, &.{
+                properties.active.impl,
+            });
 
             // 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 587392464..a91ae9d45 100644
--- a/src/apprt/gtk/class/surface.zig
+++ b/src/apprt/gtk/class/surface.zig
@@ -550,6 +550,9 @@ pub const Surface = extern struct {
         /// The resize overlay
         resize_overlay: *ResizeOverlay,
 
+        /// The search overlay
+        search_overlay: *SearchOverlay,
+
         /// The apprt Surface.
         rt_surface: ApprtSurface = undefined,
 
@@ -1952,6 +1955,20 @@ pub const Surface = extern struct {
         self.as(gobject.Object).notifyByPspec(properties.@"error".impl.param_spec);
     }
 
+    pub fn setSearchActive(self: *Self, active: bool) void {
+        const priv = self.private();
+        var value = gobject.ext.Value.newFrom(active);
+        defer value.unset();
+        gobject.Object.setProperty(
+            priv.search_overlay.as(gobject.Object),
+            SearchOverlay.properties.active.name,
+            &value,
+        );
+        if (active) {
+            priv.search_overlay.grabFocus();
+        }
+    }
+
     fn propConfig(
         self: *Self,
         _: *gobject.ParamSpec,
@@ -3205,6 +3222,7 @@ pub const Surface = extern struct {
             class.bindTemplateChildPrivate("error_page", .{});
             class.bindTemplateChildPrivate("progress_bar_overlay", .{});
             class.bindTemplateChildPrivate("resize_overlay", .{});
+            class.bindTemplateChildPrivate("search_overlay", .{});
             class.bindTemplateChildPrivate("terminal_page", .{});
             class.bindTemplateChildPrivate("drop_target", .{});
             class.bindTemplateChildPrivate("im_context", .{});
diff --git a/src/apprt/gtk/ui/1.2/search-overlay.blp b/src/apprt/gtk/ui/1.2/search-overlay.blp
index 030780260..79e3ef58f 100644
--- a/src/apprt/gtk/ui/1.2/search-overlay.blp
+++ b/src/apprt/gtk/ui/1.2/search-overlay.blp
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ using Gdk 4.0;
 using Adw 1;
 
 template $GhosttySearchOverlay: Adw.Bin {
+  visible: bind template.active;
   halign: end;
   valign: start;