diff --git a/src/effects/windowview/qml/main.qml b/src/effects/windowview/qml/main.qml
index d7dd9aece4..f859f6765d 100644
--- a/src/effects/windowview/qml/main.qml
+++ b/src/effects/windowview/qml/main.qml
@@ -75,10 +75,14 @@ Item {
             Layout.alignment: Qt.AlignCenter
             Layout.topMargin: PlasmaCore.Units.gridUnit
             Layout.preferredWidth: Math.min(parent.width, 20 * PlasmaCore.Units.gridUnit)
-            focus: true
+            focus: false
             // Binding loops will be avoided from the fact that setting the text to the same won't emit textChanged
             // We can't use activeFocus because is not reliable on qml effects
-            onTextChanged: effect.searchText = text
+            onTextChanged: {
+                effect.searchText = text;
+                heap.resetSelected();
+                heap.selectNextItem(WindowHeap.Direction.Down);
+            }
             Binding {
                 target: searchField
                 property: "text"
diff --git a/src/effects/windowview/windowvieweffect.cpp b/src/effects/windowview/windowvieweffect.cpp
index 7c81416885..7c651869fa 100644
--- a/src/effects/windowview/windowvieweffect.cpp
+++ b/src/effects/windowview/windowvieweffect.cpp
@@ -307,6 +307,7 @@ void WindowViewEffect::activate(const QStringList &windowIds)
     }
     if (!internalIds.isEmpty()) {
         m_windowIds = internalIds;
+        m_searchText = "";
         setRunning(true);
     }
 }
@@ -324,6 +325,7 @@ void WindowViewEffect::activate()
     setPartialActivationFactor(0);
 
     // This one should be the last.
+    m_searchText = "";
     setRunning(true);
 }
 
@@ -339,6 +341,7 @@ void WindowViewEffect::partialActivate(qreal factor)
     setGestureInProgress(true);
 
     // This one should be the last.
+    m_searchText = "";
     setRunning(true);
 }