diff --git a/gajim/gtk/start_chat.py b/gajim/gtk/start_chat.py
index 87ff004bd498ff1e54ecc936409fa8437c6f99a9..7e25829175260c7dbde5ea3ef15fa487f26b2bc7 100644
--- a/gajim/gtk/start_chat.py
+++ b/gajim/gtk/start_chat.py
@@ -370,15 +370,17 @@ def _current_listbox_is(self, box):
         return box == Search.GLOBAL
 
     def _on_global_search_toggle(self, button):
-        self._ui.search_entry.set_text('')
         self._ui.search_entry.grab_focus()
         image_style_context = button.get_children()[0].get_style_context()
         if button.get_active():
             image_style_context.add_class('selected-color')
             self._set_listbox(self._global_search_listbox)
+            if self._ui.search_entry.get_text():
+                self._start_search()
             self._remove_new_jid_row()
             self._ui.listbox.invalidate_filter()
         else:
+            self._ui.search_entry.set_text('')
             image_style_context.remove_class('selected-color')
             self._set_listbox(self._ui.listbox)
             self._global_search_listbox.remove_all()