diff --git a/termite.cc b/termite.cc
index aa0d5d2..59ad50d 100644
--- a/termite.cc
+++ b/termite.cc
@@ -922,16 +922,27 @@ GtkTreeModel *create_completion_model(VteTerminal *vte) {
 }
 
 void search(VteTerminal *vte, const char *pattern, bool reverse) {
+    std::function<int ()> terminal_search;
+    if (!reverse) {
+        terminal_search = [vte]() {
+            return vte_terminal_search_find_next(vte);
+        };
+    } else {
+        terminal_search = [vte]() {
+            return vte_terminal_search_find_previous(vte);
+        };
+    };
+
     GRegex *regex = vte_terminal_search_get_gregex(vte);
     if (regex) g_regex_unref(regex);
     regex = g_regex_new(pattern, (GRegexCompileFlags)0, (GRegexMatchFlags)0, nullptr);
     vte_terminal_search_set_gregex(vte, regex);
 
-    if (!reverse) {
-        vte_terminal_search_find_next(vte);
-    } else {
-        vte_terminal_search_find_previous(vte);
+    if (!terminal_search()) {
+        vte_terminal_select_none(vte);
+        terminal_search();
     }
+
     vte_terminal_copy_primary(vte);
 }