diff --git a/ui/src/common/useSearchRefocus.js b/ui/src/common/useSearchRefocus.js
index 27898b969..4e8c22d2b 100644
--- a/ui/src/common/useSearchRefocus.js
+++ b/ui/src/common/useSearchRefocus.js
@@ -1,19 +1,32 @@
-import { useEffect } from 'react'
+import { useEffect, useRef } from 'react'
+import { useLocation } from 'react-router-dom'
 
 export const useSearchRefocus = () => {
+  const location = useLocation()
+  const prevSearchValue = useRef(null)
+
   useEffect(() => {
-    const handleClick = (e) => {
-      const clearButton = e.target.closest('[aria-label*="clear" i]')
-      if (clearButton) {
-        setTimeout(() => {
-          const searchInput = document.querySelector('[class*="RaSearchInput"] input')
-          if (searchInput) {
-            searchInput.focus()
-          }
-        }, 800)
-      }
+    const params = new URLSearchParams(location.search)
+    const filterStr = params.get('filter') || '{}'
+
+    let filter = {}
+    try {
+      filter = JSON.parse(filterStr)
+    } catch (e) {
+      // Invalid JSON, ignore
     }
-    document.addEventListener('click', handleClick, true)
-    return () => document.removeEventListener('click', handleClick, true)
-  }, [])
+
+    const searchValue = filter.name || filter.title || filter.q || ''
+
+    if (prevSearchValue.current && !searchValue) {
+      setTimeout(() => {
+        const input = document.querySelector('[class*="RaSearchInput"] input')
+        if (input) {
+          input.focus()
+        }
+      }, 100)
+    }
+
+    prevSearchValue.current = searchValue
+  }, [location.search])
 }
diff --git a/ui/src/common/useSearchRefocus.test.js b/ui/src/common/useSearchRefocus.test.js
index 8498633fa..20f1cfb90 100644
--- a/ui/src/common/useSearchRefocus.test.js
+++ b/ui/src/common/useSearchRefocus.test.js
@@ -2,6 +2,11 @@ import { vi, describe, it, expect, beforeEach, afterEach } from 'vitest'
 import { renderHook } from '@testing-library/react-hooks'
 import { useSearchRefocus } from './useSearchRefocus'
 
+const mockLocation = { search: '' }
+vi.mock('react-router-dom', () => ({
+  useLocation: () => mockLocation,
+}))
+
 describe('useSearchRefocus', () => {
   let container
 
@@ -9,12 +14,12 @@ describe('useSearchRefocus', () => {
     vi.useFakeTimers()
     container = document.createElement('div')
     container.innerHTML = `
-      <div class="MuiFormControl-root">
-        <input type="text" value="search term" />
-        <button aria-label="clear search">X</button>
+      <div class="RaSearchInput-input">
+        <input type="text" />
       </div>
     `
     document.body.appendChild(container)
+    mockLocation.search = ''
   })
 
   afterEach(() => {
@@ -22,44 +27,50 @@ describe('useSearchRefocus', () => {
     document.body.removeChild(container)
   })
 
-  it('focuses the input after clicking clear button', () => {
-    renderHook(() => useSearchRefocus())
-
-    const clearButton = container.querySelector('[aria-label="clear search"]')
+  it('focuses the input when search filter is cleared', () => {
     const input = container.querySelector('input')
     const focusSpy = vi.spyOn(input, 'focus')
 
-    clearButton.click()
+    mockLocation.search = '?filter={"name":"test"}'
+    const { rerender } = renderHook(() => useSearchRefocus())
 
     expect(focusSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
 
-    vi.advanceTimersByTime(600)
+    mockLocation.search = '?filter={}'
+    rerender()
+
+    vi.advanceTimersByTime(100)
 
     expect(focusSpy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
   })
 
-  it('does not focus if click is not on a clear button', () => {
-    renderHook(() => useSearchRefocus())
-
+  it('does not focus if filter was already empty', () => {
     const input = container.querySelector('input')
     const focusSpy = vi.spyOn(input, 'focus')
 
-    input.click()
+    mockLocation.search = '?filter={}'
+    const { rerender } = renderHook(() => useSearchRefocus())
 
-    vi.advanceTimersByTime(600)
+    mockLocation.search = '?filter={}'
+    rerender()
+
+    vi.advanceTimersByTime(100)
 
     expect(focusSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
   })
 
-  it('cleans up event listener on unmount', () => {
-    const removeEventListenerSpy = vi.spyOn(document, 'removeEventListener')
+  it('does not focus if filter value changed but not cleared', () => {
+    const input = container.querySelector('input')
+    const focusSpy = vi.spyOn(input, 'focus')
 
-    const { unmount } = renderHook(() => useSearchRefocus())
-    unmount()
+    mockLocation.search = '?filter={"name":"test"}'
+    const { rerender } = renderHook(() => useSearchRefocus())
 
-    expect(removeEventListenerSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
-      'click',
-      expect.any(Function),
-    )
+    mockLocation.search = '?filter={"name":"other"}'
+    rerender()
+
+    vi.advanceTimersByTime(100)
+
+    expect(focusSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
   })
 })