diff --git a/frontend/src/v2/components/Gallery/GalleryShell.vue b/frontend/src/v2/components/Gallery/GalleryShell.vue
index 2a76e0cc1..8be49dbbf 100644
--- a/frontend/src/v2/components/Gallery/GalleryShell.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/v2/components/Gallery/GalleryShell.vue
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ import {
 import { GameCard, GameCardSkeleton } from "@/v2/components/GameCard";
 import { useBreakpoint } from "@/v2/composables/useBreakpoint";
 import { coverRatio, isBoxartStyle } from "@/v2/composables/useCoverArt";
+import { useDebouncedSearch } from "@/v2/composables/useDebouncedSearch";
 import { useDebugMode } from "@/v2/composables/useDebugMode";
 import { useGalleryCoverRatios } from "@/v2/composables/useGalleryCoverRatios";
 import { useGalleryFilterUrl } from "@/v2/composables/useGalleryFilterUrl";
@@ -237,13 +238,13 @@ const filterActiveCount = computed(() => {
   return n;
 });
 
-// Filter changes → refetch the gallery. Mirrors the search debounced
-// path (invalidate windows + bootstrap initial metadata). The watch
-// fires only on subsequent changes; the initial hydration done by
-// `useGalleryFilterUrl` happens before this watch is set up and so
-// does not echo here.
+// Search and filter changes → refetch the gallery: invalidate windows and
+// bootstrap metadata only, since rows hydrate per-position as they mount.
+// The initial hydration done by `useGalleryFilterUrl` happens before this
+// watch is set up and so does not echo here.
 watch(
   [
+    searchTerm,
     filterMatched,
     filterFavorites,
     filterDuplicates,
@@ -747,23 +748,7 @@ watch(
 );
 
 // ── Search filter (debounced) ───────────────────────────────────────
-const searchInput = ref(searchTerm.value ?? "");
-let searchDebounce: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | null = null;
-function setSearch(value: string) {
-  searchInput.value = value;
-  if (searchDebounce) clearTimeout(searchDebounce);
-  searchDebounce = setTimeout(() => {
-    const normalized = value.trim();
-    if (normalized === (searchTerm.value ?? "")) return;
-    searchTerm.value = normalized || null;
-    // Both layouts share the same loading model: invalidate and
-    // bootstrap metadata only; rows hydrate per-position via the row
-    // component's mount lifecycle (grid: GameCard via shell-level
-    // viewport-sync; list: GameListRow via its own onMounted).
-    galleryRoms.invalidateWindows();
-    void galleryRoms.fetchInitialMetadata();
-  }, 300);
-}
+const { input: searchInput, setSearch } = useDebouncedSearch(searchTerm);
 
 // ── Sort ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 // Both affordances (list column headers, grid direction toggle) only
@@ -873,7 +858,6 @@ onBeforeUnmount(() => {
   // navigation back to a non-gallery view (Home, Settings) doesn't
   // keep stale picks alive.
   gallerySelection.clear();
-  if (searchDebounce) clearTimeout(searchDebounce);
   if (fetchDebounceTimer) clearTimeout(fetchDebounceTimer);
   // When leaving the gallery entirely, stop any in-flight window fetches so
   // navigating away mid-scroll doesn't keep the network / backend busy.
diff --git a/frontend/src/v2/composables/useDebouncedSearch/index.test.ts b/frontend/src/v2/composables/useDebouncedSearch/index.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..09c8eda7a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/v2/composables/useDebouncedSearch/index.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+import { effectScope, nextTick, ref } from "vue";
+import { useDebouncedSearch } from "./index";
+
+describe("useDebouncedSearch", () => {
+  let scope: ReturnType<typeof effectScope>;
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers();
+    scope = effectScope();
+  });
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    scope.stop();
+    vi.useRealTimers();
+  });
+
+  function setup(initial: string | null) {
+    const term = ref<string | null>(initial);
+    const search = scope.run(() => useDebouncedSearch(term))!;
+    return { term, ...search };
+  }
+
+  it("writes the trimmed term once typing settles", () => {
+    const { term, input, setSearch } = setup(null);
+
+    setSearch("mar");
+    setSearch(" mario ");
+    expect(input.value).toBe(" mario ");
+    expect(term.value).toBeNull();
+
+    vi.advanceTimersByTime(300);
+    expect(term.value).toBe("mario");
+  });
+
+  it("clears the term when the box is emptied", () => {
+    const { term, setSearch } = setup("mario");
+
+    setSearch("  ");
+    vi.advanceTimersByTime(300);
+    expect(term.value).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it("shows a term set by navigation in the box", async () => {
+    const { term, input } = setup("mario");
+
+    term.value = "zelda";
+    await nextTick();
+    expect(input.value).toBe("zelda");
+
+    term.value = null;
+    await nextTick();
+    expect(input.value).toBe("");
+  });
+
+  it("drops a pending keystroke when navigation sets the term first", async () => {
+    const { term, input, setSearch } = setup(null);
+
+    setSearch("mario");
+    term.value = "zelda";
+    await nextTick();
+    vi.advanceTimersByTime(300);
+
+    expect(term.value).toBe("zelda");
+    expect(input.value).toBe("zelda");
+  });
+
+  it("keeps what the user typed when the term it settled on echoes back", async () => {
+    const { term, input, setSearch } = setup(null);
+
+    setSearch("mario ");
+    vi.advanceTimersByTime(300);
+    await nextTick();
+
+    expect(term.value).toBe("mario");
+    expect(input.value).toBe("mario ");
+  });
+});
diff --git a/frontend/src/v2/composables/useDebouncedSearch/index.ts b/frontend/src/v2/composables/useDebouncedSearch/index.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6b7833981
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/v2/composables/useDebouncedSearch/index.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+import { onScopeDispose, type Ref, ref, watch } from "vue";
+
+/** A search box bound to a store term: typing writes the trimmed term after
+ *  `delayMs`, and a term set elsewhere (back/forward, a pasted link) shows up
+ *  in the box straight away. */
+export function useDebouncedSearch(term: Ref<string | null>, delayMs = 300) {
+  const input = ref(term.value ?? "");
+  let pending: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | null = null;
+
+  function cancel() {
+    if (pending) clearTimeout(pending);
+    pending = null;
+  }
+
+  function setSearch(value: string) {
+    input.value = value;
+    cancel();
+    pending = setTimeout(() => {
+      pending = null;
+      const normalized = value.trim();
+      if (normalized !== (term.value ?? "")) term.value = normalized || null;
+    }, delayMs);
+  }
+
+  watch(term, (value) => {
+    if (input.value.trim() === (value ?? "")) return;
+    // A keystroke still waiting would overwrite the term just navigated to.
+    cancel();
+    input.value = value ?? "";
+  });
+
+  onScopeDispose(cancel);
+
+  return { input, setSearch };
+}