diff --git a/include/mainwindow.h b/include/mainwindow.h
index 42d346f3..7425486e 100644
--- a/include/mainwindow.h
+++ b/include/mainwindow.h
@@ -380,7 +380,7 @@ private:
 
     void updateMapList();
     void openMapListItem(const QModelIndex &index);
-    void saveMapListTab(int index);
+    void onMapListTabChanged(int index);
 
     void displayMapProperties();
     void checkToolButtons();
diff --git a/include/ui/maplisttoolbar.h b/include/ui/maplisttoolbar.h
index bf749a3e..9890b584 100644
--- a/include/ui/maplisttoolbar.h
+++ b/include/ui/maplisttoolbar.h
@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@ public:
     void setFilterLocked(bool locked) { m_filterLocked = locked; }
     bool isFilterLocked() const { return m_filterLocked; }
 
+    void setSearchFocus();
+
 signals:
     void filterCleared(MapTree*);
     void addFolderClicked();
diff --git a/src/mainwindow.cpp b/src/mainwindow.cpp
index bb158751..617fdccc 100644
--- a/src/mainwindow.cpp
+++ b/src/mainwindow.cpp
@@ -454,7 +454,7 @@ void MainWindow::initMapList() {
     connect(ui->mapListToolBar_Locations, &MapListToolBar::addFolderClicked, this, &MainWindow::openNewLocationDialog);
     connect(ui->mapListToolBar_Layouts,   &MapListToolBar::addFolderClicked, this, &MainWindow::openNewLayoutDialog);
 
-    connect(ui->mapListContainer, &QTabWidget::currentChanged, this, &MainWindow::saveMapListTab);
+    connect(ui->mapListContainer, &QTabWidget::currentChanged, this, &MainWindow::onMapListTabChanged);
 }
 
 void MainWindow::updateWindowTitle() {
@@ -1465,8 +1465,15 @@ void MainWindow::currentMetatilesSelectionChanged() {
         scrollMetatileSelectorToSelection();
 }
 
-void MainWindow::saveMapListTab(int index) {
+void MainWindow::onMapListTabChanged(int index) {
+    // Save current tab for future sessions.
     porymapConfig.mapListTab = index;
+
+    // After changing a map list tab the old tab's search widget can keep focus, which isn't helpful
+    // (and might be a little confusing to the user, because they don't know that each search bar is secretly a separate object).
+    // When we change tabs we'll automatically focus in on the search bar. This should also make finding maps a little quicker.
+    auto toolbar = getCurrentMapListToolBar();
+    if (toolbar) toolbar->setSearchFocus();
 }
 
 void MainWindow::openMapListItem(const QModelIndex &index) {
diff --git a/src/ui/maplisttoolbar.cpp b/src/ui/maplisttoolbar.cpp
index d03aa838..10a33c47 100644
--- a/src/ui/maplisttoolbar.cpp
+++ b/src/ui/maplisttoolbar.cpp
@@ -139,3 +139,7 @@ void MapListToolBar::applyFilter(const QString &filterText) {
 void MapListToolBar::clearFilter() {
     applyFilter("");
 }
+
+void MapListToolBar::setSearchFocus() {
+    ui->lineEdit_filterBox->setFocus();
+}