diff --git a/tracker/action.go b/tracker/action.go
index 2dd5d26..2e6991f 100644
--- a/tracker/action.go
+++ b/tracker/action.go
@@ -133,7 +133,6 @@ func (m *Model) AddUnit(before bool) Action {
 		(*Model)(m).assignUnitIDs(newUnits[m.d.UnitIndex : m.d.UnitIndex+1])
 		m.d.Song.Patch[m.d.InstrIndex].Units = newUnits
 		m.d.ParamIndex = 0
-		m.d.UnitSearchString = ""
 	})
 }
 
@@ -145,7 +144,6 @@ func (m *Model) DeleteUnit() Action {
 		do: func() {
 			defer (*Model)(m).change("DeleteUnitAction", PatchChange, MajorChange)()
 			m.Units().List().DeleteElements(true)
-			m.d.UnitSearchString = m.Units().SelectedType()
 		},
 	}
 }
@@ -156,7 +154,6 @@ func (m *Model) ClearUnit() Action {
 			defer (*Model)(m).change("DeleteUnitAction", PatchChange, MajorChange)()
 			m.d.UnitIndex = intMax(intMin(m.d.UnitIndex, len(m.d.Song.Patch[m.d.InstrIndex].Units)-1), 0)
 			m.d.Song.Patch[m.d.InstrIndex].Units[m.d.UnitIndex] = sointu.Unit{}
-			m.d.UnitSearchString = ""
 		},
 		allowed: func() bool {
 			return m.d.InstrIndex >= 0 &&
diff --git a/tracker/bool.go b/tracker/bool.go
index 1ff352d..9e27df9 100644
--- a/tracker/bool.go
+++ b/tracker/bool.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ type (
 	Effect          Model
 	CommentExpanded Model
 	NoteTracking    Model
+	UnitSearching   Model
 )
 
 func (v Bool) Toggle() {
@@ -39,6 +40,7 @@ func (m *Model) InstrEnlarged() *InstrEnlarged     { return (*InstrEnlarged)(m)
 func (m *Model) Effect() *Effect                   { return (*Effect)(m) }
 func (m *Model) CommentExpanded() *CommentExpanded { return (*CommentExpanded)(m) }
 func (m *Model) NoteTracking() *NoteTracking       { return (*NoteTracking)(m) }
+func (m *Model) UnitSearching() *UnitSearching     { return (*UnitSearching)(m) }
 
 // Panic methods
 
@@ -112,3 +114,15 @@ func (m *Effect) setValue(val bool) {
 	m.d.Song.Score.Tracks[m.d.Cursor.Track].Effect = val
 }
 func (m *Effect) Enabled() bool { return true }
+
+// UnitSearching methods
+
+func (m *UnitSearching) Bool() Bool  { return Bool{m} }
+func (m *UnitSearching) Value() bool { return m.d.UnitSearching }
+func (m *UnitSearching) setValue(val bool) {
+	m.d.UnitSearching = val
+	if !val {
+		m.d.UnitSearchString = ""
+	}
+}
+func (m *UnitSearching) Enabled() bool { return true }
diff --git a/tracker/gioui/instrument_editor.go b/tracker/gioui/instrument_editor.go
index 1d674a9..432a54d 100644
--- a/tracker/gioui/instrument_editor.go
+++ b/tracker/gioui/instrument_editor.go
@@ -373,6 +373,7 @@ func (ie *InstrumentEditor) layoutUnitList(gtx C, t *Tracker) D {
 								}
 							}
 							t.Units().SetSelectedType(txt)
+							t.UnitSearching().Bool().Set(false)
 							continue
 						}
 					}
@@ -384,12 +385,18 @@ func (ie *InstrumentEditor) layoutUnitList(gtx C, t *Tracker) D {
 
 					defer clip.Rect(image.Rect(0, 0, gtx.Constraints.Max.X, gtx.Constraints.Max.Y)).Push(gtx.Ops).Pop()
 					key.InputOp{Tag: &ie.searchEditor, Keys: globalKeys}.Add(gtx.Ops)
+					txt := u.Type
 					str := tracker.String{StringData: (*tracker.UnitSearch)(t.Model)}
-					if ie.searchEditor.Text() != str.Value() {
-						ie.searchEditor.SetText(str.Value())
+					if t.UnitSearching().Value() {
+						txt = str.Value()
+					}
+					if ie.searchEditor.Text() != txt {
+						ie.searchEditor.SetText(txt)
 					}
 					ret := editor.Layout(gtx)
-					str.Set(ie.searchEditor.Text())
+					if ie.searchEditor.Text() != txt {
+						str.Set(ie.searchEditor.Text())
+					}
 					return ret
 				} else {
 					unitNameLabel := LabelStyle{Text: u.Type, ShadeColor: black, Color: color, Font: labelDefaultFont, FontSize: unit.Sp(12), Shaper: t.Theme.Shaper}
diff --git a/tracker/gioui/unit_editor.go b/tracker/gioui/unit_editor.go
index f23a9dc..9a9e8eb 100644
--- a/tracker/gioui/unit_editor.go
+++ b/tracker/gioui/unit_editor.go
@@ -59,8 +59,8 @@ func (pe *UnitEditor) Layout(gtx C, t *Tracker) D {
 	key.InputOp{Tag: &pe.tag, Keys: "←|Shift-←|→|Shift-→|⎋"}.Add(gtx.Ops)
 
 	editorFunc := pe.layoutSliders
-	str := tracker.String{StringData: (*tracker.UnitSearch)(t.Model)}
-	if str.Value() != t.Model.Units().SelectedType() || pe.sliderList.TrackerList.Count() == 0 {
+
+	if t.UnitSearching().Value() || pe.sliderList.TrackerList.Count() == 0 {
 		editorFunc = pe.layoutUnitTypeChooser
 	}
 	return Surface{Gray: 24, Focus: t.InstrumentEditor.wasFocused}.Layout(gtx, func(gtx C) D {
diff --git a/tracker/list.go b/tracker/list.go
index fdefea3..8a45dde 100644
--- a/tracker/list.go
+++ b/tracker/list.go
@@ -209,6 +209,8 @@ func (v *Instruments) SetSelected(value int) {
 	v.d.InstrIndex = intMax(intMin(value, v.Count()-1), 0)
 	v.d.UnitIndex = 0
 	v.d.UnitIndex2 = 0
+	v.d.UnitSearching = false
+	v.d.UnitSearchString = ""
 }
 
 func (v *Instruments) SetSelected2(value int) {
@@ -310,7 +312,6 @@ func (m *Units) SetSelectedType(t string) {
 		return
 	}
 	defer m.change("SetSelectedType", MajorChange)()
-	m.d.UnitSearchString = unit.Type
 	m.d.Song.Patch[m.d.InstrIndex].Units[m.d.UnitIndex] = unit
 	m.d.Song.Patch[m.d.InstrIndex].Units[m.d.UnitIndex].ID = oldUnit.ID // keep the ID of the replaced unit
 }
@@ -341,9 +342,8 @@ func (v *Units) SetSelected(value int) {
 	m := (*Model)(v)
 	m.d.UnitIndex = intMax(intMin(value, v.Count()-1), 0)
 	m.d.ParamIndex = 0
-	if m.d.UnitIndex >= 0 && m.d.UnitIndex < len(m.d.Song.Patch[m.d.InstrIndex].Units) {
-		m.d.UnitSearchString = m.d.Song.Patch[m.d.InstrIndex].Units[m.d.UnitIndex].Type
-	}
+	m.d.UnitSearching = false
+	m.d.UnitSearchString = ""
 }
 
 func (v *Units) SetSelected2(value int) {
diff --git a/tracker/model.go b/tracker/model.go
index 9f79ca5..dd18599 100644
--- a/tracker/model.go
+++ b/tracker/model.go
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ type (
 		ParamIndex              int
 		UnitSearchIndex         int
 		UnitSearchString        string
+		UnitSearching           bool
 		Octave                  int
 		Step                    int
 		FilePath                string
@@ -222,6 +223,8 @@ func (m *Model) change(kind string, t ChangeType, severity ChangeSeverity) func(
 				}
 				m.d.UnitIndex = clamp(m.d.UnitIndex, 0, unitCount-1)
 				m.d.UnitIndex2 = clamp(m.d.UnitIndex2, 0, unitCount-1)
+				m.d.UnitSearching = false // if we change anything in the patch, reset the unit searching
+				m.d.UnitSearchString = ""
 				m.send(m.d.Song.Patch.Copy())
 			}
 			if m.changeType&BPMChange != 0 {
diff --git a/tracker/string.go b/tracker/string.go
index cc3725e..aceda76 100644
--- a/tracker/string.go
+++ b/tracker/string.go
@@ -40,9 +40,12 @@ func (v *FilePath) change(kind string) func() { return func() {} }
 
 // UnitSearchString
 
-func (v *UnitSearch) String() String            { return String{v} }
-func (v *UnitSearch) Value() string             { return v.d.UnitSearchString }
-func (v *UnitSearch) setValue(value string)     { v.d.UnitSearchString = value }
+func (v *UnitSearch) String() String { return String{v} }
+func (v *UnitSearch) Value() string  { return v.d.UnitSearchString }
+func (v *UnitSearch) setValue(value string) {
+	v.d.UnitSearchString = value
+	v.d.UnitSearching = true
+}
 func (v *UnitSearch) change(kind string) func() { return func() {} }
 
 // InstrumentNameString