diff --git a/js/ui/overview.js b/js/ui/overview.js
index 1cd10cb95..b0a6f3be2 100644
--- a/js/ui/overview.js
+++ b/js/ui/overview.js
@@ -185,7 +185,17 @@ const Overview = new Lang.Class({
 
         this._shellInfo = new ShellInfo();
 
-        this._viewSelector = new ViewSelector.ViewSelector();
+        this._searchEntry = new St.Entry({ name: 'searchEntry',
+                                           /* Translators: this is the text displayed
+                                              in the search entry when no search is
+                                              active; it should not exceed ~30
+                                              characters. */
+                                           hint_text: _("Type to search..."),
+                                           track_hover: true,
+                                           can_focus: true });
+        this._group.add_actor(this._searchEntry);
+
+        this._viewSelector = new ViewSelector.ViewSelector(this._searchEntry);
         this._group.add_actor(this._viewSelector.actor);
 
         // TODO - recalculate everything when desktop size changes
@@ -477,10 +487,15 @@ const Overview = new Lang.Class({
         this._coverPane.set_position(0, contentY);
         this._coverPane.set_size(primary.width, contentHeight);
 
+        let searchWidth = this._searchEntry.get_width();
+        let searchHeight = this._searchEntry.get_height();
+        let searchX = (primary.width - searchWidth) / 2;
+        let searchY = contentY + this._spacing;
+
         let dashWidth = Math.round(DASH_SPLIT_FRACTION * primary.width);
         let viewWidth = primary.width - dashWidth - this._spacing;
-        let viewHeight = contentHeight - 2 * this._spacing;
-        let viewY = contentY + this._spacing;
+        let viewHeight = contentHeight - 2 * this._spacing - searchHeight;
+        let viewY = contentY + this._spacing + searchHeight;
         let viewX = rtl ? 0 : dashWidth + this._spacing;
 
         // Set the dash's x position - y is handled by a constraint
@@ -493,6 +508,7 @@ const Overview = new Lang.Class({
         }
         this._dash.actor.set_x(dashX);
 
+        this._searchEntry.set_position(searchX, searchY);
         this._viewSelector.actor.set_position(viewX, viewY);
         this._viewSelector.actor.set_size(viewWidth, viewHeight);
     },
diff --git a/js/ui/viewSelector.js b/js/ui/viewSelector.js
index 463b1d5e7..dd5ac20e1 100644
--- a/js/ui/viewSelector.js
+++ b/js/ui/viewSelector.js
@@ -102,21 +102,14 @@ const SearchTab = new Lang.Class({
     Name: 'SearchTab',
     Extends: BaseTab,
 
-    _init: function() {
+    _init: function(searchEntry) {
         this.active = false;
         this._searchPending = false;
         this._searchTimeoutId = 0;
 
         this._searchSystem = new Search.SearchSystem();
 
-        this._entry = new St.Entry({ name: 'searchEntry',
-                                     /* Translators: this is the text displayed
-                                        in the search entry when no search is
-                                        active; it should not exceed ~30
-                                        characters. */
-                                     hint_text: _("Type to search..."),
-                                     track_hover: true,
-                                     can_focus: true });
+        this._entry = searchEntry;
         ShellEntry.addContextMenu(this._entry);
         this._text = this._entry.clutter_text;
         this._text.connect('key-press-event', Lang.bind(this, this._onKeyPress));
@@ -132,7 +125,7 @@ const SearchTab = new Lang.Class({
         this._iconClickedId = 0;
 
         this._searchResults = new SearchDisplay.SearchResults(this._searchSystem);
-        this.parent(this._entry, this._searchResults.actor, _("Search"), 'edit-find');
+        this.parent(new St.Bin() /* Dummy */, this._searchResults.actor, _("Search"), 'edit-find');
 
         this._text.connect('text-changed', Lang.bind(this, this._onTextChanged));
         this._text.connect('key-press-event', Lang.bind(this, function (o, e) {
@@ -352,7 +345,7 @@ const SearchTab = new Lang.Class({
 const ViewSelector = new Lang.Class({
     Name: 'ViewSelector',
 
-    _init : function() {
+    _init : function(searchEntry) {
         this.actor = new St.BoxLayout({ name: 'viewSelector',
                                         vertical: true });
 
@@ -388,7 +381,7 @@ const ViewSelector = new Lang.Class({
         this._tabs = [];
         this._activeTab = null;
 
-        this._searchTab = new SearchTab();
+        this._searchTab = new SearchTab(searchEntry);
         this._searchArea.set_child(this._searchTab.title);
         this._addTab(this._searchTab);