diff --git a/frontend_tests/node_tests/search.js b/frontend_tests/node_tests/search.js
index a82404803a..5e4d13e3ee 100644
--- a/frontend_tests/node_tests/search.js
+++ b/frontend_tests/node_tests/search.js
@@ -317,13 +317,12 @@ run_test("initiate_search", () => {
     $("#search_query").typeahead = (lookup) => {
         if (lookup === "lookup") {
             typeahead_forced_open = true;
-            return {
-                select: () => {
-                    is_searchbox_text_selected = true;
-                },
-            };
         }
+        return $("#search_query");
     };
+    $("#search_query").on("select", () => {
+        is_searchbox_text_selected = true;
+    });
 
     search.initiate_search();
     assert(typeahead_forced_open);
diff --git a/frontend_tests/node_tests/search_legacy.js b/frontend_tests/node_tests/search_legacy.js
index 55649008c4..88593f20a4 100644
--- a/frontend_tests/node_tests/search_legacy.js
+++ b/frontend_tests/node_tests/search_legacy.js
@@ -263,13 +263,13 @@ run_test("initiate_search", () => {
     $("#search_query").typeahead = (lookup) => {
         if (lookup === "lookup") {
             typeahead_forced_open = true;
-            return {
-                select: () => {
-                    is_searchbox_text_selected = true;
-                },
-            };
         }
+        return $("#search_query");
     };
+    $("#search_query").on("select", () => {
+        is_searchbox_text_selected = true;
+    });
+
     search.initiate_search();
     assert(typeahead_forced_open);
     assert(is_searchbox_text_selected);
diff --git a/static/js/search.js b/static/js/search.js
index 8d473a64a2..8599b65b16 100644
--- a/static/js/search.js
+++ b/static/js/search.js
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ exports.focus_search = function () {
 exports.initiate_search = function () {
     tab_bar.open_search_bar_and_close_narrow_description();
     $("#searchbox").css({"box-shadow": "inset 0px 0px 0px 2px hsl(204, 20%, 74%)"});
-    $("#search_query").typeahead("lookup").select();
+    $("#search_query").typeahead("lookup").trigger("select");
     if (page_params.search_pills_enabled) {
         $("#search_query").trigger("focus");
         ui_util.place_caret_at_end($("#search_query")[0]);