diff --git a/web/styles/search.css b/web/styles/search.css
index 1e7ebb0598..1f1eb4786c 100644
--- a/web/styles/search.css
+++ b/web/styles/search.css
@@ -391,6 +391,10 @@
             align-items: center;
         }
 
+        .search_list_item .description {
+            margin: 2px 0;
+        }
+
         .search_list_item .pill-container {
             margin: 2px 0;
             /* This contains only one pill, which handles its own border */
diff --git a/web/templates/search_list_item.hbs b/web/templates/search_list_item.hbs
index 7e262087f6..d599f4eabb 100644
--- a/web/templates/search_list_item.hbs
+++ b/web/templates/search_list_item.hbs
@@ -1,14 +1,12 @@
 <div class="search_list_item">
     {{#each pills}}
-        <span class="pill-container">
-            {{#if (eq this.type "search_user")}}
-                {{> search_user_pill this}}
-            {{else if (eq this.operator "search")}}
-                {{{this.description_html}}}
-            {{else}}
-                {{> input_pill this}}
-            {{/if}}
-        </span>
+        {{#if (eq this.operator "search")}}
+            <div class="description">{{{this.description_html}}}</div>
+        {{else if (eq this.type "search_user")}}
+            <span class="pill-container">{{> search_user_pill this}}</span>
+        {{else}}
+            <span class="pill-container">{{> input_pill this}}</span>
+        {{/if}}
     {{/each}}
     {{#if description_html}}<div class="description">{{{description_html}}}</div>{{/if}}
 </div>
diff --git a/web/tests/search.test.cjs b/web/tests/search.test.cjs
index c7856cda5b..80326e298f 100644
--- a/web/tests/search.test.cjs
+++ b/web/tests/search.test.cjs
@@ -115,12 +115,12 @@ run_test("initialize", ({override, override_rewire, mock_template}) => {
 
             /* Test highlighter */
             let description_html = "Search for ver";
-            let expected_value = `<div class="search_list_item">\n        <span class="pill-container">\n                ${description_html}\n        </span>\n    \n</div>\n`;
+            let expected_value = `<div class="search_list_item">\n            <div class="description">Search for ver</div>\n    \n</div>\n`;
             assert.equal(opts.item_html(source[0]), expected_value);
 
             const search_string = "channel: Verona";
             description_html = "Stream Verona";
-            expected_value = `<div class="search_list_item">\n        <span class="pill-container">\n                <div class='pill ' tabindex=0>\n    <span class="pill-label">\n        <span class="pill-value">\n            ${search_string}\n        </span></span>\n    <div class="exit">\n        <a role="button" class="zulip-icon zulip-icon-close pill-close-button"></a>\n    </div>\n</div>\n                    </span>\n    <div class="description">${description_html}</div>\n</div>\n`;
+            expected_value = `<div class="search_list_item">\n            <span class="pill-container"><div class='pill ' tabindex=0>\n    <span class="pill-label">\n        <span class="pill-value">\n            ${search_string}\n        </span></span>\n    <div class="exit">\n        <a role="button" class="zulip-icon zulip-icon-close pill-close-button"></a>\n    </div>\n</div>\n</span>\n            <div class="description">${description_html}</div>\n</div>\n`;
             assert.equal(opts.item_html(source[1]), expected_value);
 
             /* Test sorter */
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ run_test("initialize", ({override, override_rewire, mock_template}) => {
 
             /* Test highlighter */
             const description_html = "Search for zo";
-            let expected_value = `<div class="search_list_item">\n        <span class="pill-container">\n                ${description_html}\n        </span>\n    \n</div>\n`;
+            let expected_value = `<div class="search_list_item">\n            <div class="description">${description_html}</div>\n    \n</div>\n`;
             assert.equal(opts.item_html(source[0]), expected_value);
 
             people.add_active_user({
@@ -179,13 +179,13 @@ run_test("initialize", ({override, override_rewire, mock_template}) => {
                 full_name: "Zoe",
             });
             override(realm, "realm_enable_guest_user_indicator", true);
-            expected_value = `<div class="search_list_item">\n        <span class="pill-container">\n                <div class="user-pill-container pill" tabindex=0>\n    <span class="pill-label">sender:\n    </span>\n        <div class="pill" data-user-id="3">\n            <img class="pill-image" src="/avatar/3" />\n            <div class="pill-image-border"></div>\n            <span class="pill-label">\n                <span class="pill-value">Zoe</span></span>\n            <div class="exit">\n                <a role="button" class="zulip-icon zulip-icon-close pill-close-button"></a>\n            </div>\n        </div>\n</div>\n        </span>\n    \n</div>\n`;
+            expected_value = `<div class="search_list_item">\n            <span class="pill-container"><div class="user-pill-container pill" tabindex=0>\n    <span class="pill-label">sender:\n    </span>\n        <div class="pill" data-user-id="3">\n            <img class="pill-image" src="/avatar/3" />\n            <div class="pill-image-border"></div>\n            <span class="pill-label">\n                <span class="pill-value">Zoe</span></span>\n            <div class="exit">\n                <a role="button" class="zulip-icon zulip-icon-close pill-close-button"></a>\n            </div>\n        </div>\n</div>\n</span>\n    \n</div>\n`;
             assert.equal(opts.item_html(source[1]), expected_value);
 
-            expected_value = `<div class="search_list_item">\n        <span class="pill-container">\n                <div class="user-pill-container pill" tabindex=0>\n    <span class="pill-label">dm:\n    </span>\n        <div class="pill" data-user-id="3">\n            <img class="pill-image" src="/avatar/3" />\n            <div class="pill-image-border"></div>\n            <span class="pill-label">\n                <span class="pill-value">Zoe</span></span>\n            <div class="exit">\n                <a role="button" class="zulip-icon zulip-icon-close pill-close-button"></a>\n            </div>\n        </div>\n</div>\n        </span>\n    \n</div>\n`;
+            expected_value = `<div class="search_list_item">\n            <span class="pill-container"><div class="user-pill-container pill" tabindex=0>\n    <span class="pill-label">dm:\n    </span>\n        <div class="pill" data-user-id="3">\n            <img class="pill-image" src="/avatar/3" />\n            <div class="pill-image-border"></div>\n            <span class="pill-label">\n                <span class="pill-value">Zoe</span></span>\n            <div class="exit">\n                <a role="button" class="zulip-icon zulip-icon-close pill-close-button"></a>\n            </div>\n        </div>\n</div>\n</span>\n    \n</div>\n`;
             assert.equal(opts.item_html(source[2]), expected_value);
 
-            expected_value = `<div class="search_list_item">\n        <span class="pill-container">\n                <div class="user-pill-container pill" tabindex=0>\n    <span class="pill-label">dm-including:\n    </span>\n        <div class="pill" data-user-id="3">\n            <img class="pill-image" src="/avatar/3" />\n            <div class="pill-image-border"></div>\n            <span class="pill-label">\n                <span class="pill-value">Zoe</span></span>\n            <div class="exit">\n                <a role="button" class="zulip-icon zulip-icon-close pill-close-button"></a>\n            </div>\n        </div>\n</div>\n        </span>\n    \n</div>\n`;
+            expected_value = `<div class="search_list_item">\n            <span class="pill-container"><div class="user-pill-container pill" tabindex=0>\n    <span class="pill-label">dm-including:\n    </span>\n        <div class="pill" data-user-id="3">\n            <img class="pill-image" src="/avatar/3" />\n            <div class="pill-image-border"></div>\n            <span class="pill-label">\n                <span class="pill-value">Zoe</span></span>\n            <div class="exit">\n                <a role="button" class="zulip-icon zulip-icon-close pill-close-button"></a>\n            </div>\n        </div>\n</div>\n</span>\n    \n</div>\n`;
             assert.equal(opts.item_html(source[3]), expected_value);
 
             /* Test sorter */