diff --git a/ts/components/buttons/MenuButton.tsx b/ts/components/buttons/MenuButton.tsx
index d12c0eace..6b7f128a0 100644
--- a/ts/components/buttons/MenuButton.tsx
+++ b/ts/components/buttons/MenuButton.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { useDispatch, useSelector } from 'react-redux';
 import styled from 'styled-components';
+import { clearSearch } from '../../state/ducks/search';
 import { resetLeftOverlayMode, setLeftOverlayMode } from '../../state/ducks/section';
 import { getLeftOverlayMode } from '../../state/selectors/section';
 import { SessionIcon } from '../icon';
@@ -40,8 +41,10 @@ export const MenuButton = () => {
 
   const isToggled = Boolean(leftOverlayMode);
 
-  const onClickFn = () =>
+  const onClickFn = () => {
+    dispatch(clearSearch());
     dispatch(isToggled ? resetLeftOverlayMode() : setLeftOverlayMode('choose-action'));
+  };
 
   return (
     <StyledMenuButton data-testid="new-conversation-button" onClick={onClickFn}>
diff --git a/ts/components/leftpane/LeftPaneSectionHeader.tsx b/ts/components/leftpane/LeftPaneSectionHeader.tsx
index bbec30bed..317b2c0fb 100644
--- a/ts/components/leftpane/LeftPaneSectionHeader.tsx
+++ b/ts/components/leftpane/LeftPaneSectionHeader.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { useDispatch, useSelector } from 'react-redux';
 import styled from 'styled-components';
+import { clearSearch } from '../../state/ducks/search';
 import {
   SectionType,
   setLeftOverlayMode,
@@ -135,6 +136,9 @@ export const LeftPaneSectionHeader = () => {
 
   const dispatch = useDispatch();
   const returnToActionChooser = () => {
+    if (leftOverlayMode === 'closed-group') {
+      dispatch(clearSearch());
+    }
     dispatch(setLeftOverlayMode('choose-action'));
   };