diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 21c23718..fcb85f90 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -112,6 +112,7 @@ executable(
   'main.c',
   'misc.c', 'misc.h',
   'osc.c', 'osc.h',
+  'quirks.c', 'quirks.h',
   'render.c', 'render.h',
   'search.c', 'search.h',
   'selection.c', 'selection.h',
diff --git a/quirks.c b/quirks.c
index a1b1bafe..e96ad98e 100644
--- a/quirks.c
+++ b/quirks.c
@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <stdbool.h>
 
-void
-quirk_weston_subsurface_desync(struct wl_subsurface *sub)
+static bool
+is_weston(void)
 {
     /*
      * On weston (8.0), synchronized subsurfaces aren't updated
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ quirk_weston_subsurface_desync(struct wl_subsurface *sub)
      * since it would defeat the purpose of having the subsurface
      * synchronized in the first place).
      */
-
     static bool is_weston = false;
     static bool initialized = false;
 
@@ -28,8 +27,23 @@ quirk_weston_subsurface_desync(struct wl_subsurface *sub)
         is_weston = getenv("WESTON_CONFIG_FILE") != NULL;
     }
 
-    if (!is_weston)
+    return is_weston;
+}
+
+void
+quirk_weston_subsurface_desync_on(struct wl_subsurface *sub)
+{
+    if (!is_weston())
         return;
 
     wl_subsurface_set_desync(sub);
 }
+
+void
+quirk_weston_subsurface_desync_off(struct wl_subsurface *sub)
+{
+    if (!is_weston())
+        return;
+
+    wl_subsurface_set_sync(sub);
+}
diff --git a/quirks.h b/quirks.h
index 1e087692..ce4b8b01 100644
--- a/quirks.h
+++ b/quirks.h
@@ -2,4 +2,5 @@
 
 #include <wayland-client.h>
 
-void quirk_weston_subsurface_desync(struct wl_subsurface *sub);
+void quirk_weston_subsurface_desync_on(struct wl_subsurface *sub);
+void quirk_weston_subsurface_desync_off(struct wl_subsurface *sub);
diff --git a/render.c b/render.c
index 6e68f76b..df8a98de 100644
--- a/render.c
+++ b/render.c
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 #include "log.h"
 #include "config.h"
 #include "grid.h"
+#include "quirks.h"
 #include "selection.h"
 #include "shm.h"
 
@@ -1211,6 +1212,8 @@ render_search_box(struct terminal *term)
     if (term->search.cursor >= term->search.len)
         draw_bar(term, buf->pix, font, &fg, x, y);
 
+    quirk_weston_subsurface_desync_on(term->window->search_sub_surface);
+
     /* TODO: this is only necessary on a window resize */
     wl_subsurface_set_position(
         term->window->search_sub_surface,
@@ -1229,6 +1232,7 @@ render_search_box(struct terminal *term)
     }
 
     wl_surface_commit(term->window->search_surface);
+    quirk_weston_subsurface_desync_off(term->window->search_sub_surface);
 }
 
 /* Move to terminal.c? */
diff --git a/search.c b/search.c
index 1c5d8e71..f81ce6c6 100644
--- a/search.c
+++ b/search.c
@@ -79,12 +79,12 @@ search_begin(struct terminal *term)
 
     win->search_sub_surface = wl_subcompositor_get_subsurface(
         wayl->sub_compositor, win->search_surface, win->surface);
-    wl_subsurface_set_desync(win->search_sub_surface);
 
     struct wl_region *region = wl_compositor_create_region(term->wl->compositor);
     wl_region_add(region, 0, 0, INT32_MAX, INT32_MAX);
     wl_surface_set_opaque_region(win->search_surface, region);
     wl_region_destroy(region);
+    wl_subsurface_set_sync(win->search_sub_surface);
 
     term->search.original_view = term->grid->view;
     term->search.view_followed_offset = term->grid->view == term->grid->offset;