diff --git a/client/galaxy/scripts/templates/tool_search.handlebars b/client/galaxy/scripts/templates/tool_search.handlebars
index bd035f2e92b..995b9ce4af4 100644
--- a/client/galaxy/scripts/templates/tool_search.handlebars
+++ b/client/galaxy/scripts/templates/tool_search.handlebars
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
-<input type="text" name="query" value="{{search_hint_string}}" id="tool-search-query" autocomplete="off" class="search-query parent-width" />
+<input type="text" name="query" placeholder="{{search_hint_string}}" id="tool-search-query" autocomplete="off" class="search-query parent-width" />
 <a id="search-clear-btn" title="clear search (esc)"> </a>
-<img src="{{spinner_url}}" id="search-spinner" class="search-spinner"/>
\ No newline at end of file
+<img src="{{spinner_url}}" id="search-spinner" class="search-spinner"/>
diff --git a/static/scripts/templates/tool_search.handlebars b/static/scripts/templates/tool_search.handlebars
index bd035f2e92b..995b9ce4af4 100644
--- a/static/scripts/templates/tool_search.handlebars
+++ b/static/scripts/templates/tool_search.handlebars
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
-<input type="text" name="query" value="{{search_hint_string}}" id="tool-search-query" autocomplete="off" class="search-query parent-width" />
+<input type="text" name="query" placeholder="{{search_hint_string}}" id="tool-search-query" autocomplete="off" class="search-query parent-width" />
 <a id="search-clear-btn" title="clear search (esc)"> </a>
-<img src="{{spinner_url}}" id="search-spinner" class="search-spinner"/>
\ No newline at end of file
+<img src="{{spinner_url}}" id="search-spinner" class="search-spinner"/>