diff --git a/CHANGELOG.txt b/CHANGELOG.txt
index 836660ea0..deb33e013 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.txt
+++ b/CHANGELOG.txt
@@ -4,8 +4,8 @@
   options
 * added the ability to click transport metadata to display a context menu with
   a list of actions for the current track/artist/album
-* added the ability to search/filter in browse view; focus the category list
-  and press `Shift+F`.
+* added the ability to search/filter in browse view; press `^F` to toggle the
+  feature on and off.
 * fixed a bug that could cause tracks to sort incorrectly if some tracks in
   the album have a disc number specified and others don't.
 * added the ability to use `libelogind` or `basu` instead of `libsystemd` for
diff --git a/src/musikcube/app/layout/BrowseLayout.cpp b/src/musikcube/app/layout/BrowseLayout.cpp
index a63e1e259..ff425ab6f 100755
--- a/src/musikcube/app/layout/BrowseLayout.cpp
+++ b/src/musikcube/app/layout/BrowseLayout.cpp
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ void BrowseLayout::OnLayout() {
     this->categoryList->MoveAndResize(x, y, categoryWidth, cy - categoryListBottomMargin);
 
     if (showFilter) {
-        bool refocusFilter = !this->categoryListFilter->IsVisible();
+        const bool refocusFilter = !this->categoryListFilter->IsVisible();
         this->categoryListFilter->Show();
         this->categoryListFilter->MoveAndResize(
             x + kFilterPadding,
@@ -227,6 +227,13 @@ void BrowseLayout::LoadLastSession() {
         this->SwitchCategory(field);
         this->ScrollTo(field, id);
     }
+    this->showCategoryListFilter = session->GetBool(keys::LastBrowseFilterVisible, false);
+    if (this->showCategoryListFilter) {
+        const std::string filter = session->GetString(keys::LastBrowseFilter);
+        if (filter != this->currentFilter) {
+            this->categoryListFilter->SetText(filter);
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 void BrowseLayout::SaveSession() {
@@ -235,6 +242,8 @@ void BrowseLayout::SaveSession() {
     const double id = static_cast<double>(this->categoryList->GetSelectedId());
     session->SetString(keys::LastBrowseCategoryType, type.c_str());
     session->SetDouble(keys::LastBrowseCategoryId, id);
+    session->SetBool(keys::LastBrowseFilterVisible, this->showCategoryListFilter);
+    session->SetString(keys::LastBrowseFilter, this->currentFilter.c_str());
 }
 
 void BrowseLayout::ProcessMessage(musik::core::runtime::IMessage &message) {
@@ -271,7 +280,7 @@ void BrowseLayout::ProcessMessage(musik::core::runtime::IMessage &message) {
         }
 
         case cube::message::RequeryCategoryList: {
-            this->categoryList->Requery(this->currentFilter);
+            this->categoryList->Requery(this->currentFilter, 0);
             break;
         }
 
@@ -391,16 +400,7 @@ void BrowseLayout::ShowTrackSortOverlay() {
 }
 
 bool BrowseLayout::KeyPress(const std::string& key) {
-    if (key == "^[" && this->showCategoryListFilter) {
-        if (this->GetFocus() == this->categoryList ||
-            this->GetFocus() == this->categoryListFilter)
-        {
-            this->showCategoryListFilter = false;
-            this->Layout();
-            return true;
-        }
-    }
-    else if (key == "KEY_ENTER") {
+    if (key == "KEY_ENTER") {
         /* if the tracklist is NOT focused (i.e. the focus is on a
         category window), start playback from the top. */
         if (this->GetFocus() != this->trackList) {
@@ -412,21 +412,10 @@ bool BrowseLayout::KeyPress(const std::string& key) {
         }
     }
 	else if (Hotkeys::Is(Hotkeys::BrowseCategoryFilter, key)) {
-        if (this->GetFocus() == this->categoryList ||
-            this->GetFocus() == this->categoryListFilter)
-        {
-            /* if the filter is visible but the list is focused, focus the filter */
-            if (this->GetFocus() == this->categoryList && this->showCategoryListFilter) {
-                this->SetFocus(this->categoryListFilter);
-            }
-            /* otherwise, toggle the filter visibility */
-            else {
-                this->showCategoryListFilter = !this->showCategoryListFilter;
-                this->Layout();
-            }
-            return true;
-        }
-	}
+        this->showCategoryListFilter = !this->showCategoryListFilter;
+        this->Layout();
+        return true;
+    }
     else if (Hotkeys::Is(Hotkeys::TrackListChangeSortOrder, key)) {
         this->ShowTrackSortOverlay();
         return true;
diff --git a/src/musikcube/app/util/Hotkeys.cpp b/src/musikcube/app/util/Hotkeys.cpp
index 69c979528..aaee4fbbe 100755
--- a/src/musikcube/app/util/Hotkeys.cpp
+++ b/src/musikcube/app/util/Hotkeys.cpp
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ static std::unordered_map<Id, std::string, EnumHasher> ID_TO_DEFAULT = {
     { Id::PlayQueueHotSwap, "M-a" },
     { Id::PlayQueueClear, "X" },
 
-    { Id::BrowseCategoryFilter, "F" },
+    { Id::BrowseCategoryFilter, "^F" },
 
     { Id::BrowsePlaylistsSave, "M-s" },
     { Id::BrowsePlaylistsNew, "M-n" },
diff --git a/src/musikcube/app/util/PreferenceKeys.cpp b/src/musikcube/app/util/PreferenceKeys.cpp
index 64042ac70..7c1a5054c 100644
--- a/src/musikcube/app/util/PreferenceKeys.cpp
+++ b/src/musikcube/app/util/PreferenceKeys.cpp
@@ -50,6 +50,8 @@ namespace musik { namespace cube { namespace prefs {
     const std::string keys::LastBrowseCategoryType = "LastBrowseCategoryType";
     const std::string keys::LastBrowseCategoryId = "LastBrowseCategoryId";
     const std::string keys::LastBrowseDirectoryRoot = "LastBrowseDirectoryRoot";
+    const std::string keys::LastBrowseFilterVisible = "LastBrowseFilterVisible";
+    const std::string keys::LastBrowseFilter = "LastBrowseFilter";
     const std::string keys::LastCategoryFilter = "LastCategoryFilter";
     const std::string keys::LastCategoryFilterMatchType = "LastCategoryFilterMatchType";
     const std::string keys::LastTrackFilter = "LastTrackFilter";
diff --git a/src/musikcube/app/util/PreferenceKeys.h b/src/musikcube/app/util/PreferenceKeys.h
index d25e7d74c..15aefe2fb 100644
--- a/src/musikcube/app/util/PreferenceKeys.h
+++ b/src/musikcube/app/util/PreferenceKeys.h
@@ -52,6 +52,8 @@ namespace musik { namespace cube { namespace prefs {
         extern const std::string LastBrowseCategoryType;
         extern const std::string LastBrowseCategoryId;
         extern const std::string LastBrowseDirectoryRoot;
+        extern const std::string LastBrowseFilterVisible;
+        extern const std::string LastBrowseFilter;
         extern const std::string LastCategoryFilter;
         extern const std::string LastCategoryFilterMatchType;
         extern const std::string LastTrackFilter;
diff --git a/src/musikcube/app/window/CategoryListView.cpp b/src/musikcube/app/window/CategoryListView.cpp
index 06966791a..8ec175d74 100755
--- a/src/musikcube/app/window/CategoryListView.cpp
+++ b/src/musikcube/app/window/CategoryListView.cpp
@@ -266,6 +266,9 @@ void CategoryListView::OnQueryCompleted(IQuery* query) {
         int selectedIndex = -1;
         if (this->selectAfterQuery != -1LL) {
             selectedIndex = active->GetIndexOf(this->selectAfterQuery);
+            if (selectedIndex == -1) {
+                selectedIndex = 0;
+            }
         }
 
         if (this->activeQuery &&