diff --git a/plugins/search/src/components/SearchModal/useSearchModal.test.tsx b/plugins/search/src/components/SearchModal/useSearchModal.test.tsx
index 424dffff76..26c40d87b9 100644
--- a/plugins/search/src/components/SearchModal/useSearchModal.test.tsx
+++ b/plugins/search/src/components/SearchModal/useSearchModal.test.tsx
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 
 import { act, renderHook } from '@testing-library/react-hooks';
 import { useSearchModal } from './useSearchModal';
+import { BrowserRouter } from 'react-router-dom';
 
 describe('useSearchModal', () => {
   it.each([
@@ -24,14 +25,18 @@ describe('useSearchModal', () => {
   ])(
     'should return the correct state when initial state is %s',
     (initialState, result) => {
-      const rendered = renderHook(() => useSearchModal(initialState));
+      const rendered = renderHook(() => useSearchModal(initialState), {
+        wrapper: BrowserRouter,
+      });
 
       expect(rendered.result.current.state).toEqual(result);
     },
   );
 
   it('should keep open forever to true once modal is toggled', () => {
-    const rendered = renderHook(() => useSearchModal());
+    const rendered = renderHook(() => useSearchModal(), {
+      wrapper: BrowserRouter,
+    });
     act(() => rendered.result.current.toggleModal());
 
     expect(rendered.result.current.state).toEqual({
@@ -47,7 +52,9 @@ describe('useSearchModal', () => {
   });
 
   it('should keep open to false if setOpen(false) is invoked on an initially closed modal', () => {
-    const rendered = renderHook(() => useSearchModal());
+    const rendered = renderHook(() => useSearchModal(), {
+      wrapper: BrowserRouter,
+    });
     act(() => rendered.result.current.setOpen(false));
     expect(rendered.result.current.state).toEqual({
       open: false,
@@ -56,7 +63,9 @@ describe('useSearchModal', () => {
   });
 
   it('should keep open forever to true even when the modal transition from opened to closed', () => {
-    const rendered = renderHook(() => useSearchModal());
+    const rendered = renderHook(() => useSearchModal(), {
+      wrapper: BrowserRouter,
+    });
 
     act(() => rendered.result.current.setOpen(true));
     expect(rendered.result.current.state).toEqual({
diff --git a/plugins/search/src/components/SearchModal/useSearchModal.tsx b/plugins/search/src/components/SearchModal/useSearchModal.tsx
index 91a2c38bfa..5298768700 100644
--- a/plugins/search/src/components/SearchModal/useSearchModal.tsx
+++ b/plugins/search/src/components/SearchModal/useSearchModal.tsx
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import {
   createVersionedContext,
   createVersionedValueMap,
 } from '@backstage/version-bridge';
+import { useUpdateEffect } from 'react-use';
 
 /**
  * The state of the search modal, as well as functions for changing the modal's
@@ -143,22 +144,12 @@ export function useSearchModal(initialState = false) {
 
   // Monitor route pathname changes to automatically hide the modal.
   const { pathname } = useLocation();
-  const [openedPathname, setOpenedPathname] = useState<string | null>(null);
-  const { open, hidden } = state;
-  const isModalOpened = !isParentContextPresent && open && !hidden;
-  useEffect(() => {
-    if (isModalOpened) {
-      setOpenedPathname(pathname);
-    }
-  }, [isModalOpened, pathname]);
-  useEffect(() => {
-    if (isModalOpened && openedPathname && openedPathname !== pathname) {
-      setState(prevState => ({
-        open: prevState.open,
-        hidden: true,
-      }));
-    }
-  }, [isModalOpened, openedPathname, pathname]);
+  useUpdateEffect(() => {
+    setState(prevState => ({
+      open: prevState.open,
+      hidden: true,
+    }));
+  }, [pathname]);
 
   // Inherit from parent context, if set.
   return isParentContextPresent