diff --git a/plugins/search/src/components/SearchBarNext/SearchBarNext.test.tsx b/plugins/search/src/components/SearchBarNext/SearchBarNext.test.tsx
index f29cc53b71..a5075c5593 100644
--- a/plugins/search/src/components/SearchBarNext/SearchBarNext.test.tsx
+++ b/plugins/search/src/components/SearchBarNext/SearchBarNext.test.tsx
@@ -15,7 +15,8 @@
  */
 
 import React from 'react';
-import { renderInTestApp } from '@backstage/test-utils';
+import { screen, render, waitFor, act } from '@testing-library/react';
+import userEvent from '@testing-library/user-event';
 import { useApi } from '@backstage/core';
 
 import { SearchContextProvider } from '../SearchContext';
@@ -23,12 +24,10 @@ import { SearchBarNext } from './SearchBarNext';
 
 jest.mock('@backstage/core', () => ({
   ...jest.requireActual('@backstage/core'),
-  useApi: jest.fn(),
+  useApi: jest.fn().mockReturnValue({}),
 }));
 
-describe('<SearchBarNext />', () => {
-  const _alphaPerformSearch = jest.fn();
-
+describe('SearchBarNext', () => {
   const initialState = {
     term: '',
     pageCursor: '',
@@ -36,24 +35,119 @@ describe('<SearchBarNext />', () => {
     types: ['*'],
   };
 
-  beforeEach(() => {
-    _alphaPerformSearch.mockResolvedValue([]);
-    (useApi as jest.Mock).mockReturnValue({ _alphaPerformSearch });
-  });
+  const name = 'Search term';
+  const term = 'term';
+
+  const _alphaPerformSearch = jest.fn().mockResolvedValue({});
+  (useApi as jest.Mock).mockReturnValue({ _alphaPerformSearch });
 
   afterAll(() => {
     jest.resetAllMocks();
   });
 
-  it('renders without exploding', async () => {
-    const { getByRole } = await renderInTestApp(
+  it('Renders without exploding', async () => {
+    render(
       <SearchContextProvider initialState={initialState}>
         <SearchBarNext />
       </SearchContextProvider>,
     );
 
-    expect(
-      getByRole('textbox', { name: 'search backstage' }),
-    ).toBeInTheDocument();
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(screen.getByRole('textbox', { name })).toBeInTheDocument();
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('Renders based on initial search', async () => {
+    render(
+      <SearchContextProvider initialState={{ ...initialState, term }}>
+        <SearchBarNext />
+      </SearchContextProvider>,
+    );
+
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(screen.getByRole('textbox', { name })).toHaveValue(term);
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('Updates term state when text is entered', async () => {
+    render(
+      <SearchContextProvider initialState={initialState}>
+        <SearchBarNext />
+      </SearchContextProvider>,
+    );
+
+    const textbox = screen.getByRole('textbox', { name });
+
+    const value = 'value';
+
+    userEvent.type(textbox, value);
+
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(textbox).toHaveValue(value);
+    });
+
+    expect(_alphaPerformSearch).toHaveBeenLastCalledWith(
+      expect.objectContaining({ term: value }),
+    );
+  });
+
+  it('Clear button clears term state', async () => {
+    render(
+      <SearchContextProvider initialState={{ ...initialState, term }}>
+        <SearchBarNext />
+      </SearchContextProvider>,
+    );
+
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(screen.getByRole('textbox', { name })).toHaveValue(term);
+    });
+
+    userEvent.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Clear term' }));
+
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(screen.getByRole('textbox', { name })).toHaveValue('');
+    });
+
+    expect(_alphaPerformSearch).toHaveBeenLastCalledWith(
+      expect.objectContaining({ term: '' }),
+    );
+  });
+
+  it('Adheres to provided debounceTime', async () => {
+    jest.useFakeTimers();
+
+    const debounceTime = 600;
+
+    render(
+      <SearchContextProvider initialState={initialState}>
+        <SearchBarNext debounceTime={debounceTime} />
+      </SearchContextProvider>,
+    );
+
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(screen.getByRole('textbox', { name })).toBeInTheDocument();
+    });
+
+    const textbox = screen.getByRole('textbox', { name });
+
+    const value = 'value';
+
+    userEvent.type(textbox, value);
+
+    expect(_alphaPerformSearch).not.toHaveBeenLastCalledWith(
+      expect.objectContaining({ term: value }),
+    );
+
+    act(() => {
+      jest.advanceTimersByTime(debounceTime);
+    });
+
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(textbox).toHaveValue(value);
+    });
+
+    expect(_alphaPerformSearch).toHaveBeenLastCalledWith(
+      expect.objectContaining({ term: value }),
+    );
   });
 });
diff --git a/plugins/search/src/components/SearchBarNext/SearchBarNext.tsx b/plugins/search/src/components/SearchBarNext/SearchBarNext.tsx
index 014e3d6ee4..b223e6c2cd 100644
--- a/plugins/search/src/components/SearchBarNext/SearchBarNext.tsx
+++ b/plugins/search/src/components/SearchBarNext/SearchBarNext.tsx
@@ -14,17 +14,26 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
-import React, { useState } from 'react';
+import React, { ChangeEvent, useState } from 'react';
 import { useDebounce } from 'react-use';
-import { Paper, InputBase, IconButton, makeStyles } from '@material-ui/core';
+import {
+  Theme,
+  Paper,
+  InputBase,
+  InputAdornment,
+  IconButton,
+  makeStyles,
+} from '@material-ui/core';
 import SearchIcon from '@material-ui/icons/Search';
 import ClearButton from '@material-ui/icons/Clear';
+
 import { useSearch } from '../SearchContext';
 
-const useStyles = makeStyles(() => ({
+const useStyles = makeStyles((theme: Theme) => ({
   root: {
     display: 'flex',
     alignItems: 'center',
+    padding: theme.spacing(0, 0, 0, 1.5),
   },
   input: {
     flex: 1,
@@ -40,36 +49,29 @@ export const SearchBarNext = ({ debounceTime = 0 }: Props) => {
   const { term, setTerm } = useSearch();
   const [value, setValue] = useState<string>(term);
 
-  useDebounce(
-    () => {
-      setTerm(value);
-    },
-    debounceTime,
-    [value],
-  );
+  useDebounce(() => setTerm(value), debounceTime, [value]);
 
-  const handleSearch = (event: React.ChangeEvent | React.FormEvent) => {
-    event.preventDefault();
-    setValue((event.target as HTMLInputElement).value as string);
+  const handleSearch = (e: ChangeEvent<HTMLInputElement>) => {
+    setValue(e.target.value);
   };
 
-  const handleClearSearchBar = () => {
-    setTerm('');
-  };
+  const handleClear = () => setValue('');
 
   return (
-    <Paper component="form" onSubmit={handleSearch} className={classes.root}>
-      <IconButton disabled type="submit" aria-label="search">
-        <SearchIcon />
-      </IconButton>
+    <Paper component="form" className={classes.root}>
       <InputBase
         className={classes.input}
         placeholder="Search in Backstage"
         value={value}
         onChange={handleSearch}
-        inputProps={{ 'aria-label': 'search backstage' }}
+        inputProps={{ 'aria-label': 'Search term' }}
+        startAdornment={
+          <InputAdornment position="start">
+            <SearchIcon />
+          </InputAdornment>
+        }
       />
-      <IconButton aria-label="search" onClick={handleClearSearchBar}>
+      <IconButton aria-label="Clear term" onClick={handleClear}>
         <ClearButton />
       </IconButton>
     </Paper>
diff --git a/plugins/search/src/components/SearchFilterNext/SearchFilterNext.test.tsx b/plugins/search/src/components/SearchFilterNext/SearchFilterNext.test.tsx
index ed9c0ecd74..1a35bf54d4 100644
--- a/plugins/search/src/components/SearchFilterNext/SearchFilterNext.test.tsx
+++ b/plugins/search/src/components/SearchFilterNext/SearchFilterNext.test.tsx
@@ -24,9 +24,7 @@ import { SearchContextProvider } from '../SearchContext';
 
 jest.mock('@backstage/core', () => ({
   ...jest.requireActual('@backstage/core'),
-  useApi: jest.fn().mockReturnValue({
-    _alphaPerformSearch: jest.fn().mockResolvedValue({}),
-  }),
+  useApi: jest.fn().mockReturnValue({}),
 }));
 
 describe('SearchFilterNext', () => {
@@ -44,6 +42,10 @@ describe('SearchFilterNext', () => {
   const _alphaPerformSearch = jest.fn().mockResolvedValue({});
   (useApi as jest.Mock).mockReturnValue({ _alphaPerformSearch });
 
+  afterAll(() => {
+    jest.resetAllMocks();
+  });
+
   it('Check that element was rendered and received props', async () => {
     const CustomFilter = (props: { name: string }) => <h6>{props.name}</h6>;