diff --git a/plugins/search/src/components/SearchBar/SearchBar.test.tsx b/plugins/search/src/components/SearchBar/SearchBar.test.tsx
index 2c5a02eacb..de8ea9a5a7 100644
--- a/plugins/search/src/components/SearchBar/SearchBar.test.tsx
+++ b/plugins/search/src/components/SearchBar/SearchBar.test.tsx
@@ -21,7 +21,11 @@ import { SearchContextProvider } from '../SearchContext';
 
 import { SearchBar } from './SearchBar';
 import { configApiRef } from '@backstage/core-plugin-api';
-import { ApiProvider, ApiRegistry } from '@backstage/core-app-api';
+import {
+  ApiProvider,
+  ApiRegistry,
+  ConfigReader,
+} from '@backstage/core-app-api';
 import { searchApiRef } from '../../apis';
 
 jest.mock('@backstage/core-plugin-api', () => ({
@@ -37,10 +41,9 @@ describe('SearchBar', () => {
   };
 
   const query = jest.fn().mockResolvedValue({});
-  const getString = jest.fn().mockReturnValue('Mock title');
 
   const apiRegistry = ApiRegistry.from([
-    [configApiRef, { getString }],
+    [configApiRef, new ConfigReader({ app: { title: 'Mock title' } })],
     [searchApiRef, { query }],
   ]);
 
diff --git a/plugins/search/src/components/SearchBar/SearchBar.tsx b/plugins/search/src/components/SearchBar/SearchBar.tsx
index a1b88cbae7..214e22520c 100644
--- a/plugins/search/src/components/SearchBar/SearchBar.tsx
+++ b/plugins/search/src/components/SearchBar/SearchBar.tsx
@@ -55,7 +55,8 @@ export const SearchBarBase = ({
   }, [onChange]);
 
   const placeholder =
-    overridePlaceholder ?? `Search in ${configApi.getString('app.title')}`;
+    overridePlaceholder ??
+    `Search in ${configApi.getOptionalString('app.title') || 'Backstage'}`;
 
   return (
     <InputBase