diff --git a/source/blender/editors/interface/interface.c b/source/blender/editors/interface/interface.c
index d60e2d0cdb6..f8232af5893 100644
--- a/source/blender/editors/interface/interface.c
+++ b/source/blender/editors/interface/interface.c
@@ -4615,6 +4615,9 @@ void UI_but_func_search_set(
 #endif
 		UI_but_func_set(but, bfunc, arg, active);
 	}
+	else {
+		UI_but_func_set(but, but->func, but->func_arg1, active);
+	}
 
 	/* search buttons show red-alert if item doesn't exist, not for menus */
 	if (0 == (but->block->flag & UI_BLOCK_LOOP)) {
diff --git a/source/blender/editors/interface/interface_layout.c b/source/blender/editors/interface/interface_layout.c
index 6cd2ba0b924..b808fc3fe7f 100644
--- a/source/blender/editors/interface/interface_layout.c
+++ b/source/blender/editors/interface/interface_layout.c
@@ -2112,9 +2112,26 @@ void ui_but_add_search(uiBut *but, PointerRNA *ptr, PropertyRNA *prop, PointerRN
 			but->str[0] = 0;
 		}
 
+		/* setting initially selected item */
+		void *data = NULL;
+		switch (RNA_property_type(prop)) {
+			case PROP_POINTER: {
+				PointerRNA pptr = RNA_property_pointer_get(ptr, prop);
+				data = pptr.data;
+				break;
+				}
+			case PROP_ENUM: {
+				data = RNA_property_enum_get(ptr, prop);
+				break;
+				}
+			case PROP_STRING: {
+				break;
+			}
+		}
+
 		UI_but_func_search_set(
 		        but, ui_searchbox_create_generic, ui_rna_collection_search_cb,
-		        coll_search, NULL, NULL);
+		        coll_search, NULL, data);
 		but->free_search_arg = true;
 	}
 	else if (but->type == UI_BTYPE_SEARCH_MENU) {