diff --git a/browser/components/search/content/search.xml b/browser/components/search/content/search.xml
index 3be48078ff1..8ee47044a83 100644
--- a/browser/components/search/content/search.xml
+++ b/browser/components/search/content/search.xml
@@ -1143,6 +1143,10 @@
           let isOneOffSelected =
             this.selectedButton &&
             this.selectedButton.classList.contains("searchbar-engine-one-off-item");
+          // Typing de-selects the settings or opensearch buttons at the bottom
+          // of the search panel, as typing shows the user intends to search.
+          if (this.selectedButton && !isOneOffSelected)
+            this.selectedButton = null;
           if (textbox.value) {
             self.removeAttribute("showonlysettings");
             groupText = headerSearchText.previousSibling.value +
diff --git a/browser/components/search/test/browser_searchbar_keyboard_navigation.js b/browser/components/search/test/browser_searchbar_keyboard_navigation.js
index c7d8726c7f8..86cc76c567e 100644
--- a/browser/components/search/test/browser_searchbar_keyboard_navigation.js
+++ b/browser/components/search/test/browser_searchbar_keyboard_navigation.js
@@ -152,6 +152,23 @@ add_task(function* test_arrows() {
      "the textfield value should be back to initial value");
 });
 
+add_task(function* test_typing_clears_button_selection() {
+  is(Services.focus.focusedElement, textbox.inputField,
+     "the search bar should be focused"); // from the previous test.
+  ok(!textbox.selectedButton, "no button should be selected");
+
+  EventUtils.synthesizeKey("VK_UP", {});
+  is(textbox.selectedButton.getAttribute("anonid"), "search-settings",
+     "the settings item should be selected");
+
+  // Type a character.
+  EventUtils.synthesizeKey("a", {});
+  ok(!textbox.selectedButton, "the settings item should be de-selected");
+
+  // Remove the character.
+  EventUtils.synthesizeKey("VK_BACK_SPACE", {});
+});
+
 add_task(function* test_tab() {
   is(Services.focus.focusedElement, textbox.inputField,
      "the search bar should be focused"); // from the previous test.