diff --git a/src/js/codemirror/search-thread.js b/src/js/codemirror/search-thread.js
index 29d4465d6..c3eda6de8 100644
--- a/src/js/codemirror/search-thread.js
+++ b/src/js/codemirror/search-thread.js
@@ -157,6 +157,10 @@ if (
         }, { once: true });
     };
 
+    const needHaystack = function() {
+        return worker instanceof Object === false;
+    };
+
     const setHaystack = function(content) {
         init();
         worker.postMessage({ what: 'setHaystack', content });
@@ -183,7 +187,7 @@ if (
         });
     };
 
-    self.searchThread = { setHaystack, search, shutdown };
+    self.searchThread = { needHaystack, setHaystack, search, shutdown };
 }
 
 /******************************************************************************/
diff --git a/src/js/codemirror/search.js b/src/js/codemirror/search.js
index cc91b742d..4c0f7e86c 100644
--- a/src/js/codemirror/search.js
+++ b/src/js/codemirror/search.js
@@ -286,7 +286,7 @@
         }
         state.overlay = searchOverlay(state.query, queryCaseInsensitive(state.query));
         cm.addOverlay(state.overlay);
-        if ( state.dirty ) {
+        if ( state.dirty || self.searchThread.needHaystack() ) {
             self.searchThread.setHaystack(cm.getValue());
             state.dirty = false;
         }