diff --git a/.github/workflows/test.yml b/.github/workflows/test.yml
index 0e0971b74..22d60bc2f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test.yml
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ jobs:
           packages/ui/components/MarkdownEditor.extensions.test.tsx
           packages/ui/components/sidebar/FileBrowser.test.ts
           packages/editor/editableDocumentsHook.test.tsx
+          packages/review-editor/hooks/useReviewSearch.test.tsx
           packages/ui/components/AnnotationPanel.props.test.tsx
           packages/ui/components/Viewer.consumer.test.tsx
           packages/ui/components/InlineMarkdown.seam.test.tsx
diff --git a/packages/review-editor/App.tsx b/packages/review-editor/App.tsx
index e17c25b42..6641c21de 100644
--- a/packages/review-editor/App.tsx
+++ b/packages/review-editor/App.tsx
@@ -34,7 +34,12 @@ import { useAIChat } from './hooks/useAIChat';
 import { toast, Toaster } from 'sonner';
 import { useCodeNav, type CodeNavRequest } from './hooks/useCodeNav';
 import { extractLinesFromPatch } from './utils/patchParser';
-import { isTypingTarget, useReviewSearch, type ReviewSearchMatch } from './hooks/useReviewSearch';
+import {
+  shouldHandleReviewSearchShortcut,
+  isTypingTarget,
+  useReviewSearch,
+  type ReviewSearchMatch,
+} from './hooks/useReviewSearch';
 import { useEditorAnnotations } from '@plannotator/ui/hooks/useEditorAnnotations';
 import { useExternalAnnotations } from '@plannotator/ui/hooks/useExternalAnnotations';
 import { useAgentJobs, jobMatchesReviewContext } from '@plannotator/ui/hooks/useAgentJobs';
@@ -1193,7 +1198,13 @@ const ReviewApp: React.FC = () => {
       // Bail while the guide takeover is open (file tree isn't rendered) and
       // don't intercept in the Commits view (its rail has no search input) —
       // in both cases capturing the key would mutate hidden state or no-op.
-      if ((e.metaKey || e.ctrlKey) && e.key.toLowerCase() === 'f' && !isTypingTarget(e.target)) {
+      // Let the same shortcut reselect the current query when search already
+      // has focus, while preserving native shortcuts in every other input.
+      if (
+        (e.metaKey || e.ctrlKey)
+        && e.key.toLowerCase() === 'f'
+        && shouldHandleReviewSearchShortcut(e.target, searchInputRef.current)
+      ) {
         if (guideOpen) return;
         if (hasSearchableFiles && !showCommitsPanel) {
           e.preventDefault();
diff --git a/packages/review-editor/hooks/useReviewSearch.test.tsx b/packages/review-editor/hooks/useReviewSearch.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..58351044c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/review-editor/hooks/useReviewSearch.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,102 @@
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, test } from 'bun:test';
+import React from 'react';
+import { act } from 'react';
+import { createRoot, type Root } from 'react-dom/client';
+import {
+  shouldHandleReviewSearchShortcut,
+  useReviewSearch,
+  type UseReviewSearchResult,
+} from './useReviewSearch';
+
+const hasDom = typeof document !== 'undefined';
+
+let host: HTMLDivElement | null = null;
+let root: Root | null = null;
+let latest: UseReviewSearchResult | null = null;
+
+function Harness() {
+  const search = useReviewSearch({
+    files: [],
+    activeFilePath: null,
+  });
+  latest = search;
+
+  return (
+    <input
+      ref={search.searchInputRef}
+      value={search.searchQuery}
+      onChange={event => search.handleSearchInputChange(event.target.value)}
+    />
+  );
+}
+
+async function mountHarness(): Promise<HTMLInputElement> {
+  host = document.createElement('div');
+  document.body.appendChild(host);
+  root = createRoot(host);
+
+  await act(async () => {
+    root!.render(<Harness />);
+  });
+
+  const input = host.querySelector('input');
+  if (!input) throw new Error('search input did not render');
+  return input;
+}
+
+async function openSearch(): Promise<void> {
+  await act(async () => {
+    latest!.openSearch();
+    await new Promise<void>(resolve => requestAnimationFrame(() => resolve()));
+  });
+}
+
+function fakeElement(tagName: string, isContentEditable = false): HTMLElement {
+  return { tagName, isContentEditable } as HTMLElement;
+}
+
+afterEach(async () => {
+  if (root) {
+    await act(async () => {
+      root!.unmount();
+    });
+  }
+  host?.remove();
+  host = null;
+  root = null;
+  latest = null;
+});
+
+describe('useReviewSearch', () => {
+  test('handles shortcuts outside editable controls and inside the review search input', () => {
+    const searchInput = fakeElement('INPUT') as HTMLInputElement;
+
+    expect(shouldHandleReviewSearchShortcut(searchInput, searchInput)).toBe(true);
+    expect(shouldHandleReviewSearchShortcut(fakeElement('INPUT'), searchInput)).toBe(false);
+    expect(shouldHandleReviewSearchShortcut(fakeElement('TEXTAREA'), searchInput)).toBe(false);
+    expect(shouldHandleReviewSearchShortcut(fakeElement('DIV', true), searchInput)).toBe(false);
+    expect(shouldHandleReviewSearchShortcut(fakeElement('DIV'), searchInput)).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  test.skipIf(!hasDom)('selects the existing query whenever search is opened again', async () => {
+    const input = await mountHarness();
+
+    await act(async () => {
+      latest!.handleSearchInputChange('firstFunction');
+    });
+
+    input.blur();
+    input.setSelectionRange(input.value.length, input.value.length);
+    await openSearch();
+
+    expect(document.activeElement).toBe(input);
+    expect(input.selectionStart).toBe(0);
+    expect(input.selectionEnd).toBe(input.value.length);
+
+    input.setSelectionRange(input.value.length, input.value.length);
+    await openSearch();
+
+    expect(input.selectionStart).toBe(0);
+    expect(input.selectionEnd).toBe(input.value.length);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/review-editor/hooks/useReviewSearch.ts b/packages/review-editor/hooks/useReviewSearch.ts
index 593343ead..79860865c 100644
--- a/packages/review-editor/hooks/useReviewSearch.ts
+++ b/packages/review-editor/hooks/useReviewSearch.ts
@@ -20,6 +20,13 @@ export function isTypingTarget(target: EventTarget | null): boolean {
   return tagName === 'INPUT' || tagName === 'TEXTAREA' || element.isContentEditable;
 }
 
+export function shouldHandleReviewSearchShortcut(
+  target: EventTarget | null,
+  searchInput: HTMLInputElement | null,
+): boolean {
+  return !isTypingTarget(target) || target === searchInput;
+}
+
 interface UseReviewSearchOptions {
   files: ReviewSearchableDiffFile[];
   activeFilePath: string | null;
@@ -72,7 +79,12 @@ export function useReviewSearch({
 
   const openSearch = useCallback(() => {
     setIsSearchOpen(true);
-    requestAnimationFrame(() => searchInputRef.current?.focus());
+    requestAnimationFrame(() => {
+      const input = searchInputRef.current;
+      if (!input) return;
+      input.focus();
+      input.select();
+    });
   }, []);
 
   const closeSearch = useCallback(() => {