diff --git a/fcore/normal-mode/normal-mode.sml b/fcore/normal-mode/normal-mode.sml
index 2812729..9e44dc5 100644
--- a/fcore/normal-mode/normal-mode.sml
+++ b/fcore/normal-mode/normal-mode.sml
@@ -5,14 +5,14 @@ struct
   open AppType
   open InputMsg
 
-  (* todo: create draw msg showing search bar *)
   fun switchToNormalSearchMode (app: app_type) =
     let
       val mode =
         NORMAL_SEARCH_MODE
           {searchString = "", tempSearchList = Vector.fromList []}
     in
-      NormalModeWith.mode (app, mode, [])
+      NormalSearchFinish.onSearchChanged
+        (app, "", Vector.fromList [], #buffer app)
     end
 
   fun getNumLength (pos, str) =
diff --git a/fcore/normal-mode/normal-search-finish.sml b/fcore/normal-mode/normal-search-finish.sml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..792655a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/fcore/normal-mode/normal-search-finish.sml
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+structure NormalSearchFinish =
+struct
+  open AppType
+
+  fun onSearchChanged (app: app_type, searchString, tempSearchList, buffer) =
+    let
+      open DrawMsg
+
+      val {buffer, cursorIdx, startLine, windowWidth, windowHeight, ...} = app
+      val mode =
+        NORMAL_SEARCH_MODE
+          {searchString = searchString, tempSearchList = tempSearchList}
+
+      val floatWindowWidth = Real32.fromInt windowWidth
+      val floatWindowHeight = Real32.fromInt windowHeight
+
+      val searchStringPosY = windowHeight - TextConstants.ySpace - 5
+
+      val initialTextAcc = TextBuilder.buildLineToList
+        ( searchString
+        , 5
+        , searchStringPosY
+        , windowWidth
+        , floatWindowWidth
+        , floatWindowHeight
+        )
+
+      val buffer = LineGap.goToLine (startLine, buffer)
+      val startLine = TextWindow.getStartLine
+        (buffer, startLine, cursorIdx, windowWidth, windowHeight)
+
+      val remainingWindowHeight = windowHeight - (TextConstants.ySpace * 2)
+
+      val msgs = TextBuilder.buildWithExisting
+        ( startLine
+        , cursorIdx
+        , buffer
+        , windowWidth
+        , remainingWindowHeight
+        , floatWindowWidth
+        , floatWindowHeight
+        , tempSearchList
+        , searchString
+        , []
+        , initialTextAcc
+        , []
+        )
+    in
+      NormalSearchModeWith.changeTempSearchString
+        (app, buffer, startLine, mode, msgs)
+    end
+
+end
diff --git a/fcore/normal-mode/normal-search-mode.sml b/fcore/normal-mode/normal-search-mode.sml
index 2ce1f13..abf3e6e 100644
--- a/fcore/normal-mode/normal-search-mode.sml
+++ b/fcore/normal-mode/normal-search-mode.sml
@@ -4,54 +4,6 @@ struct
   open InputMsg
   open MailboxType
 
-  fun onSearchChanged (app: app_type, searchString, tempSearchList, buffer) =
-    let
-      open DrawMsg
-
-      val {buffer, cursorIdx, startLine, windowWidth, windowHeight, ...} = app
-      val mode =
-        NORMAL_SEARCH_MODE
-          {searchString = searchString, tempSearchList = tempSearchList}
-
-      val floatWindowWidth = Real32.fromInt windowWidth
-      val floatWindowHeight = Real32.fromInt windowHeight
-
-      val searchStringPosY = windowHeight - TextConstants.ySpace - 5
-
-      val initialTextAcc = TextBuilder.buildLineToList
-        ( searchString
-        , 5
-        , searchStringPosY
-        , windowWidth
-        , floatWindowWidth
-        , floatWindowHeight
-        )
-
-      val buffer = LineGap.goToLine (startLine, buffer)
-      val startLine = TextWindow.getStartLine
-        (buffer, startLine, cursorIdx, windowWidth, windowHeight)
-
-      val remainingWindowHeight = windowHeight - (TextConstants.ySpace * 2)
-
-      val msgs = TextBuilder.buildWithExisting
-        ( startLine
-        , cursorIdx
-        , buffer
-        , windowWidth
-        , remainingWindowHeight
-        , floatWindowWidth
-        , floatWindowHeight
-        , tempSearchList
-        , searchString
-        , []
-        , initialTextAcc
-        , []
-        )
-    in
-      NormalSearchModeWith.changeTempSearchString
-        (app, buffer, startLine, mode, msgs)
-    end
-
   fun addChr (app: app_type, searchString, chr) =
     let
       val {cursorIdx, buffer, ...} = app
@@ -63,7 +15,8 @@ struct
       val tempSearchList =
         SearchList.buildRange (buffer, searchString, cursorIdx + 1111)
     in
-      onSearchChanged (app, searchString, tempSearchList, buffer)
+      NormalSearchFinish.onSearchChanged
+        (app, searchString, tempSearchList, buffer)
     end
 
   (* return to normal mode, keeping the same searchString and searchList
diff --git a/shf.mlb b/shf.mlb
index 99c0633..3f39a47 100644
--- a/shf.mlb
+++ b/shf.mlb
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ fcore/cursor.sml
 fcore/text-window.sml
 
 fcore/normal-mode/normal-finish.sml
+fcore/normal-mode/normal-search-finish.sml
 fcore/move.sml
 
 fcore/normal-mode/normal-move.sml