diff --git a/shf/fcore/search-list/search-list.sml b/shf/fcore/search-list/search-list.sml
index e05f0bd..9c006d6 100644
--- a/shf/fcore/search-list/search-list.sml
+++ b/shf/fcore/search-list/search-list.sml
@@ -131,20 +131,7 @@ struct
 
   fun insertUntilMatch
     (idx, buffer, searchList, dfa, curState, startPos, prevFinalPos) =
-    if idx = #textLength buffer then
-      if prevFinalPos < 0 then
-        (buffer, searchList)
-      else if PersistentVector.isInRange (prevFinalPos, searchList) then
-        (buffer, searchList)
-      else
-        let
-          val searchList =
-            PersistentVector.insertMatchKeepingAbsoluteInddices
-              (startPos, prevFinalPos, searchList)
-        in
-          (buffer, searchList)
-        end
-    else if Dfa.isDead curState then
+    if Dfa.isDead curState then
       if prevFinalPos = ~1 then
         (* no match found: restart search from `startPos + 1` *)
         insertUntilMatch
@@ -161,6 +148,19 @@ struct
         in
           insertUntilMatch (newStart, buffer, searchList, dfa, 0, newStart, ~1)
         end
+    else if idx = #textLength buffer then
+      if prevFinalPos < 0 then
+        (buffer, searchList)
+      else if PersistentVector.isInRange (prevFinalPos, searchList) then
+        (buffer, searchList)
+      else
+        let
+          val searchList =
+            PersistentVector.insertMatchKeepingAbsoluteInddices
+              (startPos, prevFinalPos, searchList)
+        in
+          (buffer, searchList)
+        end
     else
       let
         val buffer = LineGap.goToIdx (idx, buffer)
@@ -176,14 +176,7 @@ struct
 
   fun tryExtendingPrevMatch
     (idx, buffer, searchList, dfa, finalPos, curState, start) =
-    if idx = #textLength buffer then
-      let
-        val searchList =
-          PersistentVector.extendExistingMatch (start, finalPos, searchList)
-      in
-        (buffer, searchList)
-      end
-    else if Dfa.isDead curState then
+    if Dfa.isDead curState then
       let
         val searchList =
           PersistentVector.extendExistingMatch (start, finalPos, searchList)
@@ -191,6 +184,13 @@ struct
         insertUntilMatch
           (finalPos + 1, buffer, searchList, dfa, 0, finalPos + 1, ~1)
       end
+    else if idx = #textLength buffer then
+      let
+        val searchList =
+          PersistentVector.extendExistingMatch (start, finalPos, searchList)
+      in
+        (buffer, searchList)
+      end
     else
       let
         val buffer = LineGap.goToIdx (idx, buffer)
diff --git a/shf/temp.txt b/shf/temp.txt
index a2c1105..93f9fd7 100644
--- a/shf/temp.txt
+++ b/shf/temp.txt
@@ -1,2 +1 @@
-hello hello hello
-world world world
+hello again world
diff --git a/shf/test/normal-delete-tests.sml b/shf/test/normal-delete-tests.sml
index a88537f..36aa39f 100644
--- a/shf/test/normal-delete-tests.sml
+++ b/shf/test/normal-delete-tests.sml
@@ -6296,6 +6296,153 @@ struct
           Expect.isTrue
             (actualString = expectedString andalso cursorIdx = expectedCursorIdx)
         end)
+    , test "has same searchList when deleting after all matches" (fn _ =>
+        let
+          (* arrange *)
+          val originalIdx = 9
+          val originalString = "hello world again\n"
+
+          val app = TestUtils.init originalString
+          val app = AppWith.idx (app, originalIdx)
+
+          val app = TestUtils.updateMany (app, "/o")
+          val app = AppUpdate.update (app, InputMsg.KEY_ENTER, Time.now ())
+
+          (* act *)
+          val newApp = TestUtils.updateMany (app, "dfn")
+        in
+          (* assert *)
+          Expect.isTrue (#searchList app = #searchList newApp)
+        end)
+    , test "decrements search list when we delete text section preceding match"
+        (fn _ =>
+           let
+             (* arrange *)
+             val originalIdx = 0
+             val originalString = "hello\nworld\n"
+
+             val app = TestUtils.init originalString
+             val app = AppWith.idx (app, originalIdx)
+
+             val app = TestUtils.updateMany (app, "/world")
+             val app = AppUpdate.update (app, InputMsg.KEY_ENTER, Time.now ())
+
+             (* act *)
+             val newApp = TestUtils.updateMany (app, "dfl")
+
+             (* assert *)
+             val oldSearchList = #searchList app
+             val oldSearchList = PersistentVector.toList oldSearchList
+
+             val newSearchList = #searchList newApp
+             val newSearchList = PersistentVector.toList newSearchList
+
+             val expectedOldSearchList = [{start = 6, finish = 10}]
+             val expectedNewSearchList = [{start = 3, finish = 7}]
+
+             val assertion =
+               oldSearchList = expectedOldSearchList
+               andalso newSearchList = expectedNewSearchList
+           in
+             Expect.isTrue assertion
+           end)
+    , test "recognises new match when there is a match after deletion" (fn _ =>
+        let
+          (* arrange *)
+          val originalIdx = 5
+          val originalString = "hello again world\n"
+
+          val app = TestUtils.init originalString
+          val app = AppWith.idx (app, originalIdx)
+
+          val app = TestUtils.updateMany (app, "/hello world")
+          val app = AppUpdate.update (app, InputMsg.KEY_ENTER, Time.now ())
+
+          (* act *)
+          val newApp = TestUtils.updateMany (app, "dfn")
+
+          (* assert *)
+          val oldSearchList = #searchList app
+          val oldSearchList = PersistentVector.toList oldSearchList
+          val newSearchList = #searchList newApp
+          val newSearchList = PersistentVector.toList newSearchList
+
+          val expectedOldSearchList = []
+          val expectedNewSearchList = [{start = 0, finish = 10}]
+
+          val assertion =
+            oldSearchList = expectedOldSearchList
+            andalso newSearchList = expectedNewSearchList
+        in
+          Expect.isTrue assertion
+        end)
+    , test
+        "extends existing match when existing match should extend after deletion"
+        (fn _ =>
+           let
+             (* arrange *)
+             val originalIdx = 5
+             val originalString = "hello world\n"
+
+             val app = TestUtils.init originalString
+             val app = AppWith.idx (app, originalIdx)
+
+             val app = TestUtils.updateMany (app, "/o+")
+             val app = AppUpdate.update (app, InputMsg.KEY_ENTER, Time.now ())
+
+             (* act *)
+             val newApp = TestUtils.updateMany (app, "dfw")
+
+             (* assert *)
+             val oldSearchList = #searchList app
+             val oldSearchList = PersistentVector.toList oldSearchList
+
+             val newSearchList = #searchList newApp
+             val newSearchList = PersistentVector.toList newSearchList
+
+             val expectedOldSearchList =
+               [{start = 4, finish = 4}, {start = 7, finish = 7}]
+             val expectedNewSearchList = [{start = 4, finish = 5}]
+
+             val assertion =
+               oldSearchList = expectedOldSearchList
+               andalso newSearchList = expectedNewSearchList
+           in
+             Expect.isTrue assertion
+           end)
+    , test
+        "deletes match in search list \
+        \when match no longer exists in buffer after deletion"
+        (fn _ =>
+           let
+             (* arrange *)
+             val originalIdx = 3
+             val originalString = "hello world test again\n"
+
+             val app = TestUtils.init originalString
+             val app = AppWith.idx (app, originalIdx)
+
+             val app = TestUtils.updateMany (app, "/world")
+             val app = AppUpdate.update (app, InputMsg.KEY_ENTER, Time.now ())
+
+             (* act *)
+             val newApp = TestUtils.updateMany (app, "dft")
+
+             (* assert *)
+             val oldSearchList = #searchList app
+             val oldSearchList = PersistentVector.toList oldSearchList
+             val newSearchList = #searchList newApp
+             val newSearchList = PersistentVector.toList newSearchList
+
+             val expectedOldSearchList = [{start = 6, finish = 10}]
+             val expectedNewSearchList = []
+
+             val assertion =
+               oldSearchList = expectedOldSearchList
+               andalso newSearchList = expectedNewSearchList
+           in
+             Expect.isTrue assertion
+           end)
     ]
 
   val dtDelete = describe "delete motion 'dt<char>'"