diff --git a/src/components/search/search.js b/src/components/search/search.js
index 61a4dae2..db07f5e7 100644
--- a/src/components/search/search.js
+++ b/src/components/search/search.js
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ library.add(
   faSearch
 )
 
+const allSearchTypes = Object.freeze(['statuses', 'media', 'accounts', 'hashtags'])
+
 const Search = {
   components: {
     FollowCard,
@@ -28,14 +30,17 @@ const Search = {
   data () {
     return {
       loadedInitially: false,
-      loading: false,
+      loading: Object.fromEntries(
+        allSearchTypes.map((searchType) => [searchType, false])
+      ),
       searchTerm: this.query || '',
       userIds: [],
       statuses: [],
       media: [],
       hashtags: [],
+      allTabs: allSearchTypes,
       currentResultTab: 'statuses',
-      preferredTab : 'statuses',
+      hasUserSelectedTab: false,
 
       statusesOffset: 0,
       lastStatusFetchCount: 0,
@@ -72,6 +77,10 @@ const Search = {
     canSearchFollowing () {
       return this.isLoggedIn &&
         this.$store.state.instance.searchOptionFollowingEnabled === true
+    },
+    hasAtLeastOneResult () {
+      return allSearchTypes
+        .some((searchType) => this.getVisibleLength(searchType) > 0)
     }
   },
   mounted () {
@@ -97,12 +106,13 @@ const Search = {
     },
     async search (query, searchType = null) {
       if (!query) {
-        this.loading = false
+        for (const searchType of allSearchTypes) {
+          this.loading[searchType] = false
+        }
         return
       }
 
       const isNewSearch = this.lastQuery !== query
-      this.loading = true
       this.$refs.searchInput.blur()
       if (isNewSearch) {
         this.userIds = []
@@ -116,92 +126,102 @@ const Search = {
         this.lastMediaFetchCount = 0
       }
 
-      let searchTypes = ['statuses', 'media', 'accounts', 'hashtags']
-
+      let searchTypes = allSearchTypes
       if (searchType) {
         searchTypes = [searchType]
-      } else if (this.preferredTab !== 'statuses') {
+      } else if (this.currentResultTab !== 'statuses') {
+        // Sort search order; selected tab first
         searchTypes = [
-          this.preferredTab,
-          ...searchTypes.filter((tab) => tab !== this.preferredTab)
+          this.currentResultTab,
+          ...allSearchTypes.filter((tab) => tab !== this.currentResultTab)
         ]
       }
 
+      for (const searchType of searchTypes) {
+        this.loading[searchType] = true
+      }
+
       let oldStatusesLength = this.statuses.length
       let oldMediaLength = this.media.length
 
       let skipMediaSearch = !this.canSearchMediaPosts
 
       for (const searchType of searchTypes) {
-        if (searchType === 'media' && skipMediaSearch) {
-          continue
-        }
-
-        let searchOffset
-        if (searchType === 'statuses') {
-          searchOffset = this.statusesOffset
-        } else if (searchType === 'media') {
-          searchOffset = this.mediaOffset
-        }
-
-        const data = await this.$store.dispatch('search', {
-          q: query,
-          resolve: true,
-          offset: searchOffset,
-          'type': searchType,
-          following:
-            'followingOnly' in this.filter && this.filter.followingOnly
-        })
-
-        // Always append to old results. If new results are empty, this doesn't change anything
-        this.userIds = this.userIds.concat(map(data.accounts, 'id'))
-        this.statuses = uniqBy(this.statuses.concat(data.statuses), 'id')
-        if ('media' in data) {
-          this.media = uniqBy(this.media.concat(data.media), 'id')
-        }
-        this.hashtags = this.hashtags.concat(data.hashtags)
-
-        if (isNewSearch) {
-          this.currentResultTab = this.getActiveTab()
-          if (searchType === 'statuses' && data.statuses.length === 0) {
-            // safe to assume that there are no media posts
-            skipMediaSearch = true
+        try {
+          if (searchType === 'media' && skipMediaSearch) {
+            continue
           }
-        }
 
-        if (
-          !loadedInitially &&
-            Object.values(data).some((result) => result.length > 0)
-        ) {
-          // Show results on the first meaningful response
-          this.loadedInitially = true
-        }
+          let searchOffset
+          if (searchType === 'statuses') {
+            searchOffset = this.statusesOffset
+          } else if (searchType === 'media') {
+            searchOffset = this.mediaOffset
+          }
 
-        if (searchType === 'statuses') {
-          // Offset from whatever we already have
-          this.statusesOffset = this.statuses.length
-          // Because the amount of new statuses can actually be zero, compare to old length instead
-          this.lastStatusFetchCount = this.statuses.length - oldStatusesLength
-        } else if (searchType === 'media') {
-          this.mediaOffset = this.media.length
-          this.lastMediaFetchCount = this.media.length - oldMediaLength
+          const data = await this.$store.dispatch('search', {
+            q: query,
+            resolve: true,
+            offset: searchOffset,
+            'type': searchType,
+            following:
+              'followingOnly' in this.filter && this.filter.followingOnly
+          })
+
+          // Always append to old results. If new results are empty, this doesn't change anything
+          this.userIds = this.userIds.concat(map(data.accounts, 'id'))
+          this.statuses = uniqBy(this.statuses.concat(data.statuses), 'id')
+          if ('media' in data) {
+            this.media = uniqBy(this.media.concat(data.media), 'id')
+          }
+          this.hashtags = this.hashtags.concat(data.hashtags)
+
+          if (isNewSearch) {
+            if (!this.hasUserSelectedTab) {
+              this.currentResultTab = this.getFirstTabWithResults()
+            }
+            if (searchType === 'statuses' && data.statuses.length === 0) {
+              // Safe to assume that there are no media posts
+              skipMediaSearch = true
+            }
+          }
+        } catch (error) {
+          console.error(error)
+        } finally {
+          if (!this.loadedInitially && this.hasAtLeastOneResult) {
+            // Show results on the first meaningful response
+            this.loadedInitially = true
+          }
+          this.loading[searchType] = false
+
+          if (searchType === 'statuses') {
+            // Offset from whatever we already have
+            this.statusesOffset = this.statuses.length
+            // Because the amount of new statuses can actually be zero, compare to old length instead
+            this.lastStatusFetchCount = this.statuses.length - oldStatusesLength
+          } else if (searchType === 'media') {
+            this.mediaOffset = this.media.length
+            this.lastMediaFetchCount = this.media.length - oldMediaLength
+          }
         }
       }
 
       this.lastQuery = query
       this.loadedInitially = true
-      this.loading = false
+      for (const searchType of allSearchTypes) {
+        this.loading[searchType] = false
+      }
     },
-    resultCount (tabName) {
-      const length = this[tabName].length
+    resultCount (tab) {
+      const length = this.getVisibleLength(tab)
 
       if (length === 0 || !this.loadedInitially) {
         return ''
       }
 
       if (
-        (tabName === 'visibleStatuses' && this.lastStatusFetchCount !== 0) ||
-        (tabName === 'visibleMedia' && this.lastMediaFetchCount !== 0)
+        (tab === 'statuses' && this.lastStatusFetchCount !== 0) ||
+        (tab === 'media' && this.lastMediaFetchCount !== 0)
       ) {
         return ` (${length}+)`
       }
@@ -210,24 +230,11 @@ const Search = {
     },
     onResultTabSwitch (key) {
       this.currentResultTab = key
-      this.preferredTab = key
-      this.loading = false
+      this.hasUserSelectedTab = true
     },
-    getActiveTab () {
-      const available = {
-        statuses: this.visibleStatuses.length > 0,
-        media: this.visibleMedia.length > 0,
-        accounts: this.users.length > 0,
-        hashtags: this.hashtags.length > 0,
-      }
-
-      if (available[this.preferredTab]) {
-        return this.preferredTab
-      }
-
-      const tabOrder = ['statuses', 'media', 'accounts', 'hashtags']
-      for (const tab of tabOrder) {
-        if (available[tab]) {
+    getFirstTabWithResults () {
+      for (const tab of allSearchTypes) {
+        if (this.getVisibleLength(tab) > 0) {
           return tab
         }
       }
@@ -236,6 +243,17 @@ const Search = {
     },
     lastHistoryRecord (hashtag) {
       return hashtag.history && hashtag.history[0]
+    },
+    getVisibleLength (tab) {
+      if (tab === 'statuses') {
+        return this.visibleStatuses.length
+      } else if (tab === 'media') {
+        return this.visibleMedia.length
+      } else if (tab === 'accounts') {
+        return this.users.length
+      } else if (tab === 'hashtags') {
+        return this.hashtags.length
+      }
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/components/search/search.vue b/src/components/search/search.vue
index 1a6e2d1b..389f8900 100644
--- a/src/components/search/search.vue
+++ b/src/components/search/search.vue
@@ -27,23 +27,7 @@
         <FAIcon icon="search" />
       </button>
     </div>
-    <div
-      v-if="
-        loading &&
-          visibleStatuses.length === 0 &&
-          visibleMedia.length === 0 &&
-          users.length === 0 &&
-          hashtags.length === 0
-      "
-      class="text-center loading-icon"
-    >
-      <FAIcon
-        icon="circle-notch"
-        spin
-        size="lg"
-      />
-    </div>
-    <div v-else-if="loadedInitially">
+    <div v-if="loadedInitially">
       <div class="search-nav-heading">
         <tab-switcher
           ref="tabSwitcher"
@@ -52,16 +36,16 @@
         >
           <span
             key="statuses"
-            :label="$t('user_card.statuses') + resultCount('visibleStatuses')"
+            :label="$t('user_card.statuses') + resultCount('statuses')"
           />
           <span
             v-if="canSearchMediaPosts"
             key="media"
-            :label="$t('user_card.media') + resultCount('visibleMedia')"
+            :label="$t('user_card.media') + resultCount('media')"
           />
           <span
             key="accounts"
-            :label="$t('search.people') + resultCount('users')"
+            :label="$t('search.people') + resultCount('accounts')"
           />
           <span
             key="hashtags"
@@ -71,6 +55,16 @@
       </div>
     </div>
     <div class="panel-body">
+      <div
+        v-if="!loadedInitially"
+        class="text-center loading-icon"
+      >
+        <FAIcon
+          icon="circle-notch"
+          spin
+          size="lg"
+        />
+      </div>
       <div v-if="currentResultTab === 'statuses'">
         <Conversation
           v-for="status in visibleStatuses"
@@ -80,7 +74,7 @@
           :status-id="status.id"
         />
         <button
-          v-if="!loading && loadedInitially && lastStatusFetchCount > 0"
+          v-if="!loading['statuses'] && loadedInitially && lastStatusFetchCount > 0"
           class="more-statuses-button button-unstyled -link -fullwidth"
           @click.prevent="search(searchTerm, 'statuses')"
         >
@@ -89,7 +83,7 @@
           </div>
         </button>
         <div
-          v-else-if="loading && statusesOffset > 0"
+          v-else-if="loading['statuses'] && statusesOffset > 0"
           class="text-center loading-icon"
         >
           <FAIcon
@@ -99,7 +93,10 @@
           />
         </div>
         <div
-          v-if="(visibleStatuses.length === 0 || lastStatusFetchCount === 0) && !loading && loadedInitially"
+          v-if="
+            (visibleStatuses.length === 0 || lastStatusFetchCount === 0) &&
+              !loading['statuses'] && loadedInitially
+          "
           class="search-result-heading"
         >
           <h4>
@@ -116,7 +113,7 @@
           :status-id="media.id"
         />
         <button
-          v-if="!loading && loadedInitially && lastMediaFetchCount > 0"
+          v-if="!loading['media'] && loadedInitially && lastMediaFetchCount > 0"
           class="more-statuses-button button-unstyled -link -fullwidth"
           @click.prevent="search(searchTerm, 'media')"
         >
@@ -125,7 +122,7 @@
           </div>
         </button>
         <div
-          v-else-if="loading && mediaOffset > 0"
+          v-else-if="loading['media'] && mediaOffset > 0"
           class="text-center loading-icon"
         >
           <FAIcon
@@ -135,7 +132,10 @@
           />
         </div>
         <div
-          v-if="(visibleMedia.length === 0 || lastMediaFetchCount === 0) && !loading && loadedInitially"
+          v-if="
+            (visibleMedia.length === 0 || lastMediaFetchCount === 0) &&
+              !loading['media'] && loadedInitially
+          "
           class="search-result-heading"
         >
           <h4>
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@
       </div>
       <div v-else-if="currentResultTab === 'accounts'">
         <div
-          v-if="users.length === 0 && !loading && loadedInitially"
+          v-if="users.length === 0 && !loading['accounts'] && loadedInitially"
           class="search-result-heading"
         >
           <h4>{{ $t('search.no_results') }}</h4>
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@
       </div>
       <div v-else-if="currentResultTab === 'hashtags'">
         <div
-          v-if="hashtags.length === 0 && !loading && loadedInitially"
+          v-if="hashtags.length === 0 && !loading['hashtags'] && loadedInitially"
           class="search-result-heading"
         >
           <h4>{{ $t('search.no_results') }}</h4>
@@ -294,5 +294,4 @@
   height: 3.5em;
   line-height: 3.5em;
 }
-
 </style>