diff --git a/cockatrice/src/game/zones/view_zone_widget.cpp b/cockatrice/src/game/zones/view_zone_widget.cpp
index 1721831ac..f0430f549 100644
--- a/cockatrice/src/game/zones/view_zone_widget.cpp
+++ b/cockatrice/src/game/zones/view_zone_widget.cpp
@@ -56,6 +56,11 @@ ZoneViewWidget::ZoneViewWidget(Player *_player,
 
         connect(help, &QAction::triggered, this, [this] { createSearchSyntaxHelpWindow(&searchEdit); });
 
+        if (SettingsCache::instance().getFocusCardViewSearchBar()) {
+            this->setActive(true);
+            searchEdit.setFocus();
+        }
+
         QGraphicsProxyWidget *searchEditProxy = new QGraphicsProxyWidget;
         searchEditProxy->setWidget(&searchEdit);
         searchEditProxy->setZValue(2000000007);