diff --git a/novelwriter/core/coretools.py b/novelwriter/core/coretools.py
index f6558600..b8fc5ba1 100644
--- a/novelwriter/core/coretools.py
+++ b/novelwriter/core/coretools.py
@@ -382,8 +382,7 @@ class DocSearch:
                         escaped += f"\\{c}"
                 search = escaped
         if self._words:
-            search = search if search.startswith("\\b") else f"\\b{search}"
-            search = search if search.endswith("\\b") else f"{search}\\b"
+            search = f"(?:^|\\b){search}(?:$|\\b)"
         return search
 
 # END Class DocSearch
diff --git a/novelwriter/gui/doceditor.py b/novelwriter/gui/doceditor.py
index d695f041..fbf4f224 100644
--- a/novelwriter/gui/doceditor.py
+++ b/novelwriter/gui/doceditor.py
@@ -596,6 +596,15 @@ class GuiDocEditor(QPlainTextEdit):
         text = text.replace(nwUnicode.U_PSEP, "\n")  # Paragraph separators
         return text
 
+    def getSelectedText(self) -> str:
+        """Get currently selected text."""
+        if (cursor := self.textCursor()).hasSelection():
+            text = cursor.selectedText()
+            text = text.replace(nwUnicode.U_LSEP, "\n")  # Line separators
+            text = text.replace(nwUnicode.U_PSEP, "\n")  # Paragraph separators
+            return text
+        return ""
+
     def getCursorPosition(self) -> int:
         """Find the cursor position in the document. If the editor has a
         selection, return the position of the end of the selection.
@@ -642,12 +651,13 @@ class GuiDocEditor(QPlainTextEdit):
                 logger.debug("Cursor moved to line %d", line)
         return
 
-    def setCursorSelection(self, selStart: int, selLength: int) -> None:
+    def setCursorSelection(self, start: int, length: int) -> None:
         """Make a text selection."""
-        cursor = self.textCursor()
-        cursor.setPosition(selStart, QTextCursor.MoveMode.MoveAnchor)
-        cursor.setPosition(selStart + selLength, QTextCursor.MoveMode.KeepAnchor)
-        self.setTextCursor(cursor)
+        if start >= 0 and length > 0:
+            cursor = self.textCursor()
+            cursor.setPosition(start, QTextCursor.MoveMode.MoveAnchor)
+            cursor.setPosition(start + length, QTextCursor.MoveMode.KeepAnchor)
+            self.setTextCursor(cursor)
         return
 
     ##
@@ -1280,11 +1290,7 @@ class GuiDocEditor(QPlainTextEdit):
 
     def beginSearch(self) -> None:
         """Set the selected text as the search text."""
-        cursor = self.textCursor()
-        if cursor.hasSelection():
-            self.docSearch.setSearchText(cursor.selectedText())
-        else:
-            self.docSearch.setSearchText(None)
+        self.docSearch.setSearchText(self.getSelectedText() or None)
         resS, _ = self.findAllOccurences()
         self.docSearch.setResultCount(None, len(resS))
         return
@@ -2226,7 +2232,7 @@ class BackgroundWordCounter(QRunnable):
         """
         self._isRunning = True
         if self._forSelection:
-            text = self._docEditor.textCursor().selectedText()
+            text = self._docEditor.getSelectedText()
         else:
             text = self._docEditor.getText()
 
diff --git a/novelwriter/gui/search.py b/novelwriter/gui/search.py
index 0394c26e..769689ee 100644
--- a/novelwriter/gui/search.py
+++ b/novelwriter/gui/search.py
@@ -192,10 +192,13 @@ class GuiProjectSearch(QWidget):
             )
         return
 
-    def beginSearch(self) -> None:
+    def beginSearch(self, text: str = "") -> None:
         """Focus the search box and select its text, if any."""
         self.searchText.setFocus()
         self.searchText.selectAll()
+        if text:
+            self.searchText.setText(text.partition("\n")[0])
+            self.searchText.selectAll()
         return
 
     def closeProjectTasks(self) -> None:
diff --git a/novelwriter/guimain.py b/novelwriter/guimain.py
index 3a336577..14f9a494 100644
--- a/novelwriter/guimain.py
+++ b/novelwriter/guimain.py
@@ -1168,7 +1168,9 @@ class GuiMain(QMainWindow):
         elif view == nwView.SEARCH:
             self.mainStack.setCurrentWidget(self.splitMain)
             self.projStack.setCurrentWidget(self.projSearch)
-            self.projSearch.beginSearch()
+            self.projSearch.beginSearch(
+                self.docEditor.getSelectedText() if self.docEditor.anyFocus() else ""
+            )
         elif view == nwView.OUTLINE:
             self.mainStack.setCurrentWidget(self.outlineView)
         return