diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/search/layout.html b/bookwyrm/templates/search/layout.html
index 005cda9d..da0f651a 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/search/layout.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/search/layout.html
@@ -10,14 +10,14 @@
     </h1>
 </div>
 
-<form class="block">
+<form class="block" action="{% url 'search' %}" method="GET">
     <div class="field has-addons">
         <div class="control">
-            <input type="input" class="input" value="{{ query }}">
+            <input type="input" class="input" name="q" value="{{ query }}">
         </div>
         <div class="control">
             <div class="select">
-                <select>
+                <select name="type">
                     <option value="book" {% if type == "book" %}selected{% endif %}>{% trans "Books" %}</option>
                     <option value="user" {% if type == "user" %}selected{% endif %}>{% trans "Users" %}</option>
                     <option value="list" {% if type == "list" %}selected{% endif %}>{% trans "Lists" %}</option>
@@ -35,25 +35,25 @@
 
 <nav class="tabs">
     <ul>
-        {% url 'search' "book" as url %}
-        <li{% if request.path in url %} class="is-active"{% endif %}>
-            <a href="{{ url }}">{% trans "Books" %}</a>
+        <li{% if type == "book" %} class="is-active"{% endif %}>
+            <a href="{% url 'search' %}?q={{ query }}&type=book">{% trans "Books" %}</a>
         </li>
-        {% url 'search' "user" as url %}
-        <li{% if url in request.path %} class="is-active"{% endif %}>
-            <a href="{{ url }}">{% trans "Users" %}</a>
+        <li{% if type == "user" %} class="is-active"{% endif %}>
+            <a href="{% url 'search' %}?q={{ query }}&type=user">{% trans "Users" %}</a>
         </li>
-        {% url 'search' "list" as url %}
-        <li{% if url in request.path %} class="is-active"{% endif %}>
-            <a href="{{ url }}">{% trans "Lists" %}</a>
+        <li{% if type == "list" %} class="is-active"{% endif %}>
+            <a href="{% url 'search' %}?q={{ query }}&type=list">{% trans "Lists" %}</a>
         </li>
     </ul>
 </nav>
 
-<div class="block columns">
-    <section class="block">
-        {% block panel %}
-        {% endblock %}
-    </section>
-</div>
+<section class="block">
+    {% block panel %}
+    {% endblock %}
+    {% if not results %}
+    <p>
+        <em>{% blocktrans %}No results found for "{{ query }}"{% endblocktrans %}</em>
+    </p>
+    {% endif %}
+</section>
 {% endblock %}
diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/search/list.html b/bookwyrm/templates/search/list.html
index 5d66ef90..d7e48f51 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/search/list.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/search/list.html
@@ -2,8 +2,6 @@
 
 {% block panel %}
 
-{% for result in results %}
-hi
-{% endfor %}
+{% include 'lists/list_items.html' with lists=results %}
 
 {% endblock %}
diff --git a/bookwyrm/urls.py b/bookwyrm/urls.py
index a06e0bd4..5412378e 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/urls.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/urls.py
@@ -164,7 +164,6 @@ urlpatterns = [
     ),
     # search
     re_path(r"^search/?$", views.Search.as_view(), name="search"),
-    re_path(r"^search/(?P<search_type>user|list|book)/?$", views.Search.as_view(), name="search"),
     # imports
     re_path(r"^import/?$", views.Import.as_view()),
     re_path(r"^import/(\d+)/?$", views.ImportStatus.as_view()),
diff --git a/bookwyrm/views/search.py b/bookwyrm/views/search.py
index aaca7377..cfbc1f0b 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/views/search.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/views/search.py
@@ -18,10 +18,11 @@ from .helpers import handle_remote_webfinger
 class Search(View):
     """search users or books"""
 
-    def get(self, request, search_type=None):
+    def get(self, request):
         """that search bar up top"""
         query = request.GET.get("q")
         min_confidence = request.GET.get("min_confidence", 0.1)
+        search_type = request.GET.get("type")
 
         if is_api_request(request):
             # only return local book results via json so we don't cascade
@@ -30,38 +31,39 @@ class Search(View):
             )
             return JsonResponse([r.json() for r in book_results], safe=False)
 
+        if not search_type:
+            search_type = "user" if "@" in query else "book"
+
+        endpoints = {
+            "book": book_search,
+            "user": user_search,
+            "list": list_search,
+        }
+        if not search_type in endpoints:
+            search_type = "book"
+        endpoint = endpoints[search_type]
+
         data = {"query": query or "", "type": search_type}
-        results = {}
-        if query:
-            # make a guess about what type of query this is for
-            if search_type == "user" or (not search_type and "@" in query):
-                results = user_search(query, request.user)
-            elif search_type == "list":
-                results = list_search(query, request.user)
-            else:
-                results = book_search(query, min_confidence)
+        results = endpoint(query, request.user, min_confidence) if query else {}
 
         return TemplateResponse(
-            request,
-            "search/{:s}.html".format(search_type or "book"),
-            {**data, **results}
+            request, "search/{:s}.html".format(search_type), {**data, **results}
         )
 
 
-def book_search(query, min_confidence):
+def book_search(query, _, min_confidence):
     """that search bar up top"""
 
     return {
-        "query": query or "",
         "results": connector_manager.search(query, min_confidence=min_confidence),
     }
 
 
-def user_search(query, viewer):
+def user_search(query, viewer, _):
     """that search bar up top"""
     # logged out viewers can't search users
     if not viewer.is_authenticated:
-        return None
+        return {}
 
     # use webfinger for mastodon style account@domain.com username to load the user if
     # they don't exist locally (handle_remote_webfinger will check the db)
@@ -69,7 +71,6 @@ def user_search(query, viewer):
         handle_remote_webfinger(query)
 
     return {
-        "query": query,
         "results": (
             models.User.viewer_aware_objects(viewer)
             .annotate(
@@ -86,10 +87,9 @@ def user_search(query, viewer):
     }
 
 
-def list_search(query, viewer):
+def list_search(query, viewer, _):
     """any relevent lists?"""
     return {
-        "query": query,
         "results": (
             privacy_filter(
                 viewer,