diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index bcdf1dd..d3ea7f5 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -41,6 +41,8 @@ The buttons on the bottom are as follows (with equivalent keybinds):
 
 There is a resize handle in the bottom right - clicking and dragging it resizes the window.
 
+At the bottom-left, a small indicator will appear if you have a search query active. Performing the refresh action or switching mailboxes will make it disappear.
+
 ### reading mail
 
 Reading mail is currently done in a terminal that pipes the mail content into `less` and gives some keybind options:
diff --git a/taro-ls.tal b/taro-ls.tal
index 7b00602..0aacdf7 100644
--- a/taro-ls.tal
+++ b/taro-ls.tal
@@ -55,10 +55,10 @@
 
 |0000
 
-@refresh [ &mboxes $1 &list $1 &fg $1 &btns $1 &textbox $1 ]
+@refresh [ &mboxes $1 &list $1 &fg $1 &btns $1 &textbox $1 &etc $1 ]
 @resizing [ $1 &x $2 &y $2 &dx $2 &dy $2 ]
 @decoding [ $1 &msg_type $1 &counting $1 &count $2 &processed $2 ]
-@textbox [ &mode $1 &len $1 &cursor $1 &msg $2 ]
+@textbox [ &mode $1 &len $1 &cursor $1 &msg $2 &searching $1 ]
 @mboxes [ &bytes $2 &data $2 &len $2 &offset $2 &elem_offset $1
           &top $2 &height $1 &select_index $2 &select_len $2
           &sb_len $1 &sb_pos $2 &sb_step $2 ]
@@ -202,6 +202,9 @@ JMP2r
   #01 .Console/write DEO
   ;selected_mbox strlen SWP .Console/write DEO .Console/write DEO
   ;selected_mbox send_str
+
+  #00 .textbox/searching STZ
+  #01 .refresh/etc STZ
   
 JMP2r
 
@@ -218,6 +221,8 @@ JMP2r
   SEARCH_MAIL .Console/write DEO
   ;textbox_text strlen SWP .Console/write DEO .Console/write DEO
   ;textbox_text send_str
+  #01 .textbox/searching STZ
+  #01 .refresh/etc STZ
   
 JMP2r
 
@@ -529,6 +534,7 @@ JMP2r
     #01 .refresh/list STZ
     #01 .refresh/mboxes STZ
     #01 .refresh/btns STZ
+    #01 .refresh/etc STZ
     .Screen/height DEI2 TOP_SECTION BOTTOM_SECTION ADD2 MID_SEPARATOR ADD2 SUB2 #03 SFT2 NIP .list/height STZ
     .Mouse/state DEI
     
@@ -744,16 +750,33 @@ JMP2r
     draw_bone
     .textbox/msg LDZ2 #0008 .Screen/height DEI2 #0010 SUB2 #02 draw_str
   &no_textbox
+
+  .refresh/etc LDZ #00 EQU ,&no_etc JCN
+    draw_search_indicator
+    draw_resize_handle
+    #00 .refresh/etc STZ
+  &no_etc
   
   .refresh/fg LDZ #00 EQU ,&no_fg JCN
     clear_fg
-    draw_resize_handle
     draw_cursor
     #00 .refresh/fg STZ
   &no_fg
   
 BRK
 
+@draw_search_indicator ( -> )
+
+  .textbox/searching LDZ #00 EQU ,&nothing JCN
+   ;search_indicator #0000 .Screen/height DEI2 #0008 SUB2 #01 draw_str
+   JMP2r
+  &nothing
+  #0000 .Screen/x DEO2
+  .Screen/height DEI2 #0008 SUB2 .Screen/y DEO2
+  ;blank .Screen/addr DEO2
+  #01 .Screen/sprite DEO
+JMP2r
+
 @draw_bone ( -> )
 
   #0008 .textbox/cursor LDZ #00 SWP #30 SFT2 ADD2 .Screen/x DEO2
@@ -1047,6 +1070,8 @@ JMP2r
 
 ( -== data ==- )
 
+@search_indicator "$ 00
+
 @search_lbl "SEARCHING: 20 "type 20 "query 20 "and 20 "press 20 "{enter}; 20 "{esc} 20 "to 20 "go 20 "back 00
 @refile_lbl "REFILING: 20 "type 20 "destination 20 "and 20 "press 20 "{enter}; 20 "{esc} 20 "to 20 "go 20 "back 00