diff --git a/app/components/search-box.gjs b/app/components/search-box.gjs
index 515ecbc..8b822cb 100644
--- a/app/components/search-box.gjs
+++ b/app/components/search-box.gjs
@@ -35,23 +35,26 @@ export default class SearchBoxComponent extends Component {
 
   @action
   handleInput(event) {
-    this.query = event.target.value;
+    const value = event.target.value;
+    this.query = value;
     if (this.args.onQueryChange) {
-      this.args.onQueryChange(this.query);
+      this.args.onQueryChange(value);
     }
 
-    if (this.query.length < 2) {
+    if (value.length < 2) {
       this.results = [];
       return;
     }
 
-    this.searchTask.perform();
+    this.searchTask.perform(value);
   }
 
-  searchTask = task({ restartable: true }, async () => {
+  searchTask = task({ restartable: true }, async (term) => {
     await timeout(300);
 
-    if (this.query.length < 2) return;
+    const query = typeof term === 'string' ? term : this.query;
+
+    if (query.length < 2) return;
 
     this.isLoading = true;
     try {
@@ -62,7 +65,7 @@ export default class SearchBoxComponent extends Component {
       }
 
       // Filter categories
-      const q = this.query.toLowerCase();
+      const q = query.toLowerCase();
       const categoryMatches = POI_CATEGORIES.filter((c) =>
         c.label.toLowerCase().includes(q)
       ).map((c) => ({
@@ -72,7 +75,7 @@ export default class SearchBoxComponent extends Component {
         icon: 'search',
       }));
 
-      const results = await this.photon.search(this.query, lat, lon);
+      const results = await this.photon.search(query, lat, lon);
       this.results = [...categoryMatches, ...results];
     } catch (e) {
       console.error('Search failed', e);
diff --git a/tests/integration/components/search-box-test.gjs b/tests/integration/components/search-box-test.gjs
index 2f53aa1..a67705a 100644
--- a/tests/integration/components/search-box-test.gjs
+++ b/tests/integration/components/search-box-test.gjs
@@ -134,4 +134,45 @@ module('Integration | Component | search-box', function (hooks) {
 
     assert.verifySteps(['search: cafe, 52.52, 13.405']);
   });
+
+  test('it allows typing even when controlled by parent with a query argument', async function (assert) {
+    class MockPhotonService extends Service {
+      async search() {
+        return [];
+      }
+    }
+    this.owner.register('service:photon', MockPhotonService);
+
+    this.query = '';
+    this.updateQuery = (val) => {
+      this.set('query', val);
+    };
+    this.noop = () => {};
+
+    await render(
+      <template>
+        <SearchBox
+          @query={{this.query}}
+          @onQueryChange={{this.updateQuery}}
+          @onToggleMenu={{this.noop}}
+        />
+      </template>
+    );
+
+    // Initial state
+    assert.dom('.search-input').hasValue('');
+
+    // Simulate typing
+    await fillIn('.search-input', 't');
+    assert.dom('.search-input').hasValue('t', 'Input should show "t"');
+
+    await fillIn('.search-input', 'te');
+    assert.dom('.search-input').hasValue('te', 'Input should show "te"');
+
+    // Simulate external update (e.g. chip click)
+    this.set('query', 'restaurant');
+    // wait for re-render
+    await click('.search-input'); // just to trigger a change cycle or ensure stability
+    assert.dom('.search-input').hasValue('restaurant', 'Input should update from external change');
+  });
 });