diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/parts/search/browser/searchWidget.ts b/src/vs/workbench/parts/search/browser/searchWidget.ts
index bb134d0d1b14dd01b972855585a91588aa61299b..6fe164daf55eefa7b68676b135c87c1f49719e63 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/parts/search/browser/searchWidget.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/parts/search/browser/searchWidget.ts
@@ -108,12 +108,9 @@ export class SearchWidget extends Widget {
 	private _onReplaceAll = this._register(new Emitter<void>());
 	public onReplaceAll: Event<void> = this._onReplaceAll.event;
 
-	private hasBeenCleared: boolean;
-
 	constructor(container: Builder, private contextViewService: IContextViewService, options: ISearchWidgetOptions = Object.create(null),
 		private keyBindingService: IContextKeyService, private keyBindingService2: IKeybindingService, private instantiationService: IInstantiationService) {
 		super();
-		this.setHasBeenCleared(false);
 		this.searchHistory = new HistoryNavigator<string>();
 		this.replaceActive = Constants.ReplaceActiveKey.bindTo(this.keyBindingService);
 		this.searchInputBoxFocussed = Constants.SearchInputBoxFocussedKey.bindTo(this.keyBindingService);
@@ -140,17 +137,12 @@ export class SearchWidget extends Widget {
 		}
 	}
 
-	public setHasBeenCleared(cleared: boolean): void {
-		this.hasBeenCleared = cleared;
-	}
-
 	public setWidth(width: number) {
 		this.searchInput.setWidth(width - 2);
 		this.replaceInput.width = width - 28;
 	}
 
 	public clear() {
-		this.setHasBeenCleared(true);
 		this.searchInput.clear();
 		this.replaceInput.value = '';
 		this.setReplaceAllActionState(false);
@@ -179,8 +171,7 @@ export class SearchWidget extends Widget {
 
 	public showPreviousSearchTerm() {
 		let previous;
-		if (this.hasBeenCleared) {
-			this.setHasBeenCleared(false);
+		if (this.searchInput.getValue().length === 0) {
 			previous = this.searchHistory.current();
 		} else {
 			previous = this.searchHistory.previous();