diff --git a/src/lib/components/SearchInline.svelte b/src/lib/components/SearchInline.svelte
index 66e20e4..40e0155 100644
--- a/src/lib/components/SearchInline.svelte
+++ b/src/lib/components/SearchInline.svelte
@@ -2,17 +2,11 @@
   import { goto } from "$app/navigation";
   import type { SearchResult } from "$lib/search";
   import { createSearchState } from "$lib/searchState.svelte";
-  import { registerInlineSearch } from "$lib/searchModal.svelte";
   import SearchResults from "$lib/components/SearchResults.svelte";
 
   const search = createSearchState();
 
   let open = $state(false);
-  let inputEl = $state<HTMLInputElement | null>(null);
-
-  // Route the global "/" shortcut and the sidebar/menu triggers here while
-  // this input is on screen
-  $effect(() => registerInlineSearch(() => inputEl?.focus()));
 
   function onInput() {
     search.schedule();
@@ -61,8 +55,8 @@
       />
     </svg>
     <input
-      bind:this={inputEl}
       bind:value={search.query}
+      data-search-inline
       type="search"
       placeholder="Search"
       role="combobox"
diff --git a/src/lib/searchModal.svelte.ts b/src/lib/searchModal.svelte.ts
index 101af29..c923ea9 100644
--- a/src/lib/searchModal.svelte.ts
+++ b/src/lib/searchModal.svelte.ts
@@ -1,25 +1,21 @@
 let open = $state(false);
 
-// When a page hosts an inline search input (the homepage), it registers a
-// focus function here and every search trigger routes to it instead of the
-// modal, so a modal input never opens on top of an inline one.
-let inlineFocus: (() => void) | null = null;
-
 export const searchModal = {
   get open() {
     return open;
   },
 };
 
-export function registerInlineSearch(focus: () => void): () => void {
-  inlineFocus = focus;
-  return () => {
-    if (inlineFocus === focus) inlineFocus = null;
-  };
-}
-
+// When the page hosts an inline search input (the homepage), every search
+// trigger focuses it instead of opening the modal, so a modal input never
+// opens on top of an inline one. Resolved through the DOM rather than a
+// registration callback: it needs no lifecycle bookkeeping and stays correct
+// even if HMR instantiates this module twice in dev.
 export function openSearch() {
-  if (inlineFocus) inlineFocus();
+  const inline = document.querySelector<HTMLInputElement>(
+    "[data-search-inline]",
+  );
+  if (inline) inline.focus();
   else open = true;
 }