diff --git a/apps/client/src/widgets/ribbon/SearchDefinitionTab.tsx b/apps/client/src/widgets/ribbon/SearchDefinitionTab.tsx
index 55c25f73a..78cc24493 100644
--- a/apps/client/src/widgets/ribbon/SearchDefinitionTab.tsx
+++ b/apps/client/src/widgets/ribbon/SearchDefinitionTab.tsx
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import attributes from "../../services/attributes";
 import FNote from "../../entities/fnote";
 import toast from "../../services/toast";
 import froca from "../../services/froca";
-import { useContext, useEffect, useRef, useState } from "preact/hooks";
+import { useContext, useEffect, useState } from "preact/hooks";
 import { ParentComponent } from "../react/react_utils";
 import { useTriliumEvent } from "../react/hooks";
 import appContext from "../../components/app_context";
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@ export default function SearchDefinitionTab({ note, ntxId, hidden }: TabContext)
   const parentComponent = useContext(ParentComponent);
   const [ searchOptions, setSearchOptions ] = useState<{ availableOptions: SearchOption[], activeOptions: SearchOption[] }>();
   const [ error, setError ] = useState<{ message: string }>();
-  const autoExecutedRef = useRef<string | null>(null);
 
   function refreshOptions() {
     if (!note) return;
@@ -76,18 +75,25 @@ export default function SearchDefinitionTab({ note, ntxId, hidden }: TabContext)
 
   useEffect(() => {
     async function autoExecute() {
-      console.log('Effect running, noteId:', note?.noteId, 'ref:', autoExecutedRef.current);
-      if (autoExecutedRef.current !== note?.noteId && note?.hasLabel("autoExecuteSearch")) {
-        console.log('Setting ref to:', note.noteId);
-        autoExecutedRef.current = note.noteId;
-        console.log('Ref after setting:', autoExecutedRef.current);
-        await refreshResults();
-        parentComponent?.triggerCommand("toggleRibbonTabBookProperties", {});
+      if (!note?.hasLabel('autoExecuteSearch')) {
+        return;
       }
-    }
 
+      console.log('Executing search');
+
+      // Only execute if no results exist yet  
+      await refreshResults();
+
+      console.log('Executed search');
+
+      const hasResults = note.children && note.children.length > 0;
+
+      if (hasResults) {
+        parentComponent?.triggerCommand('toggleRibbonTabBookProperties', { ntxId });
+      } 
+    }
     autoExecute();
-  }, [note?.noteId]);
+  }, [note]);
 
   return (
     <div className="search-definition-widget">