diff --git a/FluentTerminal.App.ViewModels/MainViewModel.cs b/FluentTerminal.App.ViewModels/MainViewModel.cs
index 0b624a7..0fc6b92 100644
--- a/FluentTerminal.App.ViewModels/MainViewModel.cs
+++ b/FluentTerminal.App.ViewModels/MainViewModel.cs
@@ -71,6 +71,12 @@ namespace FluentTerminal.App.ViewModels
             _keyboardCommandService.RegisterCommandHandler(nameof(Command.DuplicateTab), async () => await AddTabAsync(SelectedTerminal.ShellProfile.Clone()));
             _keyboardCommandService.RegisterCommandHandler(nameof(Command.ReconnectTab), async () => { if (SelectedTerminal.ReconnectTabCommand.CanExecute()) await SelectedTerminal.ReconnectTabAsync(); });
 
+            // empty command handlers for copy and paste so that the main window does not execute these when copy keyboard shortcut is used in a popup search panel 
+            // in such a case an exception would be thrown if no handlers are available so these empty ones mitigate that. Also there is no need for these on the main window anyway
+            // so leaving them empty is fine.
+            _keyboardCommandService.RegisterCommandHandler(nameof(Command.Paste), () => { });
+            _keyboardCommandService.RegisterCommandHandler(nameof(Command.Copy), () => { });
+
             // Add all of the commands for switching to a tab of a given ID, if there's one open there
             for (int i = 0; i < 9; i++)
             {
diff --git a/FluentTerminal.App.ViewModels/TerminalViewModel.cs b/FluentTerminal.App.ViewModels/TerminalViewModel.cs
index 3e0e7f6..73327da 100644
--- a/FluentTerminal.App.ViewModels/TerminalViewModel.cs
+++ b/FluentTerminal.App.ViewModels/TerminalViewModel.cs
@@ -386,6 +386,8 @@ namespace FluentTerminal.App.ViewModels
             set => Set(ref _showSearchPanel, value);
         }
 
+        public bool SearchHasFocus { get; set; }
+
         public TabThemeViewModel TabTheme
         {
             get => _tabTheme;
@@ -761,10 +763,15 @@ namespace FluentTerminal.App.ViewModels
 
         private async Task Paste()
         {
-            var content = await ClipboardService.GetTextAsync().ConfigureAwait(false);
-            if (content != null)
+            // prevent from pasting something into the terminal window when the actual command is executed
+            // while being in the search box
+            if (!SearchHasFocus)
             {
-                TerminalView.Paste(content);
+                var content = await ClipboardService.GetTextAsync().ConfigureAwait(false);
+                if (content != null)
+                {
+                    TerminalView.Paste(content);
+                }
             }
         }
 
diff --git a/FluentTerminal.App/Views/TerminalView.xaml b/FluentTerminal.App/Views/TerminalView.xaml
index 9209daa..7a3bc35 100644
--- a/FluentTerminal.App/Views/TerminalView.xaml
+++ b/FluentTerminal.App/Views/TerminalView.xaml
@@ -47,7 +47,9 @@
                     IsTabStop="True"
                     KeyUp="OnSearchTextBoxKeyUp"
                     PlaceholderText="Enter search term"
-                    Text="{x:Bind ViewModel.SearchText, Mode=TwoWay, UpdateSourceTrigger=PropertyChanged}">
+                    Text="{x:Bind ViewModel.SearchText, Mode=TwoWay, UpdateSourceTrigger=PropertyChanged}"
+                    GotFocus="SearchTextBox_GotFocus"
+                    LostFocus="SearchTextBox_LostFocus">
                     <Interactivity:Interaction.Behaviors>
                         <Core:DataTriggerBehavior Binding="{x:Bind ViewModel.ShowSearchPanel, Mode=OneWay}" Value="true">
                             <actions:FocusAction />
diff --git a/FluentTerminal.App/Views/TerminalView.xaml.cs b/FluentTerminal.App/Views/TerminalView.xaml.cs
index 81857ff..c1205a8 100644
--- a/FluentTerminal.App/Views/TerminalView.xaml.cs
+++ b/FluentTerminal.App/Views/TerminalView.xaml.cs
@@ -138,5 +138,15 @@ namespace FluentTerminal.App.Views
 
             TerminalContainer.Background = backgroundBrush;
         }
+
+        private void SearchTextBox_GotFocus(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
+        {
+            ViewModel.SearchHasFocus = true;
+        }
+
+        private void SearchTextBox_LostFocus(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
+        {
+            ViewModel.SearchHasFocus = false;
+        }
     }
 }
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