diff --git a/app/views/layouts/_header.html.haml b/app/views/layouts/_header.html.haml
index 63b6d8820..8386be2e1 100644
--- a/app/views/layouts/_header.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/layouts/_header.html.haml
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
   - elsif (current_user || !@landing_page)
     #global_search
       = form_tag(people_path, :method => 'get', :class => "search_form") do
-        = text_field_tag 'q', nil, :placeholder => t('find_people'), :type => 'search', :results => 5
+        = text_field_tag 'q', params[:q], :placeholder => t('find_people'), :type => 'search', :results => 5
 
     #nav_badges
       #home_badge.badge