diff --git a/resources/js/components/entity-selector-popup.js b/resources/js/components/entity-selector-popup.js
index 6fb461968..29c06e909 100644
--- a/resources/js/components/entity-selector-popup.js
+++ b/resources/js/components/entity-selector-popup.js
@@ -18,18 +18,13 @@ export class EntitySelectorPopup extends Component {
     /**
      * Show the selector popup.
      * @param {Function} callback
-     * @param {String} searchText
      * @param {EntitySelectorSearchOptions} searchOptions
      */
-    show(callback, searchText = '', searchOptions = {}) {
+    show(callback, searchOptions = {}) {
         this.callback = callback;
         this.getSelector().configureSearchOptions(searchOptions);
         this.getPopup().show();
 
-        if (searchText) {
-            this.getSelector().searchText(searchText);
-        }
-
         this.getSelector().focusSearch();
     }
 
diff --git a/resources/js/components/entity-selector.js b/resources/js/components/entity-selector.js
index 5ad991437..561370d7a 100644
--- a/resources/js/components/entity-selector.js
+++ b/resources/js/components/entity-selector.js
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import {Component} from './component';
  * @property entityTypes string
  * @property entityPermission string
  * @property searchEndpoint string
+ * @property initialValue string
  */
 
 /**
@@ -25,6 +26,7 @@ export class EntitySelector extends Component {
             entityTypes: this.$opts.entityTypes || 'page,book,chapter',
             entityPermission: this.$opts.entityPermission || 'view',
             searchEndpoint: this.$opts.searchEndpoint || '',
+            initialValue: this.searchInput.value || '',
         };
 
         this.search = '';
@@ -44,6 +46,7 @@ export class EntitySelector extends Component {
     configureSearchOptions(options) {
         Object.assign(this.searchOptions, options);
         this.reset();
+        this.searchInput.value = this.searchOptions.initialValue;
     }
 
     setupListeners() {
@@ -108,11 +111,6 @@ export class EntitySelector extends Component {
         this.searchInput.focus();
     }
 
-    searchText(queryText) {
-        this.searchInput.value = queryText;
-        this.searchEntities(queryText);
-    }
-
     showLoading() {
         this.loading.style.display = 'block';
         this.resultsContainer.style.display = 'none';
@@ -128,6 +126,11 @@ export class EntitySelector extends Component {
             throw new Error('Search endpoint not set for entity-selector load');
         }
 
+        if (this.searchOptions.initialValue) {
+            this.searchEntities(this.searchOptions.initialValue);
+            return;
+        }
+
         window.$http.get(this.searchUrl()).then(resp => {
             this.resultsContainer.innerHTML = resp.data;
             this.hideLoading();
diff --git a/resources/js/components/page-picker.js b/resources/js/components/page-picker.js
index 39af67229..5ab511595 100644
--- a/resources/js/components/page-picker.js
+++ b/resources/js/components/page-picker.js
@@ -35,7 +35,8 @@ export class PagePicker extends Component {
         const selectorPopup = window.$components.first('entity-selector-popup');
         selectorPopup.show(entity => {
             this.setValue(entity.id, entity.name);
-        }, '', {
+        }, {
+            initialValue: '',
             searchEndpoint: this.selectorEndpoint,
             entityTypes: 'page',
             entityPermission: 'view',
diff --git a/resources/js/markdown/actions.js b/resources/js/markdown/actions.js
index 511f1ebda..73040a57b 100644
--- a/resources/js/markdown/actions.js
+++ b/resources/js/markdown/actions.js
@@ -73,7 +73,8 @@ export class Actions {
             const selectedText = selectionText || entity.name;
             const newText = `[${selectedText}](${entity.link})`;
             this.#replaceSelection(newText, newText.length, selectionRange);
-        }, selectionText, {
+        }, {
+            initialValue: selectionText,
             searchEndpoint: '/search/entity-selector',
             entityTypes: 'page,book,chapter,bookshelf',
             entityPermission: 'view',
diff --git a/resources/js/wysiwyg/config.js b/resources/js/wysiwyg/config.js
index 963e2970d..6c96e47e9 100644
--- a/resources/js/wysiwyg/config.js
+++ b/resources/js/wysiwyg/config.js
@@ -85,7 +85,8 @@ function filePickerCallback(callback, value, meta) {
                 text: entity.name,
                 title: entity.name,
             });
-        }, selectionText, {
+        }, {
+            initialValue: selectionText,
             searchEndpoint: '/search/entity-selector',
             entityTypes: 'page,book,chapter,bookshelf',
             entityPermission: 'view',
diff --git a/resources/js/wysiwyg/shortcuts.js b/resources/js/wysiwyg/shortcuts.js
index da9e02270..dbc725b1d 100644
--- a/resources/js/wysiwyg/shortcuts.js
+++ b/resources/js/wysiwyg/shortcuts.js
@@ -58,7 +58,8 @@ export function register(editor) {
 
             editor.selection.collapse(false);
             editor.focus();
-        }, selectionText, {
+        }, {
+            initialValue: selectionText,
             searchEndpoint: '/search/entity-selector',
             entityTypes: 'page,book,chapter,bookshelf',
             entityPermission: 'view',