diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/gl_dropdown.js b/app/assets/javascripts/gl_dropdown.js
index bb516b3d2df..00859728c30 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/gl_dropdown.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/gl_dropdown.js
@@ -476,7 +476,7 @@
       this.removeArrayKeyEvent();
       $input = this.dropdown.find(".dropdown-input-field");
       if (this.options.filterable) {
-        $input.blur().val("");
+        $input.blur();
       }
       if (this.dropdown.find(".dropdown-toggle-page").length) {
         $('.dropdown-menu', this.dropdown).removeClass(PAGE_TWO_CLASS);
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/search.js b/app/assets/javascripts/search.js
index 4b6ebadeac7..5945cab4cf0 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/search.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/search.js
@@ -12,6 +12,9 @@
         selectable: true,
         filterable: true,
         fieldName: 'group_id',
+        search: {
+          fields: ['name']
+        },
         data: function(term, callback) {
           return Api.groups(term, {}, function(data) {
             data.unshift({
@@ -40,6 +43,9 @@
         selectable: true,
         filterable: true,
         fieldName: 'project_id',
+        search: {
+          fields: ['name']
+        },
         data: function(term, callback) {
           return Api.projects(term, 'id', function(data) {
             data.unshift({
diff --git a/changelogs/unreleased/26616-fix-search-group-project-filters.yml b/changelogs/unreleased/26616-fix-search-group-project-filters.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..0fd0dbbfc24
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/unreleased/26616-fix-search-group-project-filters.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+---
+title: Fix search group/project filtering to show results
+merge_request:
+author:
diff --git a/spec/javascripts/gl_dropdown_spec.js.es6 b/spec/javascripts/gl_dropdown_spec.js.es6
index ce96571bd52..d11b1182d9a 100644
--- a/spec/javascripts/gl_dropdown_spec.js.es6
+++ b/spec/javascripts/gl_dropdown_spec.js.es6
@@ -50,6 +50,9 @@
         selectable: true,
         filterable: isFilterable,
         data: hasRemote ? remoteMock.bind({}, this.projectsData) : this.projectsData,
+        search: {
+          fields: ['name']
+        },
         text: (project) => {
           (project.name_with_namespace || project.name);
         },
@@ -167,5 +170,21 @@
         expect($(document.activeElement)).toEqual($(SEARCH_INPUT_SELECTOR));
       });
     });
+
+
+    it('should still have input value on close and restore', () => {
+      let $searchInput = $(SEARCH_INPUT_SELECTOR);
+      initDropDown.call(this, false, true);
+      $searchInput
+        .trigger('focus')
+        .val('g')
+        .trigger('input');
+      expect($searchInput.val()).toEqual('g');
+      this.dropdownButtonElement.trigger('hidden.bs.dropdown');
+      $searchInput
+        .trigger('blur')
+        .trigger('focus');
+      expect($searchInput.val()).toEqual('g');
+    });
   });
 })();