diff --git a/spec/javascripts/search_autocomplete_spec.js b/spec/javascripts/search_autocomplete_spec.js
index 08d9b775940..d564a49517b 100644
--- a/spec/javascripts/search_autocomplete_spec.js
+++ b/spec/javascripts/search_autocomplete_spec.js
@@ -112,13 +112,15 @@ require('vendor/fuzzaldrin-plus');
     preloadFixtures('static/search_autocomplete.html.raw');
     beforeEach(function() {
       loadFixtures('static/search_autocomplete.html.raw');
-      return widget = new gl.SearchAutocomplete;
+      widget = new gl.SearchAutocomplete;
+      // Prevent turbolinks from triggering within gl_dropdown
+      spyOn(window.Turbolinks, 'visit').and.returnValue(true);
     });
     it('should show Dashboard specific dropdown menu', function() {
       var list;
       addBodyAttributes();
       mockDashboardOptions();
-      widget.searchInput.focus();
+      widget.searchInput.triggerHandler('focus');
       list = widget.wrap.find('.dropdown-menu').find('ul');
       return assertLinks(list, dashboardIssuesPath, dashboardMRsPath);
     });
@@ -126,7 +128,7 @@ require('vendor/fuzzaldrin-plus');
       var list;
       addBodyAttributes('group');
       mockGroupOptions();
-      widget.searchInput.focus();
+      widget.searchInput.triggerHandler('focus');
       list = widget.wrap.find('.dropdown-menu').find('ul');
       return assertLinks(list, groupIssuesPath, groupMRsPath);
     });
@@ -134,7 +136,7 @@ require('vendor/fuzzaldrin-plus');
       var list;
       addBodyAttributes('project');
       mockProjectOptions();
-      widget.searchInput.focus();
+      widget.searchInput.triggerHandler('focus');
       list = widget.wrap.find('.dropdown-menu').find('ul');
       return assertLinks(list, projectIssuesPath, projectMRsPath);
     });
@@ -143,7 +145,7 @@ require('vendor/fuzzaldrin-plus');
       addBodyAttributes('project');
       mockProjectOptions();
       widget.searchInput.val('help');
-      widget.searchInput.focus();
+      widget.searchInput.triggerHandler('focus');
       list = widget.wrap.find('.dropdown-menu').find('ul');
       link = "a[href='" + projectIssuesPath + "/?assignee_id=" + userId + "']";
       return expect(list.find(link).length).toBe(0);
@@ -154,7 +156,7 @@ require('vendor/fuzzaldrin-plus');
       addBodyAttributes();
       mockDashboardOptions(true);
       var submitSpy = spyOnEvent('form', 'submit');
-      widget.searchInput.focus();
+      widget.searchInput.triggerHandler('focus');
       widget.wrap.trigger($.Event('keydown', { which: DOWN }));
       var enterKeyEvent = $.Event('keydown', { which: ENTER });
       widget.searchInput.trigger(enterKeyEvent);